She’s a little surprised she hasn’t heard from Zack yet this morning. He usually checks in with her. What did he say he was doing? Oh yeah. Meeting his friend Steve. He said he didn’t have a lot to do. A light day. Like all his days.

She smiles. Maybe he’s busier than she thought. Maybe there are things he hasn’t told her yet. She really doesn’t know all that much about him. It’s really been about the two of them together. Not their individual lives. And that’s part of what’s made it special.

Usually, at this early stage of a relationship, she plays a little hard to get. She always waits for the guy to do the reaching out.

But it’s so much easier with this guy. All those games are put aside. There’s something more real and authentic and connected going on with Zack Yellin. For whatever reason. Through whatever mysterious chemistry.

So she’s delighted to feel no hesitation, to feel totally comfortable, as she texts him.

What’s up? How’s your morning?

The text comes right back. Good! How bout yours?

Did you get together with your friend Steve?

Yup, I did.

Emily sees the ellipses. There’s more coming.

Hey, so when can we get together?

Well, he usually has a more stylish way of asking, something wittier, slyer, more romantic. This is a little blunt of him but she forgives it because obviously he wants to see her as much as she wants to see him.

Well, I can probably grab lunch with you, she texts him.

Great! Where should we meet?

That park in front of my office?

There is a little pause in his response. She waits.

Great. Hey, what’s the cross street again?

Oh, come on. How could he not remember?

You know where it is.

Yeah, but I need the exact
address cause I want to
send you something
at your office.

She smiles.

Ok. It’s 109 Union Square South.

Ok, see you in the park, 12:30.

Emily smiles in anticipation. She can’t help herself.

Joey smiles in anticipation too.

14.

14.

Still dizzy. Still nauseous.

Zack vomits again.

And thinks again about those photos.

What kind of assassin has photos? It’s completely counterintuitive. Keeping the evidence.

Zack tries to calm down. To think it through. And a couple of things occur to him. When he first called Joey, it was pretty clear that Joey was surprised to find he had the wrong cell phone. And Joey, for whatever reason, always took pictures.

So when he found he had the wrong cell phone, he might have called off the hit he was headed out on. Which helps explain why he is so crazy mad. ’Cause his system, his method that he relies on, is suddenly messed up.

And now Zack thinks again about the number he called from Joey’s phone. The mysterious, surprising woman answering.