Chapter Two
519 Words
Hidden in Plain Sight
The door creaked open.
Isabella didn't breathe.
She remained perfectly still behind a row of gray filing cabinets, every muscle in her body locked in place.
The computer continued its silent work.
91%...
A pair of polished black shoes stepped into the room.
The door clicked shut.
For a heartbeat, no one moved.
The only sound came from the faint hum of the computer tower and the rhythmic ticking of the wall clock.
Then...
A soft whistling sound broke the silence.
Not security.
But maintenance staff.
Isabella slowly shifted her gaze through the narrow gap between two cabinets.
A hotel maintenance staff, somewhere in his late fifties, pushed a cleaning cart across the office floor.
His gray uniform was slightly wrinkled, and a ring of keys jingled softly from his belt with every step he took.
He looked exhausted.
Completely unaware that he wasn't alone.
Isabella's eyes flicked back to the monitor.
93%...
The maintenance staff hummed quietly to himself as he emptied a wastebasket near the door.
Plastic rustled.
Glass bottles clinked together.
He moved to the next bin.
Closer.
95%...
Her fingers tightened around the edge of the cabinet.
One more minute.
That's all she needed.
The maintenance staff stopped beside the desk.
He frowned.
"Hm..."
His gaze settled on the computer monitor.
"Is it still on?"
He scratched the back of his neck before stepping closer.
Isabella's heartbeat slowed.
Training had taught her a simple truth.
A racing heart made mistakes.
A calm mind survived.
The maintenance staff reached toward the keyboard.
Then his radio crackled.
"Maintenance."
A burst of static followed.
"We need someone in the west kitchen. Water pipe."
The old man sighed dramatically.
"Couldn't it wait five minutes?"
The radio remained silent.
He looked once more at the computer.
"Someone else can shut this thing down."
Muttering under his breath, he turned and pushed his cart back toward the door.
The hinges squeaked softly.
The door closed behind him.
Silence returned.
Isabella counted slowly.
One.
Two.
Three.
She waited until the sound of the cart faded completely before stepping from her hiding place.
The loading bar reached the end.
100%.
A soft notification appeared.
Transfer Complete.
She removed the flash drive immediately and slipped it into the hidden compartment inside her clutch.
Then she paused.
Her instincts rarely lied.
Something didn't feel right.
She scanned the office one last time.
Nothing appeared disturbed.
The chair remained in place.
The desk was untouched.
The monitor displayed its normal login screen.
Perfect.
Yet the uneasy feeling remained.
She moved to the door and opened it only a few inches.
The corridor outside was empty.
Or at least...
It appeared to be.
She stepped into the hallway, closing the door without making a sound.
Just as she started walking
A voice echoed from somewhere around the corner.
"Has anyone seen the woman in the black dress?"
Isabella froze.
Only for a fraction of a second.
Then she continued walking as though the question had nothing to do with her.
But inside...
She understood one thing.
Someone had already noticed she didn't belong.
- Writer
