Elsa had warned the Professor he would try this. The Professor responded by saying there was no point caging Elliott like an animal. Nobody can influence the destiny of another if they choose to take that destiny into their own hands. They had all warned Elliott Ebus of the danger he was in, but Elliott thought otherwise.He scurried down the street, hastening through the cold Vienna night, until he reached a phone booth on the corner. Through the glass panels of the booth, he could see the Royal Hotel. He watched closely to see if the Professor or Elsa might emerge, but nobody came for him.Elliott pulled coins and a small, frayed piece of paper from his pocket. Dropping the coins in the slot, he looked at the number that was written on the paper in faded ink. Elliott had been holding onto that piece of paper for a long time, hoping he would never have to use it, hoping he would never again see the man who had sold him that cursed book. He had been told to call the number on the piece of paper if ever anything happened to the book.Slowly, carefully, he dialed those dreaded digits.A man on the other end of the line picked up.
