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Exiting the map, I go back to the message.
Today (Friday) at 07.34.
Which means that they were spotted in that small town this morning. It has been more than twelve ours since then.
The message ends with another one-word embedded link.
Photo.
I click on it.
A slightly grainy photo that looks to be from an ATM pops up on my screen. It shows a woman in her sixties. But behind her shoulder, across the street from the ATM, two people are walking down the road.
My mouth goes dry.
Fuck.
It really is them.
I hurriedly send back ‘Received’ and then toss the phone back into my bag. I won’t need to check that anymore now. If they were in that small town early this morning, it’s only a matter of time before they show up in this city.
From now on, I will need to stay at Blackwater the entire time. No more trips into the city. No more visits to restaurants outside. All of my time will now be spent either on campus for class, or in my apartment in the residential area. Nowhere else.
Rising to my feet, I’m just about to flip the lid shut again when I hesitate.
For a few seconds, I only stare down at the pile of guns inside the duffel bag.
Bringing one to campus will draw attention. Especially if the university staff, or Rico, finds out. But on the other hand, it might be crucial to my survival.
And survival trumps everything.
So I bend down and snatch up a gun along with two extra magazines before closing and locking the box again. Then I hurry back to my car.
But as I start it, another wave of hesitation washes over me. And this time, for an absolutely ridiculous, illogical reason.
The necklace. This is the last time I will go into the city for weeks. Months, probably. And I just… I just need to see that necklace one more time. To really commit it to memory. Of what could have been if things were different.
Driving over to the other parking lot, I quickly park my car and then walk to that store at the fastest pace I can without drawing attention. I know that I’m being stupid. That I’m taking an unnecessary risk by lingering in town longer than I absolutely have to. But I just… I just need to see it.
It’s Friday evening, so the streets are filled with people in fancy clothes heading out to different bars and nightclubs. I weave through them, my pulse thrumming in my ears, until I at last reach that large glass window.
The whole world seems to stop for a second as I stare at that display in the middle. The chattering and music go silent. The moving people freeze mid-step. The very air comes to a halt.
Because the necklace has already been sold.
Those cracks in my heart spread.
Of course it has. Of course it has already been sold. Because yet again, the universe is mocking me,tormentingme, with everything I can’t have.
Bitterness and heartache clog my throat as I stare at the empty jewelry display for another second. Then I forcefully swallow all of those emotions and stalk away.
It doesn’t matter. It was just a necklace. And coming here was stupid anyway.
I have to remind myself not to stomp as I walk back towards my car. I’m so bitter and annoyed at myself that I almost miss it. Miss that faint feeling. But an entire life spent as an assassin thankfully leads to senses that can’t be overshadowed by temporary anger.
Halfway to my car, the back of my neck prickles.
My heart leaps into my throat, but I force myself to keep walking normally.
