" What the fuck do you mean, you lost your job?" Stewart yelled. " Why didn't you tell anybody?"

" I was going to, tomorrow! Can't you tell I feel like shit! I just wanted to get in one last night of fun!"

They continued arguing for a while, standing in an empty back room. She was evidently on an unpleasant high, shaking and stuttering through nonsensical excuses. His phone started ringing again, and she grabbed it out of his hand when he tried to answer it.

" Stewart is talking with me right now! He's busy! Call later!" she yelled into it, and then looked down at the caller ID. " Why is Lacey calling you? Why is her name in your phone like this?" " Because, Marian, I'm trying to tell you! Hathcomb's got robbed! We're supposed to've gone up there already!"

" What's that got to do with Lacey? Why've you got a heart on Lacey's name in your phone?!" she yelled back.

" Marian, can't you listen to me! This is some serious shit!"

" Well, can't you listen to me! You never listen to me!"

He struck her across the face, and she stumbled away. He stared down at his hand for a moment, as though he couldn't believe what he'd done.

" You're horrible!" she yelled, crying, and then she ran out.

" Well, shit," Allen said, hurrying to follow her.

Sensing that Stewart wasn't moving to follow her, Christel left with him.

Alone, through the throng of people, Marian stalked out of the club. She stood on the curb outside, crying and shivering. The rain grew stronger.

" She forgot her coat," Christel said, brow furrowed.

" Has Stewart moved from upstairs?" Allen asked.

" No. He's on his phone. Should I intercept it-?" Christel asked.

" No. Are we coming up on time?" Allen asked him in turn.

Christel did a double take.

" Yes. Shall I request an extension?" he asked.

" Yeah," Allen said. " We should only need another hour."

She seemed to realize she didn't have her phone, patting down the pockets of her short skirt, and cussed, wiping the rain from her face. Rather than going back in, she leaned against the streetlight, hugging herself.

Noting Christel's expression, Allen spoke.

" The things that happen when we're here are things that have already happened," he said. " What we are viewing is a record of the past. None of it can be changed."

" It's not so bad for me to feel bad for her, is it?" Christel asked.

" It's not," Allen said. " But we can't change anything. Even trying to will just get us a warning from the temporal integrity system."

Of the cars passing by, one of them rolled to a stop. The window on the passenger side rolled down.

" Christel, can you refine what the driver's saying? I can't hear over the music and rain," Allen asked.

" He's asking her if she needs a ride," Christel said.

" No, I'm fine!" Marian cried. " I'm going back in in just a moment!"

" He's saying she can use his phone if she needs to call someone," Christel said.

She went over, and leaned over, reaching through the window.

Allen winced, and Christel covered his face, as she was hit with the door. A tall, weathered man in an overcoat leaned into view, grabbing her and pulling her into the car.

In the next moment, the car was gone.

A cascade of notifications went off.

Allen held Christel's shoulder.

" Run the plates on that car," he said. " Past and present. Follow it through the cameras, too."

Christel's face knit in concentration.

" Registered to... Ethan Lockwood," he said. " ...Lockwood was convicted of serial murder in 2019. Five victims have been conclusively tied to him."

He was silent for a moment.

" He's taking backroads with very minimal camera coverage," he said. " I can still follow Marian Lu's temporal pin. It appears he's leaving the city."

A notification went off, wheedling and loud.

" Suspect identified! +500 premium credits! Reasoning identified! +500 premium credits!"

Christel bit his lip.

" Our extension's went through," he said. " The operator gave us our remaining 34 hours."

" Locate any property that Lockwood would be using outside the city, and key us in there," Allen said.

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