The fifth installment of Out of the Shadows.
Felicity watched the man sitting next to the window like a hawk. Not that anyone would notice that she was. Felicity hadn’t looked directly at him since she handed him his order. This was bad, very bad. Felicity fretted, though giving no outward sign of her distress. She knew that guy, or at least, knew of him. He was Jiang Chen, known on the FBI most wanted list as John Chin, spy for hire.
Felicity knew he didn’t recognize her. They’d never met face to face, though she had defeated him in a round about way when she stymied one of his employer’s plans. Her face was probably rattling around somewhere in the back of his mind. That wasn’t the problem. He wouldn’t recognize her unless she did something to draw his attention. The problem was that he was watching the building across the street. The building where most of the café’s costumers came from. The building where Sally worked. Felicity was stuck. She couldn’t exactly call the cops. Nothing could be traced to her. Why did she even care?!
Felicity’s phone pinged with Sally’s order. The phone chime heralded a bell in her own mind. This was a stupid idea, but she was going to do it anyway. Felicity prepared an extra cup of coffee. When Sally walked in Felicity kept their usual banter to a minimum. Then she handed Sally the extra coffee and asked her to give it to John Howle. Felicity was grateful that Sally knew practically everyone so that she didn’t have to specify ‘head of security’ in front of Chen.
Ten minutes later, Howle walked in the café. Felicity met his eyes, looked at Chen and back at Howle. Howle glanced at Chen, then placed his order. Felicity almost took a sip before giving it to Howle. That would look weird. She popped the top on the cup. Howle took the cup but didn’t drink it. He walked over to a table, taking Chen’s picture subtly enough that it was obvious to Felicity he’d done this kind of thing before. (Though not nearly as much as her and Chen.)
Felicity’s shift ended and she fled the café as quickly as she could while still looking casual. The arrest of ‘John Chen’ was on the news that night. There was nothing to tie Felicity to it except the cup in Howle’s office. Scribbled under the brown coffee cup sleeve were the words “Get down here. Now!”
Felicity watched the man sitting next to the window like a hawk. Not that anyone would notice that she was. Felicity hadn’t looked directly at him since she handed him his order. This was bad, very bad. Felicity fretted, though giving no outward sign of her distress. She knew that guy, or at least, knew of him. He was Jiang Chen, known on the FBI most wanted list as John Chin, spy for hire.
Felicity knew he didn’t recognize her. They’d never met face to face, though she had defeated him in a round about way when she stymied one of his employer’s plans. Her face was probably rattling around somewhere in the back of his mind. That wasn’t the problem. He wouldn’t recognize her unless she did something to draw his attention. The problem was that he was watching the building across the street. The building where most of the café’s costumers came from. The building where Sally worked. Felicity was stuck. She couldn’t exactly call the cops. Nothing could be traced to her. Why did she even care?!
Felicity’s phone pinged with Sally’s order. The phone chime heralded a bell in her own mind. This was a stupid idea, but she was going to do it anyway. Felicity prepared an extra cup of coffee. When Sally walked in Felicity kept their usual banter to a minimum. Then she handed Sally the extra coffee and asked her to give it to John Howle. Felicity was grateful that Sally knew practically everyone so that she didn’t have to specify ‘head of security’ in front of Chen.
Ten minutes later, Howle walked in the café. Felicity met his eyes, looked at Chen and back at Howle. Howle glanced at Chen, then placed his order. Felicity almost took a sip before giving it to Howle. That would look weird. She popped the top on the cup. Howle took the cup but didn’t drink it. He walked over to a table, taking Chen’s picture subtly enough that it was obvious to Felicity he’d done this kind of thing before. (Though not nearly as much as her and Chen.)
Felicity’s shift ended and she fled the café as quickly as she could while still looking casual. The arrest of ‘John Chen’ was on the news that night. There was nothing to tie Felicity to it except the cup in Howle’s office. Scribbled under the brown coffee cup sleeve were the words “Get down here. Now!”
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