The door rings, but she ignores it as she cleans the espresso machine. A voice like gravel asks for a coffee. Turning around the old man continues.

“With skim milk, and if you have some sprinkles, hand me a handful.” Sprinkles, With coffee

“Is that all, sir”

“Yes” Turning around she grabs a mug. The coffee has already been made, it's just waiting to be poured.

“Is Richard around?” It was the second time today that she was asked that.

“Who’s asking”

“An old friend of his,” not likely, she pours the milk into the coffee. “We worked together for two years back in the day, did he ever tell you about the hostage situation that we single-handedly stopped.”

Grabbing the sprinkles she asks, “What’s your name? It’s for the coffee.” It’s not.

“Oh, it’s Albert.”

“That's $7.48, here’s your coffee and sprinkles.” Pulling out her phone she sends a text to her dad

-Do you know Albert, there’s a guy who claims to know you from way back.

-is he a fan

- he said he worked with you

“How is Richard doing? I haven’t heard from him since the gunfight.”

“He’s doing well considering the injuries.”

-he knows about the gunfight

- message failed to send (resend)

The bell rings. Natalie doesn’t notice the over-60-year-old man who is headed straight for the bar.

“Has it been busy lately?”

Interrupting the conversation the new guy says

“There are two robbers that are about to enter. The first man will explode after dying and the other one will shoot the first one if we don’t cooperate. So cooperate this time.”

“What are you trying to pull here?” Albert asks

“Just wait a few more seconds” *ding* The bell rings as two masked men enter.

“Nobody moves.” She ducks behind the bar. *bang* *bang* two shots into the ceiling

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“As you can see this isn’t a fake gun, but don’t worry no one will be harmed if you cooperate, We are just here for Stop Man.” On the floor she calls the police, holding it to her ear, she waits but it doesn’t ring.

Two police officers are on patrol “It hasn’t been that busy today”

“Don’t jinx it” The radio clicks

* Prisoner 48024 has violated code 12-40 at 432 Baker Street

“-C5 copy “

“You jinxed it”

“That’s not far from here. Turn left there, and we have arrived”

“I know”

The cop car too wide for the narrow alleyway ends up right in front of it. After parking the car, the driver asks

“Who’s our guy?”

“Cris Daric, 5.9, 180 pounds, brown eyes and hair. Did a series of light crimes before getting convicted with 1st-degree robbery, and some other charges.”

“What’s their power” The driver asked assembling the device

“It seems that they can project a dome that stops waves, this includes sound, radio, and actual waves.”

“So, nothing to worry about.”

“Seems that way, ready to go”

The driver turned over the device. It looks like an old-timey camera.

“yep”

—outside the alleyway—

The device is ready, looking through its lens the driver clicks a button and the bulb on top flashes. A paper falls from a slit in the device. In the picture, the alleyway reveals its secrets: a slanted wall of blue and red appears. The driver says, “Shall we go on ahead”

“Ladies first,” he says with a small bow and a smile.

The driver walking on through the invisible wall notices that the noise of the street has been replaced with the muffled sound of talking. The talking is coming from the building at the end. It’s a weird building with a heavy wooden door, no windows, and a sign with letters small enough to be uncomfortable to read: Stop Man’s Coffee Shop, Meet the man inside!

“I didn’t know there was a coffee shop in this area.”

“Who would expect to find one here”

The two officers assume their usual position: the driver in the back ready to give assistance and the other next to the door. He reaches his arm over to knock. *Thud* *Thud* “Police, open up!” Silence.

“We are here on a violation of code 12-40 by Cris Daric. If Cris Daric wants to come outside this can be resolved peacefully” No response. The driver nods when he looks back. He kicks the door open. *dingalingaling* The bell above the door signals the armed men. Ten minutes should be enough. Inside the dinner isn’t a pretty sight, an older man in a suit, lies bleeding on the floor. The sight only distracts him a little from the gunfire. How many times have I been shot? It doesn’t matter till later, the bullets bounce off him… There’s a lull in the gunfire.

“Put your weapons down!” He starts walking toward them with his hands up. Seeing that the officer is unharmed one of the masked men says “Shoot me, Cris”

Complying, Cris starts shooting the other gunman. It’s too late, the police officer thinks as the shot man explodes. everything turns white.

Unsure of the time passing, He gets up, and all the sound that was seemingly lost comes back. A sound of whistling wind, “Hello, Hello,” He repeats, covered in ash. The building that he was once standing on was instead replaced with a crater. “Anyone out there?” No response, He didn’t know what he was expecting. Looking around he begins climbing, he doesn’t know what he will find.