Patient A-3

Epilogue

Unknown

Perching the shades on the tip of my nose, I shield my eyes from the relentless glare of the sun. With a grimace, I sip at the cup in my hand, the bitter taste of espresso assaulting my taste buds. My gaze drifts to the cafe across from the one I sit at, observing as the blonde retrieves her morning cup of straight black coffee. I force down another gulp of my own brew, mirroring her expression of contentment, trying to immerse myself in the same sensory experience she's indulging in.

I observe her as she looks up at the sun, stifling a few coughs before casually tossing her hair over her shoulder and striding along 41st Street. I mimic her actions, flipping my own blonde locks over my shoulder— another change I'm still adjusting to— before rising to my feet and following her lead.

I maintain a close watch on the woman ahead of me, noting her apparent obliviousness to her surroundings. Unbeknownst to her, I've been tracking her for months, familiar with every detail of her schedule. With practiced ease, I blend into the crowd, shadowing her every move without drawing attention to myself.

- Coffee at 7 A.M.

- Stroll/Run through Central Park at 8 A.M.

- Yoga at 9:30 A.M.

- Early lunch at 11 A.M., usually consisting of whoever she finds first

- Operation Track Down Brother from 12-5 P.M.

- Snack at 3 P.M.

- Dinner at 6 P.M.

- In bed by 9 P.M.

Repeat.

She's nothing if not consistent, I'll give her that much credit. Yet, despite her relentless efforts to track down her brother, she seems no closer to finding him. She's right about one thing— the Wellingtons do reside in this city. However, pinpointing their exact location amidst the vast expanse proves to be a formidable challenge. I've dedicated my own time to unraveling the mystery of these auctions, understanding that locating the auction is the key to finding the doctors, and subsequently, the facility where they operate. While locating her brother isn't my primary objective, discovering the whereabouts of the place he resides certainly is.

After months of mourning and hiding away, I've reached a turning point. I refuse to let my grief consume me any longer. If I must endure suffering for years to come, then I'll channel that pain into something meaningful— I'll devote myself to dismantling WWA entirely. I'll stop at nothing to bring an end to their nefarious operations once and for all.

I come to an abrupt stop, realizing that the beautiful blonde has slipped from my sight. With a frustrated groan, I roll my eyes behind my dark shades. It's not as though there have been any significant breakthroughs in her search anyway. I decide to grant myself a day off from stalking Idalia Wellington.

As I pivot on my heels, I'm suddenly confronted with the same menacing smile I encountered six months ago. "Hey, pretty girl. Looking for me?" the familiar voice taunts.

I return the smile, my demeanor calm despite the tension crackling in the air. "You won't believe what I'm about to tell you."

End of Book 1