Page 107 of Seer

“Noooo? I just got off work.”

Greg said urgently, “Do not leave the building. Mia, please tell me you’re still indoors!”

“What? I mean, I am. I’m at my locker. Why?”

“Several Wonders have been murdered. A Seer—he’s with me; his name is Cal—he saw the next attack will be tonight in the parking lot of a Build Barn.”

“What?Are you serious?”

“Mia, this is Cal. Do you drive a small sedan, and did you park it next to a light pole toward the back of the parking lot?”

“Y-yeah. It was busy when I got here. That was the closest I could park.”

Greg leaned forward, shifting his grip on the steering wheel. “It’s okay. You’ll be fine as long as you stay inside. We’ll be there in... 23 minutes.”

“But Mr. Cruz—he’s the manager—he’s waiting on me so he can lock up and go home.”

“Tell him you have a stalker and we’re worried he’s coming after you.”

I suggested, “Tell him we’re your uncles and we’re picking you up.”

“Okay, hang on.”

We heard the sound of jogging footsteps, then a hushed conversation.

A man’s voice came on the line.

“Hello, this is Francisco Cruz. Who am I speaking with?” Mr. Cruz sounded like he might’ve spent some time in the military.

“Hi, Mr. Cruz. My name is Greg Shaw, and I have my boyfriend Cal Steadham with me.”

“And you are Mia’s uncles, is that correct? I’m confused because when she interviewed, she told me she didn’t know anyone in the area.”

Well, fuck.

Greg sighed loudly. “You’re right, we’re technically not related, and I’m sorry I told Mia to lie to you. I’m a friend of her family and Cal is my boyfriend. Mia has a stalker, and her family has credible information that he’s going to try something tonight when she leaves work. We’re coming to pick her up, but we’re 21 minutes out.”

“I’m happy to walk her to her car and follow her home.”

Oh, fuck. All we needed was an NPC getting killed.

“Thank you for offering, but, ah, the stalker has friends. And you’d be putting yourself in danger.”

“Uh huh. What about the danger you’ll be in after you pick her up? This plan doesn’t seem well thought out.”

Dude, you have no idea.

Greg and I exchanged glances.

I said, “Mr. Cruz, this is Cal. I understand where you’re coming from, but let me ask you this. In the parking lot where Mia parked her car, is that light out?”

We heard walking and breathing noises.

“Fuck me,” Cruz said. “It’s out.”

“Mr. Cruz, we’ve got other friends on their way to caravan home with us. It’ll be safer for Mia if you wouldn’t mind waiting with her until we get there.”

Greg said, “Please. Just nineteen more minutes, and we’ll be out of your hair.”