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Tuesday - September 14

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The elevator arrives on the ninth floor of Ruth's apartment. A man carrying a package begins to exit from the elevator, but not before he shoves a screwdriver into the door so that the elevator remains available for him. He walks to apartment nine fifteen, knocks on the door one time, bends down, leaves the package, and returns unnoticed back into the elevator and descends from where he came.

Sipping her morning tea, while watching the snow fall outside her dining room window, Ruth hears a knock at her door. She takes another quick sip of tea before setting her cup down, and then goes to the door to see who it is. Peering out the security hole, she sees no one. Commanding the door to unlock, Ruth carefully opens it, peeking with one eye. Seeing no one around, she begins to close the door when she notices a package lying on the floor. Opening the door further, she glances down the hallway and sees that it's empty. As Ruth reaches down to pick up the package, her phone begins to ring. She snatches the package, slams the door shut, and scurries to the table to answer her phone. Tossing the package on the table, Ruth answers the call.

"Ruth, this is Henry. Did you receive yours, yet?" he asks.

"Yes, I believe I have, Henry. I haven't opened it yet, but it is here."

"Go ahead and open it. I'll hold on," Henry says.

Ruth sets the phone on the table. She goes into the kitchen to grab a knife. She returns and carefully commences opening the package. After a few minutes, she empties the content of the package onto the table. Not knowing what it is, she picks up the phone and continues speaking to Henry.

"I have it, Henry. What is it? Do you know?" she asks, as she fondles the object.

"I don't know. I believe it's a piece of the puzzle, though. You have yours, I have mine, and Claire has hers," says Henry.

"How do you know Claire has hers?" Ruth asks.

"She received hers this morning. She's at the Plaza with Raymond."

Ruth begins to shake and decides to sit before she falls.

With a squeaky, scared voice she asks, "Claire... is... with Raymond?"

"Yes," replies Henry.

Ruth closes her eyes, hoping that Claire will be all right.

"Ruth? Ruth? Are you all right, Ruth?" Henry asks.

After a few seconds of silence, Ruth softly says, "Yes, I'm fine, Henry."

"What's wrong, Ruth? Are you all right?"

"Yes, Henry. I'm all right. I... I just hope we're doing the right thing," she replies with uncertainty.

"We are, Ruth," Henry assures her.

"Henry is..." Ruth starts to say something. Instead, she says, "Never mind. It doesn't matter."

"Don't worry, Ruth. He has everything under control. There are only nine more days left. Soon the world will be changed for the better."

"I don't want Claire hurt, Henry. I love Claire. She's my only niece. No harm must come to her and her baby. Does he have that under control as well?"

"I'm sure he does, Ruth. Don't worry. Claire will be fine. The baby will be fine too," he assures her.

Looking at the object, Ruth becomes apprehensive. She stands up and immediately walks over to the living room window. Looking outside, she watches the people bumbling around like marbles rolling in chaos. She takes a deep sigh and returns to sit.