Lance pulled off the highway, parked outside the supermarket, and checked Roth’s notes. Some of the information was handwritten on the margins, and instead of a full address, Roth had just written, “Ninth Floor, Apartment 93A.”

Lance looked out at the surrounding buildings. There was over a dozen of them overlooking the parking lot. He would have to check each building.

Before beginning the search, he went into the supermarket and bought a few things that would be useful for picking a lock. He also bought some local clothing that would make him stand out less. These included a pair of cheap winter boots and a knock off coat with fake fur lining around the hood.

He went back to the car and put them on, then, leaving the car where it was, walked to the nearest apartment building, took the elevator to the ninth floor, and checked the corridor. There was no apartment 93A. He left the building and went to the next, hurrying across a playground as the wind whipped up from the river. Again, this building had a 93 but no 93A. The next building only had seven floors so he skipped it completely.

When he reached the fourth building, the elevator was out.

Lance began climbing the stairs. On the landing between the third and fourth floors, he came across an old lady with grocery bags taking a rest.

“Can I help you?” he said to her in Russian.

“Yes,” the woman said, matter-of-factly.

He brought her groceries to her door on the sixth floor, 61B, and continued on his way.

When he reached the ninth floor, he found 93A. He looked up and down the corridor and checked the elevator again. There was no one around.

He went to the door of the apartment and knocked. There was no answer so he knocked a second time, harder than before.

A woman appeared at the door of the apartment across the hall.

“Who are you looking for?” she said.

She was in her thirties and had a towel on her hair.

“My aunt,” Lance said.

“That apartment’s been empty for months,” the woman said.

Lance nodded and made to leave. The woman watched him. He got all the way to the stairwell and she was still there.

He thought about turning back. He could ignore her and kick in the door, but it was probably better just to wait her out. He’d been told he’d find weapons and supplies, but he didn’t know what else Roth might be storing in there.

He didn’t want to alert local law enforcement unnecessarily.