39: An Easy Target - Part 1

Liam reassured Aria with a calm smile. 

"I am fine. There's nothing to worry about, Miss Duskwood."

Aria seemed slightly dissatisfied, but she didn't press any further. With a sigh, she stood up from the counter and headed toward the exit. 

"Well, if you're sure... Let's get back to work, then."

Liam followed her out of the back room, a faint feeling of relief washing over him. He had managed to distract her from his hidden abilities, for now. 

Still, his mind lingered on the earlier incident. The nagging sensation of being watched wouldn't leave him. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something crucial.

The rest of the day passed without incident, but Liam couldn't help but feel uneasy. 

As he went about his tasks, arranging the shop and tending to customers, he kept looking over his shoulder, unsure whether his paranoia was justified or simply his imagination. 

Aria, on the other hand, seemed in high spirits, humming softly as she worked, her usual cheerful self. 

Despite the calm atmosphere, Liam felt a storm of uncertainty brewing in the back of his mind. 

He tried to push those thoughts aside, but something told him this was far from over.

______

In a darkened, dimly lit room, the boss—the one who had sent Henry to deal with Liam—was in conversation with two hooded figures. 

The room reeked of secrecy and power, the faint glow from a single candle casting long shadows across the walls. The figures stood before the boss, their cloaks drawn tightly around them, hiding their identities.

"Henry was dealt with. He was... eliminated by an employee of Ancient Antiques. It appears they used powerful magic" 

One of the figures reported in a low, gravelly voice. 

The boss's face tightened at the news. His hands clenched around the armrests of his chair as he processed the report. 

Henry, the man he had sent to handle things, was dead? And by magic, no less. What an amusing turn of events.

"Do you have any idea who this person was? Was it Aria Duskwood" 

The boss asked, his voice cold and calculating. 

The hooded figures exchanged uncertain glances. One of them stepped forward slightly.

"We cannot say for certain, sir. We were not able to get a clear look at who did it. All we know is that it was someone with significant magical power, and the employee of the shop didn't seem like an ordinary person. The attack was swift, and they disappeared before we could properly investigate."

The boss narrowed his eyes, the wheels in his mind turning rapidly. 

He had heard rumors about Aria Duskwood working at the shop, but could it really have been her? 

The young woman had always been a bit of a mystery, and the stories about her magical abilities were... unsettling. He needed to find out more.

"I want you to investigate the shop and its employees further. See if you can find any connections to Aria. If she's involved in this, we need to know everything. Do not let anything slip under your radar" 

The boss instructed, his voice sharp. 

The two figures bowed in acknowledgement, their cloaks swishing as they turned to leave. 

The boss's mind was racing. This was becoming more complicated than he had anticipated. 

Whoever had taken out Henry, whether it was Aria or someone else, had shown a level of skill that deserved attention. They were clearly not ordinary employees of a simple antique shop.

As the hooded figures left the room, the boss's thoughts remained fixated on one question: Who was behind this? And what did it mean for his plans?

"Things are starting to get interesting. I cannot wait to step on this stage as well. I am sure it will be a lot of fun to regain the glory I lost because of those association idiots."

______

"Finally, we are done for the day. The day felt so much longer than usual." 

Liam complained as he looked at his watch. He felt drained after his shift, but the clock showed that it was only 7:00 PM... wait, 7:00 PM? His shift was supposed to end at 6:00.

Liam glanced at his boss, Lucas, who quickly avoided his gaze. It was clear Lucas had no idea Liam had been held back for this long.

"Oh my... would you look at the time? You kids should be heading home now. I'm afraid that working so long is not good for your health." 

Lucas said, attempting to change the subject.

Liam felt vindicated by his boss's sudden concern, though he knew Lucas was just trying to gloss over the fact that he'd been kept back an extra hour. 

Still, he decided not to complain. The day had been long enough already, and all Liam wanted was to head home, have some dinner, and maybe crash on the couch for a while.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm heading out. See you tomorrow." 

Liam muttered as he grabbed his things and walked out of the store.

The cool evening air greeted him, offering a small reprieve from the day's exhaustion. As he strolled down the dimly lit street, the system chimed in his head.

[System Alert: The user is being followed. Would you like me to activate detection protocols?]

Liam stiffened but quickly forced himself to relax. 'No, don't do anything. Let's see where this goes,' he thought. His gut told him that whoever was tailing him wasn't a casual passerby.

He continued walking at a steady pace, making a conscious effort not to look over his shoulder. His senses sharpened as he subtly observed his surroundings. The faint sound of footsteps echoed behind him, following at a careful distance.

Despite the unease creeping into his mind, Liam decided not to react. 

He had dealt with enough today and didn't feel like causing a scene. If whoever was following him wanted to try something, they'd find out the hard way that Liam Sanders was far from an easy target.