Chapter 4: Part 2

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Canada - 21:00

I got home at 21:00hrs. I peeled off my jacket and dropped it on the catch as I headed towards the kitchen island.

This morning's shady brown package was still sitting there and I was contemplating whether to open it.

What if it's a body part? Or a bomb? Do bombs that small even exist? Or maybe it's a letter coated in ricin or acid.

Maybe it's- I need to stop and just get on with it.

I was about to reach out for the folder when my cellphone startled me.

I spun around to retrieve it from my jacket. 2 unread messages. It was Mike.

Hey Neighbour!

Are you expecting guests tonight?

Odd. I swiftly responded.

um, no. Why?

Typing...

oh, well, I don't mean to alarm you but there are two men lurking outside your house.

This put me on high alert.

I approached the living room window and slightly pulled down a blind.

Indeed there were two men outside going up and down as if looking for something. A small distance away there was a tinted Rover parked outside another neighbours house.

My heart began racing as I stepped away from the window.

Mike, I don't know these people.

His response came quickly.

I'll call the cops then.

He couldn't call the cops. I didn't know what these people were capable of and they looked dangerous. Maybe if I pretended to not be home then they'd go away.

Don't call the cops. It's fine. I'll just pretend no one's home.

Just then there were two knocks on the door. I froze. Another two knocks. I remained silent. Again and again and again.

Finally, I heard the start of an engine outside and the screeching of tires so I took that as indication that the scary looking men were gone.

Another message from Mike came in

Should I come over?

I decided against it and told him I'd be fine.

I turned my attention back to the folder on the table and hurriedly ripped it open.

A single, clean, sheet of paper with black print on it fell out.

TU DIAS ESTAN CONTADOS. -M

What could it mean? I wasn't fluent that any other languages besides English and Xitsonga, my mother tongue.

Google translate it is.

I rushed to my desk and began typing.

I was taken aback as the translation came through.

"Your days are numbered...oh my God." I dropped my head in my hands as I tried to process what I'd just read.

What the hell had I gotten dragged into? Who- who sent this and why? I-

Maxwell.

Maxwell was doing this...or maybe he was the one being threatened? 'M' must  stand for Maxwell but why was he doing this?

No. It couldn't have been him. He seemed to eager to leave this house so why would he send me threats?

I stood up and walked over to the couch and dropped.

I released a heavy sigh as I neaded the skin around my temples.

I needed to figure this out...quickly.

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