Alicia

The tune of a piano permeated my dreams, until I realized that it was actually my phone ringing. With blurry eyes, I slapped around my nightstand till I found it. What time was it? When I finally got a hold of the thing, Colin's name was front and center. Without a second thought to the time, I swiped the screen.

"Colin?"

"Alicia, sorry for the late hour but I need you to do something."

It sounded like he was in the car. "Are you okay? Why are you driving in the middle of the night?"

"I'm fine. I just met with Sandy."

My heart dropped. They caught her and now she would probably have to spend some time in jail. Poor Sandy.

"She's been reunited with her family. They're taking them somewhere safe."

"What?" I practically yelled in the phone. Then I remembered Cameron was sleeping in the next room. I got up out of bed and started to move to the living room. "What is going on Colin Evans?" I said, lowering my voice.

He gave a low chuckle. "It's a bit of a long story. Just know Sandy is safe and I'm on my way to stop this once and for all."

"Colin, that sounds dangerous. You should be letting the police deal with this."

"I'm just the distraction. Get close enough so that Rowan can spring him before he gets a chance to run again." He paused. "Alicia, it's Kinesman."

My brain took a second to compute his words. "Like Patrick Kinesman?"

"The very same. It all fits now when you think about it. Sandy used to be his secretary and he would've known the building and how little security there was."

The guy was a sleaze but I never would have thought he would do something this bad. I didn't like Colin putting himself on the front lines. What if he could tell that Colin wasn't Sandy from afar? What if he had a weapon? There were too many scenarios for my liking. "Please be careful Colin, don't do anything foolish."

"Don't you have faith in my capabilities?" I could practically see his teasing grin through the phone.

"You know what I mean."

"I do," he said, serious again. "Listen Alicia, I don't have a lot of time. Sandy told me why she was in your office on Saturday. She planted fake evidence, incriminating both of us. It was the leverage to blackmail me into giving my software. I need you to go get it."

"Of course, but I thought your men already checked my office? How did she hide evidence?"

"By putting it in plain sight. She said it's a flash drive in the form of a pen. It should be right on top of your desk."

I shook my head in wonder as I went to get dressed. "Sounds like something right out of a crime drama."

"I know right?"

I smiled at how easy going he was being. I itched to ask him about the sudden change in his attitude. I doubt the old Colin would have helped Sandy but I held back my tongue. He was about to head into a stressful situation, it was hardly the time. "I'm just about to head over. Where did you say you were going again?"

"I didn't. Can't risk you coming to follow me can I?"

I huffed. Apparently Colin knew me a little too well. "Fine, be that way."

He laughed again. "There is one other thing you can do for me Alicia."

"Anything."

"Pray for me."

He had caught me so off guard, that I couldn't formulate a response.

"I'll update you as soon as it's over." Then the line went dead.

I stared at the phone in my hand. For Colin to ask for prayer...that was huge. I had the urge to call him back and demand why he would ask that. But I knew he needed his wits about him and I had my own mission to accomplish. I scribbled a quick note to Cameron then slipped out so I didn't wake her.

I ran the whole length down to Hope Digital. Time was crucial. Colin would be meeting Kinesman for the "drop-off" soon and I wanted that evidence no where near us when he did. I still couldn't believe it was Kinesman behind all this. Who knew the man was a psychopath as well as a sleazeball?

The last block my chest started to heave from the sprint. But I remembered to pray for Colin. I prayed God would keep him safe but also that He would continue to soften his heart. The changes that I saw in Colin were starting to make sense. He wasn't carrying such a heavy burden anymore, making him lighter, more carefree. I just hoped it was because of God's power and not his own. Under his own strength, the weight would just come crashing back down.

By the time I reached my office, sweat had gathered under my shirt and I was sure my hair was sticking out in all sorts of directions. Going straight to my desk, I search for the cursed pen.

There were a few on top of my desk, how would I know which one? One was different from all the rest, so I picked it up and began trying to open it. At a soft click, the back came off to reveal the silver end of a USB. It was pretty cool looking, like something out of a spy movie.

Seeing my UOIT Alumni mug, I picked it up and pounded it into the pen on the desk. It gave a satisfying crack as pieces of plastic broke off. Then for good measure, I dropped it to the floor and ground my heel into it.

My job done, there wasn't anything left for me to do other than go back and wait to hear from Colin. My stomach somersaulted at the thought of Colin facing this alone. I knew he would have Rowan but in my gut, I felt like I needed to be there. For him.

But of course it was impossible, because he purposely held back the location of the trade. Colin knew me very well. It was infuriating really.

A lightbulb went off in my head. There was one more person who knew where he was going and I was sure she would be very willing to tell me.