“What does she look like?” I ask, but Big Dipper already hung up.

I find the Starbucks, get a cup of coffee, and take a seat by the window. I scan each face that comes in and out and search them to see if they are looking for me.

As you would expect, most women getting coffee in a bus station are frazzled and in a hurry.

No one is just hanging around and waiting.

I leave my spot for a few minutes to use the restroom and when I come back, I see her.

Is that her? No, that can’t be her. She’s in her forties, or maybe fifties even.

“Are you Liam?” she asks.

For a second, I forget the name that Big Dipper has assigned me.

“Yes, I am. Dorothy?”

“Oh, yes, what a relief!” she says, collapsing into the chair across from me.

“Can I get you something to drink?” I offer.

“Yes, of course. I’ll have a latte.” I don’t have much money left, and the few dollars deplete my savings considerably but I don’t want to be an asshole. Not off the bat.

I need to talk to her. I don’t want to make pleasantries but I need to speak to her about what we’re about to do.

When her drink is ready, I ask her to take a walk with me.

On the off chance that someone is following us, we will just look like two people taking a stroll around the bus station.

If they were to try to listen in on our conversation, that would be even more difficult. Unless…

Of course, I need to protect myself. I lead her out of the bus station and duck into a nearby alleyway.

“I think it would be best if we show each other that we are not wired,” I say. “Before we talk.”

She thinks about it for a moment and then gives me a nod.

She pulls up her shirt, exposing her black bra, and I let out a sigh of relief. I show her my torso and she gives me a nod.

We exchange phones and check them for recordings as well, also finding nothing.

“Okay, let’s walk,” I say.

We decide to call each other by our given name in order to shroud ourselves in an additional level of protection. Without a name, there’s no one to turn on.

“So, what’s their plan?” I ask.

“You don’t know?”

I shrug. “Big Dipper said you would tell me.”

“Basically, tonight, during rush hour when all of the other expats are coming back into the US, we’ll get into the RV that they got for us and get over the border.”

“That’s it?” I ask.