With a mischievous grin adorning his face, Nexus emerged from the depths of an alley. He skipped his way through the streets, and found his way to a nearby park, his sharp eyes scanning the bustling crowd that surrounded him. His excitement grew as he spotted his target - a young man in his mid-20s, deeply engrossed in a book while seated on a park bench. This young man had round, thin wire glasses perched on his nose, and his medium-length, stylishly messy hair added to his intellectual charm. Oblivious to the world around him, he seemed completely absorbed in the pages before him.

Finding a comfortable spot on a nearby bench, Nexus pulled out a small notebook from his jacket pocket. As he observed the romantic atmosphere hanging in the air, with couples sharing coats, blankets, and cuddles, he took notes on his target.

Eventually, the young man checked his watch, closed his book, and tucked it under his arm before rising to his feet. Nexus followed him discreetly, lurking in the shadows. They walked for a while until the young man stopped inside a coffee shop, located in an office building. The young man joined the line, keeping his eyes fixed on a particular redhead girl whose ponytail danced playfully with each movement. When it was his turn to order, he greeted her with a friendly "Good afternoon, Amy," sparking a glimmer of excitement in her eyes. “Getting your first coffee awful late today Mr. Anderson.” She said with a small smile. Engaging in casual conversation, he mentioned that his boss had given him half the day off after completing a major project. Amy handed him his coffee, and the young man took note of her smile as he walked away.

Following him up the stairs, Nexus resigned himself to spending the next few days observing him in order to gather ideas for his plan. He watched as the young man diligently worked, barely looking up from his computer screen. Nexus couldn't help but admire how professional and well put together he was. Even though he wasn't the boss, Oliver exuded an air of authority and competence. Nexus pondered the idea of manipulating fate to grant Oliver that coveted position.

As evening approached, Oliver glanced at his watch sporadically, eagerly awaiting 5:00 pm. When the time finally arrived, Oliver saved his documents, shut down his computer, and placed his book into a briefcase that sat behind his desk. He picked up the briefcase, along with his coat, and made his way to the office door. Lost in thought, he turned off the light and closed the door behind him. The office building felt eerily empty as Oliver's footsteps echoed down the steps.

Noticing someone else shutting down the coffee stand, Oliver softly murmured, "Good, maybe Amy got to go home and rest. She has been working so much." Sighing, Oliver walked out the door, unknowingly giving Nexus the perfect idea. 

With the snap of his finger, he put the first step of his plan in action, although it would be tomorrow at this time before he could see it carried out. 

The following day, Nexus resumed his surveillance of Oliver. As Oliver entered the coffee shop, his gaze immediately sought out a distinct bobbing red ponytail. He halted a few feet away from the counter, fixated on watching her diligently preparing a drink at the back counter. Finally, she turned around, to hand the customer their drink revealing a radiant smile that illuminated her entire face. Her eyes darted to him, caught in the act of observing her, Oliver felt a surge of embarrassment as she noticed him, offering a sheepish smile in return before returning to her duties.

Oliver approached the counter,  Nexus invisibly present beside him. With her customary politeness and signature smile, she inquired, "The usual, Mr. Anderson?" He simply nodded, his eyes captivated by her graceful movements as she prepared his drink. As she extended the beverage, Nexus subtly maneuvered Oliver's hand to brush against hers. Amy noticed the contact but quickly diverted her attention, informing Oliver of the total cost. Oblivious to Nexus's intervention, Oliver handed over the cash, once again allowing their hands to make fleeting contact.

Amy's heart raced with a mix of excitement and nervousness. Her cheeks flushed, and she attempted to suppress the fluttering sensation in her stomach. As she offered Oliver his change, he kindly insisted that she keep it as a tip. Grateful, she smiled and thanked him. As he did every day, Oliver settled at a table with his coffee and book, arriving early enough to savor the beverage while engrossed in his reading material. Amy stood in awe, admiring his impeccable appearance and silently observing his absorption in the book. Suddenly, her boss approached her, casually suggesting that she take her break before the morning rush.

Meanwhile, Nexus's focus shifted entirely to Amy. Waving his hand in front of her face, Amy found herself impulsively grabbing a muffin from the display case and walking towards Oliver before fully comprehending her actions. Confusion flooded her mind as she questioned herself, "What am I doing?" Despite her internal struggle, her feet refused to halt until she reached Oliver's table. Hastily, she took a seat at the adjacent table and began picking at  the muffin. Astonished by her own audacity, she resorted to scrolling through social media on her phone. Lost in her virtual world, she barely registered the sound of a chair scraping against the floor as someone stood up. Unbeknownst to her, Oliver was approaching her table.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked, pointing to the empty chair. Amy bit her lip, attempting to conceal her delight, and nodded, feeling her face flush again. With a smile on his face, Oliver took a seat. "It's good to see you taking a break. I sometimes think your boss wants to work you to the bone," he remarked, his tone suggesting a hint of sarcasm.

