Incognito Tab (COMPLETE)

2. Analyze

When I got in last night, there was an envelope in my mailbox. It didn't have anything on it at all, not even my address which means it had to have been left by someone. Inside was a flashdrive. What's on it?

I throw my backpack over my shoulder and step outside my apartment and start to lock the door when I see Maeve. She's wearing a loose white top with embroidery at the low neckline and navy shorts with round white tassels on the edges. Her short brown hair is wet, soaking the back of her shirt. She has one earbud in and her she's holding the microphone/volume piece to her lips. The wire wraps around her, probably to a back pocket. With her other hand she reaches down for a small box.

"Yeah Lil I'm fine, I promise. I haven't heard anything from him."

Who's 'him'?

I press the flashdrive into my palm inside the right hand pocket of my hoodie. She holds the box against her with the elbow belonging to hand holding the mic. She stand completely then glances down the stairs cautiously. They her eyes fall on me and she momentarily jumps out of her skin. Her eyes widen but quickly relax. She takes a deep breath.

Did you see that?

"Oh Elliot, I didn't see you there," she says lightly out of breath.

"Sorry." I shrug my backpack over my other shoulder.

"No, it's ok." She gathers some of her wet strands and tucks them behind her left ear. She smells of something herbal and maybe a little fruity. "Hold on Lil," she says looking down at the ear piece. 

"You're early today."

"Yeah, I have some things to finish up." I pull my hood up over my head.

"Have a good day," she chimes.

I nod and head out.

I take my two trains and arrive at work with just enough time to stop by the local internet cafe. I slip inside unnoticed as usual, and take a seat at a terminal where the monitor faces the wall. I plug in the flashdive and a video file pops up. I click on it. The window opens and the video begins. My eyes widen. On the screen is a recording of me sitting on a bench on one of the underground platforms waiting for a train. I am looking over my shoulder at the empty seat on opposite diagonal from mine speaking as though someone is sitting there. Moments later I board a train then the video cuts out. My heart-rate quickens.

Someone's been watching me.

I quickly close the window, wipe any history of it from the computer and eject the flash-drive. I shove it back to my pocket and shut down the computer then leave the cafe.

Someone is trying to tell me something but what? Do they know what I did?

Briskly I make my way down the street, keeping my eyes focused ahead. I round the next corner and walk inside the building. I scan in at the desk with my ID card and make my way over to my terminal. After logging in I begin my usual tasks. "Elliot."

The girl beside me, Melody, looks over and points her thumb at me.

"The hoodie."

I quickly remove it and hang it over the back of my chair. She returns to her work and I do the same. The hours go by dreadfully slow as I type away at my terminal, adjusting intricate parts of the system in order to improve performance. I have a quick lunch at the coffee shop a short walk down the block then return to work. I code and tweak sections of information without paying much attention to the task at hand; I could do most of theses things in my sleep. I barely even have to think. Just then a new thought crosses my mind.

Who's that guy Maeve was referring to earlier?

Despite the slow pace, time passes and I clock out 5 o'clock on the dot. Just before I enter the subway, my phone vibrates. I check the caller ID and answer.

"Elliot," the familiar voice on the other line says in a mellow tone.

"Hey Angela," I look down the subway steps. An influx of people exit the platform, headed my way; I side step out of the crowd. "I have to call you back, I'm about to get on the train."

"Ok," She replies in a slightly less happy tone.

I hang up, slip my phone in my pocket and navigate through the crowd to the platform. Two trains pass before I board and I arrive at my stop. To my luck, the platform is mostly empty. Once I clear the steps I pull out my phone and dial Angela's number.

"Hello?"

"Yeah, hey Elliot,"

"Hi." I turn the corner and begin down the next street on route to my building.

"How have you been? I haven't seen you in a while."

"Good."

"You got a new job right?"

"Yeah, at Bing."

"How's it going?"

"Good," I reply in my usual monotone.

"Seriously Elliot, how have you been?"

"I'm alright Angela, not much has changed."

"That's what I'm afraid of. Have you been talking your meds?"

"Yes, they're helping," I lie. I jog up the steps to my building and set through the door.

"Are you?"

"Yes Angela," I attempt to say in the best reassuring voice I can manage.

"Alright, well I'll let you go. I just wanted to see how you're doing."

"Thanks."

"Bye," she says quietly.

I hang up my phone and pat my pants pockets for my keys. I get inside set my backpack down and hang my keys. Flipper trots over to me, I greet her and pour out some food for her. There's a soft knock at my door. I walk over and open it.

At the door is Maeve standing nearly as tall as I wearing a black dress the top of which is lace accept for the bust area with a pair of black heeled boots and half of her hair braided loosely at the crown of her head. On her shoulder is a black bag with silver accents and tassels and she had on a simple necklace with a white quarts crystal as the pendent. Around her hazel eyes she has brown makeup and the apples of her cheeks are slightly pink. She looks straight ahead into my eyes.

"Do you mind walking me to the train?" she asks clasping her hands in front of her. She wrings them several times and nervously tucks a lock of her curly brown hair behind her ear. "I'm running late to one of my gallery shows and it already dark out." 

"Ok."

I pull my door, walk down the step and wait for her. Quietly she meets me there and we walk together to the station. She swipes her metro card and steps through the threshold.

"Thanks Elliot." She waves, turns from me and walks down the platform. I wait until her train arrives then walk back. 

Guess I have to fen for myself tonight.

I pull out the milk, a bowl and a spoon and get to eating.

What could she possibly have to worry or be nervous about? Everyone has a few things that make them nervous but, what could that be for her?

I heap a spoonful of cereal into my mouth, pick a crack on the wall ahead of me and stare at it. With my eyes I follow the hairline crack up the wall, across a few inches to the right before it meets the seem between the wall and the ceiling. It's been there as long as I've lived here, probably before that. I follow the line back down and set my empty cereal aside. I rinse it and place in the sink then I head to the bathroom for a shower.

Eyes closed I let the water my face before meeting the rest of my body. Breathing deeply, I take in the steam hanging thickly in the room. I wipe the water from my eyes and rub them until their clear then I run my hands through my hair. Something clicks in the back of my mind.

Her Facebook messages...if Lilly Shrader is her bestfriend and the only other frequent messages were from Khane Delevine, maybe the 'him' she was talking about...but why?