Chapter 6

Tris walked into the library, greeted by the familiar sight of books and the warm smile of her coworker, Anne. Anne was already busy arranging books on the shelves, her eyes shining with a hint of excitement.

"Good morning, Tris!" Anne chimed, her voice cheerful. "I'm so glad you're here. I have some news to share with you."

Tris raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's going on? You look like you're bursting with excitement."

Anne's smile grew wider. "I had dinner with my parents last night, and I told them about... him."

Tris's eyes widened in surprise. "Him? Who's him?"

Anne's face glowed with happiness. "My new boyfriend. I know it's fast, but I just can't help how I feel. I've never felt this way about anyone before."

Tris's mind was racing. She had assumed that Anne was still in touch with her ex-boyfriend, but apparently, that wasn't the case.

"Wait, who is this guy?" Tris asked, trying to process the information. "You've only known him for a few weeks, right?"

Anne nodded, her eyes sparkling. "Yes, but it feels like I've known him forever. We just click, you know?"

Tris was taken aback. She had always thought of Anne as a cautious and level-headed person, but it seemed that she had thrown caution to the wind and fallen deeply in love.

"Anne, I don't know if this is a good idea," Tris said, trying to sound reasonable. "You barely know this guy. What if he's not who you think he is?"

Anne's smile never wavered. "Tris, I know what I feel. And I know that love can come at any time, in any place. You can't plan it or predict it. You just have to go with it."

Tris sighed, feeling a little concerned for her friend. But she also couldn't help but feel a little envious. Anne seemed so happy and carefree, and Tris couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to feel that way again.

Tris raised an eyebrow, still looking concerned. "I just don't want you to get hurt, Anne. You're one of my closest friends, and I care about you deeply."

Anne's expression softened, and she reached out to put a hand on Tris's arm. "I appreciate that, Tris. But I really think this is something special. And even if it doesn't work out, I'd rather take the risk and try than play it safe and wonder what could have been."

Tris nodded, feeling a little better. She knew that Anne was a smart and capable person, and if she felt strongly about this guy, then maybe Tris should trust her instincts.

"Okay, I'll support you," Tris said, smiling. "But if he turns out to be a jerk, I'm blaming you."

Anne laughed, looking relieved. "Deal!"

As they chatted and worked, Tris couldn't help but feel a little curious about Anne's new boyfriend. Who was this guy, and what was so special about him?

She made a mental note to ask Anne more questions later, and to meet this mysterious guy for herself.

***

The library was quiet, with only a few patrons scattered about. Anne and Tris were busy at the circulation desk, checking out books and answering questions. Suddenly, a man appeared at the desk, his presence seeming to fill the entire room.

He was tall and imposing, dressed in a long coat and wearing a hat and sunglasses. He looked like a character from a spy novel, and Anne and Tris exchanged a curious glance.

"Can I help you?" Tris asked, trying to sound friendly and welcoming.

The man smiled, his lips curling up in a sly grin. "I'm looking for a book," he said, his voice low and smooth. "A very special book. It's not on the shelves, I'm told."

Anne and Tris exchanged a skeptical glance. What kind of book could this man be looking for?

"What's the title of the book?" Tris asked, trying to sound neutral.

The man leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "The book of Erebus. It's an ancient text, said to hold the secrets of the universe."

Anne and Tris exchanged a stunned glance. They had never heard of such a book, and they certainly didn't have it in their collection.

"I'm afraid we don't have that book," Tris said, trying to sound firm but polite. "And even if we did, I'm not sure we could just hand it over to you. There are procedures and protocols to follow."

The man chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I'm not from the government, if that's what you're thinking. I'm just a... collector. And I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get my hands on that book."

Tris felt a shiver run down her spine. There was something unsettling about this man, something that didn't quite add up.

"I'm afraid we can't help you," Tris said, trying to sound firm.

The man smiled again, his eyes glinting with amusement. "We'll see about that," he said, before turning and walking away.

As he disappeared into the stacks, Anne turned to Tris with a look of confusion. "What just happened?" she asked.

Tris shook her head. "I have no idea. But I don't think we've seen the last of him."

As they watched the mysterious stranger disappear into the stacks, Tris and Anne exchanged a nervous glance. There was something unsettling about the man, something that didn't quite add up.

"I don't like this," Anne said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Who was that guy, anyway?"

Tris shook her head. "I have no idea. But I think we should tell Jaden about this. She's always saying that we need to be careful about who we let into the library."

Anne nodded, already reaching for the phone. "I'll call her right now."

As they waited for Jaden to arrive, Tris couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The mysterious stranger had seemed so confident, so self-assured. But there was something in his eyes, something that had made Tris feel uneasy.

When Jasen arrived, Tris and Anne filled her in on the details of the mysterious stranger's visit. Jaden listened intently, her expression growing more and more serious with each passing moment.

"I think we should be careful," Jaden said, her voice firm. "We don't know who that man was or what he wants. But I think we can safely say that he's not just a ordinary patron."

Tris nodded, feeling a sense of relief. She was glad that Jaden was taking the situation seriously.

But as they continued to discuss the mysterious stranger, Tris couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing something. Something important.

And then, just as they were about to close the library for the day, Tris saw a piece of paper on the circulation desk. It was a note, written in the same handwriting as the mysterious stranger's.

"Look at this," Tris said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Anne and Jaden leaned in, their eyes scanning the note.

"What does it say?" Anne asked, her voice full of curiosity.

Tris's eyes widened as she read the note. "It says... 'I'll be back'."

To be continued…