HATCHING A NEW PLAN

Rayne Parker stood before the counter and gazed out the window. It was a beautiful spring morning at California Avenue with omens of summer everywhere.

On each side of the road running from California Avenue down to Lincoln Drive, bright pink blossoms were already bursting forth over the whitewashed walls of the houses.

Rayne had often been struck by those whitewashed walls. It seemed incongruous to have such humble exteriors surrounding such lavish mansions, each one stuffed full of every luxury money could buy.

Rayne worked at one of such mansions. It was a shopping mall, albeit not an ordinary one. They sold things ranging from groceries to superficial things like cosmetics and every manner of luxury clothing.

She'd started working here about a year before and there was only one regular set of customers that she was accustomed to. She recognized them when she saw them. They always had that same look of unbothered regret on their faces. They regretted what they did but they were n