(1362 words)

Saturday, May 17th, 2025

"Alicia!"

She stopped immediately.

The bag of food hung from her hand as she turned toward the voice.

Daniel was walking quickly along the gravel road.

The look on his face told her everything she needed to know.

Something had happened.

Alicia waited until he reached her.

"What's wrong?"

Daniel stopped a few steps away.

"We have a problem."

Alicia didn't answer.

She simply watched him.

He looked irritated.

Not with her.

With the situation.

"The man who called you..."

Alicia immediately knew who he meant.

"The new case?"

Daniel nodded.

"What happened?"

"He didn't wait."

Alicia closed her eyes for a second.

Of course he hadn't.

People almost never waited.

"What did he do?"

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck.

"He went to see Andrew."

For the first time, Alicia looked genuinely upset.

"I told him to send me everything."

Daniel nodded.

"I know."

"I told him I would handle this myself."

"I know."

Silence settled between them for several seconds.

Alicia glanced toward the storage units before looking back at Daniel.

"What happened?"

Daniel sighed.

"He confronted him."

"Physically?"

"No."

That wasn't the real problem.

"He went to Andrew's house."

"They argued outside."

Alicia said nothing.

"He told Andrew that people knew what he had done."

That wasn't the real problem either.

"He told him that someone had been watching him."

Alicia's jaw tightened.

Now that was bad.

Very bad.

"What exactly did he say?"

Daniel thought for a moment.

"I'm not completely sure."

"Daniel..."

"I wasn't there."

She looked at him without speaking.

Daniel continued.

"As far as I understand, he told Andrew that someone was going to stop him."

The words hung heavily between them.

Alicia looked away.

The argument wasn't the problem.

Andrew wasn't even the problem.

The real problem was uncertainty.

She didn't know exactly what had been said.

She didn't know exactly what Andrew believed now.

And she hated not knowing.

Daniel knew that too.

"Now he's asking questions."

Alicia looked back at him.

"What kind of questions?"

"He wants to know who's been investigating him."

The afternoon suddenly felt much quieter.

On the outside, Alicia remained calm.

Inside, she was already changing the plan.

"What else did he say?"

Daniel hesitated.

That was never a good sign.

"What is it?"

"I should have looked into that man more carefully."

Alicia frowned.

"The one who called?"

Daniel nodded.

"I thought he was scared."

Alicia waited.

"He wasn't scared."

"Then what was he?"

Daniel looked increasingly frustrated.

"Desperate."

That made more sense.

Desperate people didn't wait.

Desperate people wanted immediate results.

Alicia set the bag of food on the ground.

"What exactly worries you?"

Daniel looked at her.

"If he goes to the police tomorrow, they'll start asking questions."

Alicia folded her arms.

"About Andrew."

"About everything."

She considered it.

It was possible.

Not likely.

But possible.

"The police won't do anything."

"Maybe not."

Daniel stepped closer.

"But they'll ask him where he got your phone number."

For the first time since the conversation had begun, Alicia didn't answer immediately.

Because Daniel was right.

The man already had her number.

The police would ask where it had come from.

Then he would mention Daniel.

And Daniel would have to answer questions.

Questions always led to more questions.

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

A car passed somewhere in the distance.

The sound quickly faded away.

"We need more information."

Daniel laughed quietly.

"I knew that's exactly what you were going to say."

Alicia ignored the comment.

"How long has Andrew known?"

"Since today."

Alicia frowned.

"How long exactly?"

Daniel thought for a moment.

"A few hours."

"There's still time."

"It only takes one phone call."

She hated it when he was right.

Alicia picked up the bag again.

"We're not ready."

Daniel studied her carefully.

"No."

"We haven't finished yet," Alicia said.

"No."

"We still don't know enough."

Daniel remained silent.

They both knew the problem.

Alicia never acted until she understood everything.

She gathered information.

She observed.

Then she waited.

Sometimes for weeks.

Sometimes for months.

Only then did she act.

That was how she avoided mistakes.

But now someone else had created a situation she couldn't control.

Daniel looked toward the storage units.

"How many are there?"

Alicia understood the question immediately.

"Too many."

Daniel nodded slowly.

Neither of them needed to explain.

"We can't afford to attract attention right now," he said.

"No."

"So what do we do?"

Alicia looked toward the trees.

Thinking.

Calculating.

Rebuilding the plan.

For several minutes, neither of them spoke.

Finally, she looked back at him.

"I'll go tonight."

Daniel stared at her.

"Tonight?"

"Yes."

That surprised him.

Alicia almost never made decisions so quickly.

"You said we weren't ready."

"We aren't."

"Then why...?"

"Because tomorrow might be too late."

Daniel studied her face.

Then he nodded.

That sounded like Alicia.

It wasn't emotional.

It wasn't impulsive.

It was practical.

"What do you need?"

Alicia thought for a moment.

"Everything."

Daniel smiled faintly.

"That's not a very helpful answer."

"Everything you can find."

His smile disappeared.

He understood.

Alicia wasn't interested in rumors.

She wanted facts.

Addresses.

Names.

Workplaces.

Schedules.

Connections.

Patterns.

Everything.

Daniel looked at his watch.

"I can have it this afternoon."

"Good."

"And what if the man goes to the police?"

Alicia didn't answer immediately.

The wind moved gently through the trees.

Finally, she looked at him.

"Then we'll adapt."

Daniel shook his head.

"One day you're going to run out of plans..."

Alicia almost smiled.

"No."

The confidence in her voice made Daniel laugh.

For one brief moment, everything felt normal again.

Then they both remembered why they were there.

The laughter disappeared.

Daniel looked toward the storage units one last time.

"Be careful."

Alicia picked up the bag.

"I always am."

Daniel opened his mouth as if he wanted to argue.

Then he stopped.

They both knew that wasn't true anymore.

Something had changed.

For the first time in years, Alicia was being forced to move before she was ready.

And that made the situation dangerous.

Not for Andrew.

Not for Daniel.

For her.

Daniel started walking back toward his car.

After a few steps, he stopped.

"Alicia."

She looked up.

"If this goes wrong..."

He didn't finish the sentence.

He didn't have to.

Alicia understood.

She always did.

"It won't."

Daniel held her gaze for several long seconds.

Then he nodded and walked away.

Alicia remained alone.

The bag felt heavier than before.

Slowly, she turned toward the row of storage units.

The afternoon was fading.

And for the first time in a very long time...

She wasn't sure what would happen next.