Internet 24

A playing card with a cartoon character on it hits the plastic surface.

ALY

What day are we on?

They sit at a table across each other. Each holds a set of playing cards with detailed, colorful characters ranging from sci-fi and robots to pirates and wizards. They sit at a local comic book and game shop in the mall, a few stores away from their office.

They are dressed down from suits and businesswear, now in casual attire. Don wears light-colored jeans with splotches of white, hi-top sneakers, and a black hoodie with faded words in bright colors. Aly is wearing ripped black jeans, a white sweater with colorful splotches on it. The pink of her running knitted sneakers matches the pink lens of her Ray Ban sunglasses.

DON

It's our fifth day.

Don places a card down. Aly stares at her cards, trying to calculate her next move.

ALY

I like this case. I was afraid we would go

to some dark bars, motel parking lots, and feeling

disgusting. You know, basic

cheating shtick. Instead, we get to have fun.

She places a card down.

ALY

Was he doing the usual in the morning?

Don glances at the table and places another card. Aly lets out a groan at the sight of the card. Don's focus is across the room at a table filled with people playing the same card game. Mr. Olive has

Don's attention. The tie to his suit is undone, his top two buttons unbuttoned, and a backpack lies next to him.

DON

Yeah, the same as last time.

Dude was just at work. Then he went

home for a moment, then here.

I did notice something, though.

We're not the only ones tailing him.

Aly places a card down boldly with a smile, a smile that is wiped away when Don puts another card down.

ALY

Of course you have that.

She mumbles before speaking.

ALY

What does the person look like?

Did you get a good look?

DON

Don't have to. Dude's sitting on

the bench outside the store.

Don gestures with his head. Aly peers over Don's shoulder at the glass wall of the shop. It's easy to tell out of the three people sitting on the bench in the middle of the walkway who Don means. The man is wearing a black sweater, jeans, and sneakers. He has an olive complexion and is trying too hard to make it look like he is not staring into the store.

ALY

Wait, he was outside the bank that one day.

Right? Dude's such an amateur.

It's obvious that he's waiting for someone.

We're going to talk to him, right?

DON

You know we will.

He places a card down, causing Aly to grind her teeth.

DON

How're things going on your end?

ALY

The secretary hunt? It's technically going.

Her eyes jumping from the cards on the table to the ones in her hand.

ALY

Not a lot of people are jumping to take the position.

DON

Is it the amount we are offering?

Don taps his fingers, waiting for Aly to play a card.

ALY

Probably, plus there's paperwork

I have to go through. You know how many

references I had to call? Shit gets boring.

Don looks over at the table to see their target packing his things up. The tapping grows louder as Don stares at Ben getting up. He lowers his head and delivers his message with an aggressive whisper.

DON

Come on, Aly. Play your card – he's getting ready to go.

ALY

You won't be happy when I do. Watch this.

Aly slams a card on the table. With one look, Don plays a card and gets up from the table.

ALY

No, no, no. How did you?

Aly glares at Don, who is getting ready to follow the man.

DON

Hurry, loser picks up. He's walking out.

Aly starts packing up the cards, stranded in a sea of petty emotions. She stuffs them in a backpack and runs out. Once their target walks out of the store, the man on the bench gets up and follows Mr. Olive. Unfortunately for him, he is unaware of Don and Aly coming up beside him.

They each lock arms with the man. Aly presses two fingers on his ribs. Aly's hands are cold steel as the tips of her fingers feel like pistols pressing on him.

ALY

Don't worry, man, the restrooms are this way.

Before he can react, Aly walks up next to him and pointing at a hallway stretching far into the mall's insides.

DON

Let us help.

His arm pushes the man in the direction of the hall.

STALKER

What the hel—

ALY

It's no big deal. I mean, we are

both headed to the same place.

Aly pulls him into the hall before Mr. Olive can look back and see them. Her fingers press on a rib harder, and the man can hear it splintering. They walk past the bathrooms, with Don's eyes on a door at the end of the hall labeled storage.