Attempting to divert the conversation, Amy inquired about the book Oliver was reading, prompting him to place it on the table with a soft thud. She caught a glimpse of the title, "Static Timing Analysis," before returning her gaze to him. "Ah, I suppose it's for work?" she asked, trying to make sense of the subject matter.

"I enjoy the pursuit of learning," Oliver responded eloquently. His words flowed seamlessly, captivating Amy's attention. "I constantly strive for additional knowledge in my field, but I also find pleasure in reading for leisure," he added, laughing softly as he pulled out another book from his bag. Amy's eyes lit up as she recognized it. "No way! I've read the entire series multiple times!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Engrossed in their shared enthusiasm for the book, the next few minutes were spent discussing its plot development. Amy absentmindedly picked at her muffin as they conversed. Glancing at her phone, she realized it was time to return to work. Pointing towards the counter, she said, "I've got to get back to work."

Apologizing sincerely, Oliver responded, "I'm sorry I took up your break!"

With a small smile, Amy reassured him, "Not at all," before turning away and resuming her responsibilities.

It was a rather uneventful work day for Oliver, but Nexus was diligent in observing his subject. He anxiously awaited the end of the day to put his plan in motion. 

When the clock finally struck 5:00 pm, Oliver began his descent from the upper floors of the office building. As he passed the familiar coffee shop on his way down, he noticed it was closed once more. The usual buzz of the shop's activities and the familiar faces were noticeably absent. Exiting the building's sliding glass doors, he found Amy in the distance, seemingly in a state of distress as she frantically searched for something.

Approaching her, he asked, "Amy, what’s wrong ?" She looked up at him, her face a mask of stress.

"My moped, it's missing. I can't find it anywhere!" Her words tumbled out in a rush.

His gaze swiftly moved to the empty space nearby. He then started scanning the surrounding area of the office building, specifically looking for surveillance cameras. Spotting one, he reassured her, "We should report it to the security team. They can check the camera footage."

Amy sighed, seemingly resigned to the fact that her search was futile. Oliver then headed towards the security booth to report the incident to the officer on duty. After listening to Oliver's account, the security officer radioed someone on his walkie-talkie.

"Give me just a sec," the guard relayed to them. An urge to comfort Amy by putting his arm around her crossed Oliver's mind, but he restrained himself.

The guard received a response on his radio. "Understood, sir. I will escort them immediately," he replied. He then stepped out from his booth, waving towards the office building, "Please follow me."

Oliver gave Amy a nod, indicating she should lead the way. The guard escorted them to a compact security room filled wall to wall with screens, each displaying different scenes from around the building. The room was uncomfortably small, so Oliver decided to wait outside, keeping an ear out for the conversation within.

"When did you arrive here this morning?" The guard inquired, his attention focused on Amy.

"Approximately 7:30 am, sir," she replied, her eyes darting across the numerous screens.

"Alright, we'll review the footage from that time. I'll rewind to a few minutes before your arrival, and you can identify yourself and the moped on the video, okay?"

"Sure," she agreed.

He pointed to one of the screens as they watched the video. 

"There!" Amy exclaimed, pointing to the image of herself pulling up next to the bike rack at exactly 7:31:27 am. "That's me."

"Excellent, now let's review today's footage."

Together, they watched the day's video, waiting for the moment Amy's moped would vanish from the screen. Finally, they saw it - a man dressed in black from head to toe approached it, and placed a key in to turn it on, and disappeared with it just after noon..

"Miss, we need to report this to the police. Could you please stay here until they arrive?" the guard asked.

Amy nodded in agreement. Just then, Oliver peeked his head into the room. "My office is nearby. Would it be alright if we wait there?"

Amy turned to face him. "You don't need to spend your evening helping me.”

Oliver grinned and replied, "Oh, don't be silly. How could I possibly leave a beautiful woman like you waiting all alone?" Amy's face flushed a deep shade of red as she turned away, noticing the mischievous smirk on the security guard's face. "Not at all," the guard chimed in, "what's the room number?" 

"230," Oliver responded, and the guard promised to bring the police to his office when they arrived. Turning to Amy, Oliver gestured for her to follow him, and she sheepishly walked alongside him as they made their way to his office. Unlocking the door, Oliver flipped on the lights and warmly said, "Please, have a seat and make yourself comfortable," motioning towards the couch and armchair in his office.

Amy settled onto the couch, taking in the sights of Oliver's office. It was adorned with books, awards, and a collection of model figurines that undoubtedly held sentimental value. Her eyes then fell upon his meticulously organized mahogany desk, where books and papers were neatly stacked, and pens were perfectly in place. She heard a rustling sound and glanced over to see Oliver hanging his coat on the rack by the door. 

