LOGIN11:58PM. The library was dark. Except for the desk lamp. 4 officers inside. 6 outside. Damian by the front window. Me by the back. "Nothing yet," Officer Chen said into his radio. "Copy," the voice came back. "We've got eyes on the alley." Damian looked at me. "You sure about this?" "No," I said. "But we're doing it anyway." 12:00AM. The lights flickered. Once. Twice. Then the back door rattled. Everyone moved. --- "Police! Hands up!" A shadow ran. Backpack. Hoodie. Kyle Mercer. He didn't stop. He ran between the shelves. Knocked a cart over. Books everywhere. "Stop!" Damian yelled. Kyle turned down the kids' aisle. Cornered. He pulled something out. Lighter. "Don't," I said. He looked at me. Eyes wild behind the mask. "You ruined us," he said. "All of us. For your library." "Put it down," Officer Chen said. Gun steady. Kyle struck the lighter. Flame. My heart stopped. And then I stepped forward. Before Damian could grab me. "Kyle," I s
"It's not human." Agent Reyes said it twice. Like she didn't believe it herself. "The blood in the car. Dog. German Shepherd." Damian and I were at the station. 8AM. Coffee cold in our hands. "But," Reyes said. "We got a hit on the other DNA. From the hat." She slid a folder across the table. Name: Kyle Mercer. Age: 32. Former Cole Industries Security. Dishonorably discharged. Missing: 6 months. "Peterson's guy," Damian said. "Yeah," Reyes said. "He has a record. Assault. Vandalism. Hates the Coles." Damian closed the folder. "Where is he?" "We don't know," Reyes said. "But he just posted something." She turned her laptop. Video. Dark. Mask. Distorted voice. "Cole Library. Tonight. Midnight. It burns." 12 seconds. Then black. --- Mara was already at the library when we got there. Shelving books. She saw our faces. Dropped the book. "What," she said. "Kyle," Damian said. "They found him." Her hand went to her mouth. "No. He said he left
The whiteboard in Agent Reyes' office had names. Lots of them. Damian Cole. Ali Carter. Board Member #1. Board Member #3. Sophia Cole. IN CUSTODY. And now: Mara Jenkins. Library volunteer. She's getting threats too, Reyes said. So is Peterson's lawyer. So is the judge from the civil case. Damian stared at the board. It's not just us, he said. No, Reyes said. It's everyone connected to Cole Industries. --- The library was full when we got back. But different. Quieter. Parents kept looking at the door. Damian did his speech again. "We're safe. We're open. We're not leaving." Most people nodded. Some left anyway. I don't blame them, I said. Neither do I, Damian said. He stayed late. Helped shelve books. Fixed the printer. Made coffee. Like if he kept busy, the bad thing wouldn't happen. --- Monday. Letter came to the jail. For Damian. From Sophia. He didn't want to open it. I told him he should. Inside: one page. Her handwriting. Damian, I did
The call ended at 12:03AM. Peterson's voice was still in the room. "I don't know who’s doing this. But it's not me." Damian sat on the edge of the bed. Elbows on knees. Head down. You believe him, I asked. I don't know what I believe, he said. He stood up. Checked the locks. Front door. Back door. Windows. Again. Come to bed, I said. In a minute, he said. He didn't come. --- I woke up at 3AM. Alone. Found him in the living room. Sitting on the floor. Back against the couch. Phone in his hand. Can't sleep, I said. No, he said. I sat next to him. He put his arm around me. Didn't say anything. Just held me. For hours. --- 6AM. My phone buzzed. News alert. BREAKING: SECOND ARSON ATTEMPT COLE INDUSTRIES FORMER HQ - DOWNTOWN FIRE CONTAINED. NO INJURIES. There was a photo. Our old building. 12th floor. Black around the windows. Fire trucks below. Damian saw it over my shoulder. Stood up immediately. It's starting again, he said. Agent Reyes call
"Close the library. Or next time it's not paper." The note was under the photo. Block letters. Black marker. Damian put it on the table. Didn't touch it again. Agent Reyes already had the bag. Evidence. Prints. DNA. We'll find him, she said. But until then, you don't come here alone. I'm not leaving, I said. Ali, Damian said. No, I said. This place is ours. We don't run. He looked at me for a long time. Then nodded. Fine, he said. But I'm here too. Every day. Every hour. --- Friday night. We did "Safety Night" anyway. Damian wanted to cancel it. I said no. If we cancel, we let him win, I said. So we put chairs in a circle. Agent Reyes at the front. Two officers by the door. 50 people came. More than we expected. Moms with kids. Old men from the block. Lila with a notebook. The barista from 3 streets over. Reyes taught us how to check cars. How to walk with keys between fingers. How to scream. We practiced. Loud. In the library. Kids though
The sign-in sheet was on the desk. Tuesday. 3PM. Name: J. Smith. Phone: 555-0199. Address: 12 Main St. Damian ran his finger over the ink. Fake, he said. All of it. Agent Reyes was on speaker. We checked, she said. 555-0199 is disconnected. 12 Main St is a laundromat. And there’s no J. Smith in the system. He used a hat and sunglasses, I said. Lila said so. Lila was in the corner coloring. She looked up. He sat by the window, she said. Didn't read. Just watched. Damian closed his eyes. For a second. Thank you, Lila, he said. You did good telling us. --- After she left, Damian locked the door. Early. 4PM. We need to talk, he said. About what, I asked. About keeping you safe, he said. He moved the tables in the back room. Cleared space. Come here, he said. Damian, I said. Ali, he said. Please. So I went. He stood behind me. Put his arms around me. Like a hold. If someone grabs you like this, he said. Elbow to the ribs. Hard. Then step. Then







