Sophia stood in the center of her new apartment's living room. She felt more like she was standing in an IKEA showroom.

Perfectly furnished, colors neutral except for the occasional pop of color provided by a generic piece of artwork or a vase.

Cold. Impersonal.

Not hers.

The farthest thing from a feeling of home she could imagine.

It didn't help that two FBI agents stood behind her, clearly impatient and wanting to get things moving along again. But for Sophia, everything was beginning to feel like too much.

"Ms. Shelby?"

Agent Jamie McKenzie's voice shook Sophia out of her quiet intake of the room. Sophia turned around to face the two agents. "Sorry," she said, not even having the energy to curse her needless apology. "It's a lot to take in."

Even Agent Mike Travers, Agent McKenzie's supervisor, partner? superior? inferior? gave Sophia a small glance of sympathy. "Ms. Shelby," Agent Travers said, "we should continue."

Sophia nodded, not really wanting to go through more of FBI protective custody training boot camp, but also knowing that she didn't have much of a choice. They would carry on soon enough, with or without her giving the go-ahead.

"Like I said before, Agent McKenzie is in the apartment next door," Agent Travers said. "But you do not need to do check-ins or anything like that. She'll just be keeping an eye on things."

And would hopefully get there in time if someone came for her. The thought hung in the room like a persistent fog, but Sophia didn't voice the worry. There was no point.

Agent Travers pointed to the intercom on the wall. "The first row is for the building," he said. "But these two," he pointed to the two buttons on the bottom of the panel, "they'll connect you to Agent McKenzie. For emergencies only."

Obviously, it was for emergencies. What did Agent Travers think? That she and Agent McKenzie would be having midnight gossip sessions via FBI intercom?

"These are yours." Agent Travers handed her a manilla envelope.

Sophia sat down on her perfectly stiff new couch and slid the envelope contents onto the fingerprint-free coffee table. A New York State driver's license, a passport, a social security card, several different cards including a couple of credit cards, and a black iPhone lay in front of her. The I.D. cards had her face on them, but when she examined one more closely, she saw the name 'Sadie Stewart' printed clearly at the top.

Sadie Stewart.

Sophia Shelby was slipping away.

Agent Travers cleared his throat, apparently sensing Sophia's discomfort. Sophia wondered how many times before he had given someone a completely new identity. "Your original documents are housed at the agency," he said. "You'll be able to get them back when this is all over."
'When.' Sophia couldn't help but not share in his optimism that one day she could just go back to being Sophia Shelby.

"Outside of this building and around anyone who isn't me or Agent McKenzie, you're Sadie." Agent Travers spoke firmly.

Sophia nodded. "Sophia Shelby doesn't exist in New York City." She surprised herself by the lack of bitterness in her voice. Sophia cast her eyes on the other agent. "And what about you, Agent McKenzie? Will our time as neighbors be spent with you calling me Sophia or Sadie?"

"Sophia," Agent McKenzie responded immediately. "Unless there is anyone else around at the time. But when we're alone, Sophia. No point in pretending when both of us know the truth."

For some reason, Sophia found herself appreciating Agent McKenzie's words. She was a straight shooter, and with her life turned upside down, Sophia needed people who wouldn't bullshit her.

"Speaking of names," Agent Travers said, "you shouldn't say Agent McKenzie. We can't afford you getting used to it and then slipping up around someone we don't want knowing anything."

Sophia glanced at Agent McKenzie. "So..."

"Jamie," the female agent supplied. "Call me Jamie."

Sophia nodded.

"You have a state-of-the-art security system, here..."

As much as Sophia tried to listen to Agent Travers's detailed explanation about all the inner workers of her apartment alarm, her mind wandered as he dove deeper into technical talk.

"But the most important thing to remember," Jamie broke through Agent Travers's lecture, clearly aware of Sophia's lack of interest or ability to focus, "is you have a panic button here," she pointed at the wall next to the intercom, "one in the kitchen next to the microwave, one in your bedroom to the left of your bed, and one in the bathroom next to the sink."

Sophia sincerely hoped no one would be attacking her while she was in the bathroom.

"The moment you touch one of those, Travers, myself, and half a dozen other agents will be notified and be here in less than three minutes."

Sophia thought that someone could do quite a lot of damage in three minutes, but she didn't bring it up. She just nodded.

"We appreciate your cooperation with all of this, Ms. Shelby" Agent Travers said, surprising sincerity ringing through his voice. "Do you have any questions about what we've discussed?"