"It might be a while before they arrive. Would you like me to take your jacket?" he offered. Amy hesitated for a moment before replying, "Uhh... sure, I guess," and handed him her jacket. She watched as he walked over to the rack and hung it up. Oliver then took a seat at his desk, positioned so that he could see the couch, but he didn't turn on his computer. 

"Thank you for waiting with me," Amy said, feeling slightly embarrassed. 

"You're welcome. I just want to ensure that this situation is properly handled," Oliver replied, his thoughts silently adding, "And also spend more time with you, maybe even offer you a ride home." This was an opportunity he didn't want to let slip away. 

Noticing Amy's gaze fixed on the figurines on his shelves, Oliver chuckled and remarked, "I guess you've figured out that I'm quite the geek." He stood up and walked over to the shelf, picking up a figurine. "This guy is from the first video game I played as a kid," he shared, discussing a few more interesting facts about the figures on display. The more he spoke, the more at ease Amy became. 

"Do you play games?" Oliver inquired. 

Amy giggled and replied, "Does Saga Candy count? I've never been particularly skilled at games, but I enjoy watching others play." 

"Have you watched any streamers?" Oliver asked, raising an intrigued eyebrow. 

"A few," Amy responded, sharing some of her favorite streamers that she enjoyed watching. 

Suddenly, a slight knock on the door frame interrupted their conversation. The security guard from earlier and a few policemen entered the room. Oliver walked over to them and shook their hands. They collected reports from Amy and the guard, asking Oliver a few questions before quickly realizing he had no involvement in the incident. 

"Ms. James, we will take the footage from today to review, and we will be in contact with updates," one of the officers said. 

"Thank you for your efforts, officer," Amy replied gratefully. 

The officer nodded, "Of course. Feel free to reach out if you need anything else." Both the officer and guard left the room, leaving Oliver and Amy alone once again. Glancing at his watch, Oliver realized it was already 7:00 pm. How had time flown by so quickly? 

Oliver picked up their jackets and handed Amy hers. "Let me walk you down, Amy," he said sweetly. She nodded, slipping on her jacket. They made their way to the stairs and began descending. As they reached the bottom, the last rays of sunlight streamed through the windows. 

"How will you get home?" Oliver asked, his gaze fixed on her. 

Amy sighed, replying, "I suppose I'll have to walk." 

Without hesitation, Oliver offered, "Can I give you a ride?"

Amy glanced anxiously at Oliver, her voice trembling as she asked, "Are you sure?" 

Reassuringly, Oliver responded, "Of course, it's getting dark out. Allow me to take you home." 

Amy mustered a weak "Okay," her nervousness still evident. 

Leading her towards his SUV, Oliver handed her his phone, already displaying the GPS app. 

"Could you please enter your address for me?" he requested. 

Amy typed in her address and returned the phone to Oliver. 

As he glanced at the distance, realization dawned on him. "You were planning to walk this?" he questioned, astounded. 

While it would only be a short detour for him, it would be an arduous 50-minute walk each way for Amy. 

"Somebody recently totaled my car, and I'm still waiting for the insurance to replace it. I’m having a streak of bad luck these days," Amy sighed, her voice tinged with disappointment. "Are you sure this isn't too far out of your way? I understand if it's too inconvenient, especially since I live in the burbs." 

Ignoring her concerns, Oliver calmly merged onto the road, following the instructions emanating from the car's speakers. 

They drove in silence for a few minutes before Amy finally spoke up. 

Curiosity evident in her voice, she asked, "How long have you been working at SP Group?" Her gaze briefly shifted towards Oliver. 

"I was hired straight out of college, so it's been three years," he replied matter-of-factly. 

Impressed, Amy responded, "Wow, your skills must be incredibly impressive." 

With a hint of pride, Oliver shared, "I actually won a few awards during college and my internship, which caught the attention of my boss. It has been a fantastic opportunity." 

There was silence once more. 

“What about you?” Oliver questioned. 

"I've been working at the coffee shop for about three months. I got laid off from my previous job, unfortunately. Being the most recent hire, I was the first to go, you know?" Amy shrugged, her expression reflecting the harsh realities of the job market. 

Curious about Amy's line of work, Oliver inquired, "What field do you work in?" 

Amy replied confidently, "Video game animation." 

Oliver struggled to conceal his surprise at her response. 

Just as the GPS instructed Oliver to make the final turn, they arrived at an apartment complex. Oliver pulled up to the entrance. 

Amy started to exit the vehicle, expressing her gratitude, "Thank you, Oliver," with a genuine smile on her face. 

"You're welcome," Oliver replied warmly. 

He watched as Amy gracefully walked towards the entrance, then drove away.