Collin lingered outside the restroom for over ten minutes, but Sloane remained inside. Complete silence filled the air. He shouted several times, "Ms. Shaw, are you finished? Ms. Shaw?"
No answer came back. Collin waited another two minutes, hearing nothing. That's when alarm bells started ringing in his head. Throwing caution aside, he burst into the women's restroom. Fortunately, it was deserted—no one would brand him a pervert.
He searched each stall methodically. In the final one, Sloane's smartwatch caught his eye. The moment he activated it, a bold message flashed across the display: [You idiot, I'm outta here.] Collin glanced up to find the bathroom window thrown wide open, snowflakes swirling inside, amplifying the emptiness.
Just like my future, Collin mused.
Sloane, having just fled the women's restroom, used her memory to retrace her steps. If her recollection was accurate, Irina would be waiting at the next bus stop.
