The neon sign of the corner kiosk flickered, casting a rhythmic blue glow over Leo’s face. He gripped his iPhone like a lifeline, the "No SIM" notification at the top of the screen feeling more like a "No Identity" warning. He was five thousand miles from home, and without a connection, the winding streets of Rome were just a beautiful, terrifying maze.

The man chuckled, reaching into a glass drawer filled with colorful cardboard envelopes. "You can buy them everywhere, young man. Big carriers like TIM or Vodafone have shiny stores in the piazza. Even the supermarkets carry them next to the pasta. But here? Here is faster."

Leo stepped back out into the humid night, the glowing screen now a compass instead of a brick. He wasn't lost anymore. He was just a tourist with a plan.