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No wonder it was so quiet today when I was jogging through the Village looking for her. Everyone will be there but me. Of course, I made a generous donation to their cause, but I'm not a praying kinda man.
I decide to pull up the tapes. I flip on the closest screen, the one that is linked to the camera outside the main gates. No sign of her. One by one, I flip on the other screens. Go back in time and watch the videos. Only to experience the same exact outcome.
Digital film from the camera outside my house? Nada. The courtyard? Blank. The street that runs parallel to the three-story building with the rooftop bar? Nothing. Where is she? She couldn’t have just dissolved into thin air.
"Fuck!" I run my hand through my hair, probably leaving it standing on end, looking as crazy as I feel inside. Taking a deep breath, I slow down. Scan the screens once more. My gut tells me something is off about the one I’m currently studying.
There, in the corner of the screen, the one that’s linked to the camera outside of my house.
The time. It jumps.
Someone’s fucked with the recording. Erased a few minutes from it. I scan the long black desk, searching for something, any sign of who did this, how this happened. Something catches my eye. A yellow piece of paper. I grab it. It's folded in half. I open the paper, no idea if it's going to be some kind of clue or just nothing.
Inside, there's one word, scribbled like the person writing it was running out of time.
Sorry.
Instantly, I know it’s her. She was here. She did this. Then she left this note for me to find. She somehow not only managed to break into our Hub, she also managed to break out of our perfect system. I slip the note into my pocket.
A beep comes from the door. Someone’s about to enter. Foolishly, my heart jumps, thinking it could be her, knowing it’s not. Whoever it is, maybe I’ll get some answers.
Damn… it’s the kid.
Brady’s pale face comes into view as he peers around the room from behind his glasses. He’s a newbie, a brother I was surprised made it through initiation, being so small, but he’s smart, shrewd, sly, and an asset to the team.
Well… he will be when he gets some experience and years under his belt.
“Hey,” he says. He holds up a soda. “As the newest guy, I got stuck with Hub duty. No one else wanted to miss the event but I don’t really mind. I didn’t think anyone would be in here with the prayer breakfast and all. I just stepped out to get a drink.”
It all comes together in one split second. Somehow, some way, my beautiful girl has used his inexperience against him and figured out a way to get herself in here. Flirting? Dunno. Doesn’t matter. All I know is that she got in here, erased these recordings, and left me this apology note.
God, she’s sharp. She completely outsmarted us. Didn’t she? Luck was on her side too, with Brady fooled by her beauty and charms. How did she erase the videos, though? Did she have help….
I kinda feel bad for the newbie kid—even though part of me wants to kill him. He’s about to get his ass handed to him. But not by me. It’s this kid’s lucky day. I don’t have the time. I’ve got to get the hell out of here and find my girl.
I glance up at the kid. “Brady. Right?”
“Yes, sir.” He slides into a seat beside me. “So. What’s going on? How’d you manage to get out of the breakfast thing?”
“Doesn’t matter. The real question is, why did you leave your post?”
He holds up the drink again. “Got thirsty.”
Jesus. This fucking guy. He’s going to need more than years to get to where he needs to be. The kid needs a wakeup call.
I ask, “Do you see this? Looks like someone tampered with the videos. This one.” I point to the screen. “There’s a few minutes missing from it.”
I don’t bother to say that I know if I was to scan the other screens, they’d be missing minutes too.
“Oh. Shit.” His pale face goes tomato red.
“What happened?” I hold up a hand to stop him. “Wait. Let me guess. Beautiful brunette? Told you something about how she’s always been intrigued by the security. Wanted a tour?”
“Nah.” He shakes his head.
Spit it out already, guy. “What. Happened.”
“Told me she’d lost her cat. That if she could take a look at the screens, it would help her. Then she told me she’d stay and watch for a while. Look for the cat. She seemed fine. No one was here. Nothing was going on. And I was getting crazy thirsty. I thought I’d step out for drink. As soon as I opened the door, my heart sank. I saw you and no girl. I figured she pulled a fast one on me.”
