2026-08-02 14:12:08
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46. The First Countermove
A cool breeze swept across the riverside as Sebastian stepped out of the cafe. The rain had stopped completely, leaving the pavement slick beneath the glow of the streetlights. Reflections of passing cars shimmered across the wet road while the river flowed quietly beside the promenade, carrying fallen leaves downstream.He adjusted the strap of his backpack and walked without haste.Arthur had left through the rear entrance exactly as they had agreed, and Sebastian had taken the front. Neither of them had discussed it beforehand, yet both had instinctively understood that leaving together would only invite unnecessary attention.As he crossed the street, Sebastian paused beside a newspaper stand that had already closed for the night. The glass display reflected the traffic behind him.A black sedan rolled through the intersection. It continued without slowing. A cyclist followed moments later before disappearing down another street.Nothing unusual.Still, Sebastian remained where he
45. Before the Records Existed
For several long moments, neither Sebastian nor Arthur spoke.The rain drummed softly against the cafe windows while muted conversations from the other customers blended into the background. Somewhere near the counter, a coffee grinder hummed before falling silent again.Sebastian lowered his gaze to the yellowed index card resting between them.Transferred before official transfer.He read the sentence again, this time more slowly.Then he looked up at Arthur."Tell me exactly where you found this?," Sebastian asked. His voice remained calm, but the intensity in his eyes sharpened noticeably.Arthur drew a slow breath before answering. He rested both forearms on the table and folded his trembling hands together."It wasn't inside the archive," he explained. "It was behind an old catalogue drawer that hasn't been used in years. I was checking whether there had ever been a filing category called 'Pre-Transfer Access Ledger.'" He shook his head. "There wasn't."Sebastian listened without
44. The Meeting Nobody Expected
The rain had eased into a steady drizzle by the time Sebastian stepped out of the library. He adjusted the strap of his backpack over his shoulder and stood beneath the stone entrance for a few moments, watching the traffic crawl through the wet streets.His phone remained in his hand.Arthur's last message still glowed on the screen.Riverside Archive Cafe. Eight o'clock.Sebastian did not answer immediately. Instead, he opened the weather application, checked the time, and then looked around the street with quiet patience. A yellow taxi splashed through a shallow puddle before vanishing around the corner, a courier balanced two large parcels on the back of a motorcycle while an elderly couple hurried beneath a shared umbrella.Nothing appeared unusual. That, Sebastian had learned, did not mean everything was safe.He slipped the phone into his pocket and began walking toward the nearest bus stop instead of hailing a cab. Marcus's warning had been precise."Don't go where you planned
43. The Better Question
Sebastian didn't rush, instead, he rested both hands on the backpack resting on his lap and watched the afternoon traffic flow past his windshield. A city bus rumbled through the intersection while office workers hurried across the crosswalk before the signal changed. Everything around him looked ordinary yet nothing about the past twenty-four hours had been ordinary.He opened his father's notebook once more and slowly reread the final sentence he had written only moments earlier.When someone chooses the battlefield for you, question why they chose it before deciding whether to fight.He studied the words for several seconds before finally closing the notebook."They want me looking at Lot 19," he murmured. His voice was quiet, but the conviction behind it grew stronger with every passing thought. "The better question isn't whether I should go."He paused and looked out through the windshield. "That's why they want me there."His phone remained silent with no anonymous messages or
42. Connecting the dots
42. Beginning to cross.Sebastian remained silent for several seconds, his fingers resting against the edge of his mobile while his thoughts raced faster than he could organize them. He looked at the municipal map still glowing on his laptop screen, then back at the name displayed on his phone.The Graystone National Bank Records Annex.It was no longer just another abandoned building. Now it had become the point where several independent trails appeared to intersect."Evelyn," he said at last, keeping his voice calculated, "are you sure the receipt came from the records annex?""I checked it twice before calling you," Evelyn replied. He could hear papers shifting as she unfolded the receipt again. "The address is printed across the top. It's faded, but it's still readable."Sebastian leaned forward and rested his elbows on his lap. "What exactly was the receipt for?""I don't know." Evelyn whispered and frowned. "That's the strange part. There isn't any account number or transaction
41. The Countermove
Sebastian remained standing on the opposite side of the street long after the unfamiliar man disappeared into the afternoon crowd.He did not follow him.Instead, he lowered his gaze to the bottle of water still resting in his hand and slowly twisted the cap open. Taking a small sip gave him time to think instead of react.His father's voice echoed from his past memories inside his mind."The moment someone wants you to chase them... don't."Sebastian slipped the notebook back into his backpack and began walking in the opposite direction at an unhurried pace. His reflection appeared briefly in the windows of passing shops. Every few steps, he glanced naturally at the glass rather than turning his head.He sighed in relief, witnessing there was no one following him at that moment. “Taxi.” He called the white cab which was taking a turn in front of his eyes after the passenger came out from it and was giving him the money. The cab driver turned his head and looked at Sebastian standin
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