Her heels clicked along the pavement, punctuating the urgency of her mission. Finally, she reached her location. The local mall. She opened the glass door and was hit by a wave of warm air. The place was hopping. Actually the place was crammed. With Christmas Eve shoppers. “How’s Operation: Desperation going?” Trinka, her tech support, asked in her ear. “Just fine,” Valentine tapped the bud in her ear to turn on her mic, and answered. There really wasn’t any other option. She’d been in Madagascar until last night and was heading out to Belarus in the morning. This was her window. Her one and only window. Val passed by a short older woman dressed in a dark blue cloak, ringing a bell. “Care to donate?” Val shook her head. “Sorry, I’m here to pick up a present for my daughter. Maybe later.” The woman, probably used to the answer, simply nodded, ringing the bell again. Val hurried away from the woman and her guilt. Then she saw the long line snaking out of the toy store.
