Day 277. Victoria sat in the corner of the room. Unease had settled deeper in her chest. The nagging feeling from yesterday wasn't any better today—it was worse. There was something off about Lili. Something she couldn't put her finger on, but it gnawed at her. She didn't go to work today, either. Not with that feeling.

The door opened. Erdmann stepped in. In his hand, he carried the eco-suit from the hospital, her sister's gun, along with two magazines. Fifteen rounds each.

And a satellite phone.

"Here," he said, placing them on the nightstand. "Everything you asked for."

Victoria thanked him.

Erdmann studied her for a moment. "The cameras were off again, yesterday. Coincidentally, two of the suspects were in the area. One of them was your friend Lili. Did you notice anything unusual about her? Any thing she might be hiding?"

Victoria hesitated, thinking of what to say. "Not quite. But... I won't tell you to stop. I just think you shouldn't be pursuing that innocent girl."

Erdmann's voice was calm. "Whether or not she's innocent is what we're trying to uncover now. But you're right—she's least likely to be the killer. So we're not really stressing on that." His eyes softened. "Just be careful. And I don't want to see those bullets inside the wrong people."

"Why did you say it like that. You're not my dad." Victoria teased.

"No, I'm not." he chuckled. "I'm just a friend. Besides... you never knew your dad, did you?" He leaned a little closer. "Do you even remember what he was like?"

"Oh, f**k you"

support the story on patreon for the big picture to come true.