Sophia shook her head. "I just want to know when this will all be over."

"Hopefully soon." Agent Travers didn't give her any other specifics besides that. He didn't have any specifics besides that. "We'll keep you updated."

Sophia watched him and Agent McKenzie--Jamie--walk toward the door. The two exchanged brief, whispered words that Sophia didn't even care enough to strain to hear, and then Agent Travers left, leaving Sophia alone with the female agent.

"He's good at what he does," Jamie said, coming back across the small living space and sitting across from Sophia in a chair that looked like it was about as comfortable as a piece of concrete. "The investigation is in good hands with him."

Sophia had nothing besides Jamie's word that that was true.

"Agent Travers is in charge of your security and the ongoing investigation," Jamie continued, "but there is also the matter of your life here to discuss."

Sophia slightly raised an eyebrow at Jamie's words, just as a taxi let out a long drag on the car horn below. "My life here? Can you have a life in witness protection?"

"Ideally, yes," Jamie said. "Other than making sure to take certain precautions, there's no reason why you have to stay put in this apartment 24/7." She gave Sophia an appraising look. "Not to mention, I'm guessing us telling you to stay put in this apartment wouldn't work, anyways."

She was right, but Sophia didn't acknowledge that.

"And since our intelligence says he's nowhere near New York City, and we didn't leave any trail when we moved you, the risk of him finding you is minimal."

Minimal, but not impossible. And Sophia doubted it was possible to leave absolutely no trail of her move.

"Okay, so then, my life?" Instead of dwelling on what Sophia thought was at least relatively imminent danger, she addressed what she could control.

"Well, since you have experience working in hospitals, we figured that you would be able to blend in best with a job in that field."

For the first time, Sophia a small slice of sunshine cut through the fog in her mind. Maybe this wouldn't be as miserable as she thought it was going to be. "I can go back to working in the emergency room?" she asked, trying not to let excitement seep into her words.

Jamie's face told her the answer before the agent could say anything. "No," Jamie said. Sophia thought she could see the slightest bit of sympathy flash over her face. "Hospital emergency rooms are too exposed. Anyone could just walk in. It's a security risk. And not to mention, there's the issue of licensing. You have a nursing license in California, but that doesn't transfer here."

"What, like the FBI can't pull some strings and forge a license for me?" Sophia muttered.

Jamie remained silent, allowing Sophia to work through her bitterness.

"So what will I be doing?" Sophia almost dreaded to think. If she couldn't work as an actual care provider, she doubted any job at a hospital would be appealing to her.

"We have you in admin."

Sophia didn't even bother to hide the frown that appeared on her face.

"Helping with scheduling, payroll, patient complaints, data entry, those sorts of things."

Sophia felt her heart sinking, but she didn't say anything. She knew what the answer would be if she tried to fight it. Blinking back the sudden stinging in her eyes, she waited for Jamie to continue.

"It's only temporary," Jamie said softly, trying to console her. "You'll be back to your life soon enough."

Once again, Sophia was skeptical. "So what else am I allowed to do besides go to work?"

"Honestly, pretty much everything you would normally do," Jamie said. "Go grocery shopping, exercise, get drinks after work, stuff like that. We just have some rules that we want to make sure you follow."

"Go on."

"Try to avoid taxis and Ubers, unless you're with someone. Although, for the sake of everyone's safety, only use them if absolutely necessary. Keep to the subway and busses, but never get in an empty car. In fact, stay in the busiest cars you can find."

Sophia could understand that. It would be harder for him to get to her in the middle of the New York City public transportation system, whereas if she got in a car, she would be at the mercy of the driver.

"Keep an eye out for cars that might be following you, and let me know if you keep seeing the same one. Try to be back here by ten, and keep me in the loop if you'll be later."

Great. Sophia hadn't had a ten o'clock curfew since she was fifteen.

"And above all, don't tell anyone, anyone, who you really are or why you're really here. That's not to say that you're being spied on, but people let things slip. And it might just put others in danger."

That, Sophia could understand, and she was fully behind the rule. "Got it," she said. "Public transport, keep an eye on creepy cars, early curfew, don't talk." She couldn't help the sarcasm that crept into her voice.

Jamie gave her a small smile. "Any questions?"

Sophia shook her head.

"Then I'll give you some time to get settled," Jamie said. "I'll be right next door."

Obviously. Sophia tracked Jamie as she moved across the room, and as the door shut behind her, Sophia felt the unsettling emptiness of her brand-new IKEA-furnished apartment seep further into her bones.