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expressing his gratitude that Collin had made it out in one piece. The Komodos were so quiet that Lukas had not picked up on any chatter and could not track their movements. He apologized for the dangerous circumstances in which Collin found himself and promised to get him out of it. Gotta go. Be in touch soon with an updated plan was the last message he sent before signing off the secure IM protocol he set up especially for his dear friend.
    Collin finished the pastry and coffee he had been working on and left the bakery to find another spot to hang out until two thirty, the earliest check-in time for the hotel he booked online.
    Time dragged on.  Collin found it increasingly difficult to remain vigilant and on guard. His thoughts wandered and strayed, the lack of sleep bearing down on him. But all he had to do was think back on the events that brought him out of Hamburg, and his mind clicked back into gear.
    Weary mentally as well as physically, Collin finally found the quaint, traditional, German hotel near the river and got a room on the top floor of the three story, cube-shaped inn.  The gray stone exterior and the clinging ivy gave the building an Old World feel. The interior also held a centuries-old charm with its towering ceilings, richly colored draperies and rugs, its giant stone fireplace in the center of the lobby, and the antique furnishings. Collin felt as though he had stepped into a time machine. The uniforms of the staff matched the mood set by the architecture and décor.
    His room was no less impressive, making him feel lost in the immense space. The ceiling was twelve feet high, with a row of sconce lighting fixtures a foot below the large crown molding. There were three sets of French doors along one wall, each bordered by long draperies, heavy and regal. Through the doors, a small wrought iron balcony clung to the exterior wall, overlooking a manicured garden with pathways meandering through bushes to the Rhine River.
    His late lunch arrived while Collin was setting up his computer with all its accessories. In his best German, he thanked the bell hop, asked for his usual collection of American newspapers, and gave him a twenty euro tip for his eager response. He took his tray to the other side of the room and ate the sandwich slowly, looking through the glass doors at the garden full of flowers and green shrubs. Birds flitted from branch to branch, and squirrels scurried from one patch of greenery to another, following their instinctual need to gather. He watched in envy of their carefree existence. Wispy, white clouds stretched across the cobalt sky, hinting at a shifting weather pattern.
    The food went in his mouth without being tasted or considered, so preoccupied was his mind. Before he knew it, there was nothing left to eat. He was neither hungry nor full, but this marked the conclusion of an activity that had kept him occupied. Now what?
    He had been in the room scarcely an hour, but already Collin felt like a prisoner under house arrest. He had the comfort of a luxurious suite but dared not leave it. The desire to explore this new place and capture some interesting photos for Amy’s scrapbook tugged at his innate tendency to be outside on a beautiful day. He knew he had to resist his native restlessness. Moving about in the open was not an option. Not yet. Despite the dread of confinement, he knew what was best right now. There were too many unknowns out there. No, he wouldn’t leave this room until he had a chance to talk things over with Lukas. It had been several days since they had actually spoken on the phone. Collin needed Lukas’s uncanny knack for making him feel safe, secure, and on course. He would know what to do.
    Collin tapped his phone’s screen. His call went straight to voicemail.
    Waiting for a return phone call, Collin paced in circles around the palatial suite, rolling the iPhone over and over in his hand. He needed sleep, but he couldn’t hold still. Physically, it felt