Five minutes later, Ella Lacey entered the nearest Walmart.
She swept swiftly through the store, buying the necessary ingredients, green vegetables, meat,eggs, mushrooms, fresh produce, nourishing food... everything was there, all reasonably paired.
At the same time, she also purchased a full set of kitchen utensils and asked the supermarket's service staff to help her deliver them to a quiet corner outside.
When the time was right, Ella packed all the kitchenware into her space ring.
Walking out from the shadowy corner with the ingredients in her hands, two tall and muscular black men suddenly flanked her on either side.
"HI, girl," one of them greeted her with a flirtatious, menacing grin.
Ella's heart tightened. Had she run into trouble?
"Give us your money!"
"Are you mugging me?" Ella hadn't expected to encounter trouble on her solo outing.
"Hand over the cash!" One of them continued insisting, seemingly uncomprehending of Ella's words.