Without a second thought, Alden handed over the cage containing his pet bird—which he had been carrying all this time—to the reporter. The reporter took the birdcage with a puzzled look as its owner suddenly dashed away, leaving him behind.
In a rush, Alden pressed number one on his phone's speed dial. He no longer remembered how fast he was running. He had already bumped into several people along the crowded sidewalk of London that evening, as day turned into night.
"Pick up! Please!"
"Hello? Alden? Why did you take so long?"
"Aira, don’t let anyone into my apartment unit!"
"You mean the cleaning staff who usually takes care of Ciki for you? Grace said you asked her to find someone to fix the pipes in your bathroom, and she was going to send that person over."
"Yes! Tell Grace to ca
