Their conversation came to a close as they neared the store. Max took a brief look around for anything unusual, but it was hard to see in the foggy weather.


    "Take a good look for any cameras or anything else that might be important around here; I''ll head inside, meet me back here in 20."


    Without a word Ava turned her back on Max, and started to look around the area, meanwhile Max was free to head inside.


    The store sat right on the edge of south Littleton, about a mile down the street from Eden High. It was on the other side of the same railroad tracks Max had crossed this morning. Max never spent much time on this side of the town so everything he saw was practically new to him. The store was made of old wood, and ancient concrete that supported columns long due for a rest. The windows were barred with calloused iron, and the windows themselves were tinted in sandy rust. Situated at the top of the building were letters that made up Eden General Store, and they looked like they''d fall off at any moment.


    Considering the dense fog, and general dilapidation the building itself looked like something out of a horror movie.


    Max grasped the cold steel handle, and made his way inside. The shop reminded him a lot of the orphanage with it''s sticky gray tiles, and dimly lit spaces; even the wallpaper was bleeding away leaving a nasty red gash in its wake.


    Max did not like this place. On the far side of the store was the register, situated on a brown glass counter, and standing behind it was a large man with a five o''clock shadow, dressed in a t-shirt, and blue jeans, if Max had to guess he was Hispanic, and in his 40s, either way it didn''t matter, but what Max did know was that he was the same man in the photo Raguel showed him nine hours earlier.


    Max took a glance at the inside of the envelope that Madam Vine had provided him with earlier, and grabbed a basket from a set that were situated on the floor next to the entrance, and started going down each aisle grabbing what he needed.


    Having Ava look around the store served two purposes. Not only would she be able to rule out any cameras, blind spots, or haphazard, but while she did that Max could purchase what he needed for the orphanage without suspicion. Things like diapers, tissue, and other necessities would be dead giveaways to his home, and putting them in the plastic bags he''d be provided added at least some level of privacy.


    The shopkeeper eyed him every now and then, but Max was careful not to arouse any suspicion. It looked like the store had two cameras, one on the far-right corner of the store, and another on the wall behind the register. Avoiding them wasn''t an option, but that wouldn''t be as important, those cameras were incredibly old. He''d be surprised if they recorded sound, and if they had good video quality. The windows from the outside of the store were decently tinted so it wouldn''t be easy to be seen from the inside, and there were a few aisles that were completely blocked from view.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Based on his analysis so far Max figured Raguel knew exactly what he was asking for when he decided to make this store the target. It wasn''t very secure at all, and that''s just what Max needed. There were only two other things of note, and that was the back door, and the break room. In Max''s experience the break room in places like this were never that big so that wouldn''t be a problem, but the back door might be. Hopefully, Ava got a good look at it from the outside.


    Max brought his items to the front of the register, and smiled at the clerk. He wore a name-tag that looked like it was originally golden, but because of time it was now a rusty black. The man''s name was Luis Rodriguez, Max would remember that.


    Luis took the basket, and started to scan all of Max''s items.


    "Are you guys hiring by chance?" Max asked with a wide smile, he rubbed the back of his head in an attempt to feign nervousness.


    "Oh, no kid sorry. I don''t need any more help."


    ''So, there are employees.'' Max thought.


    "Ah, I understand. I''m surprised by how slow it is, being the first day of school and all."


    "We don''t get a lot of students, it''s usually adults that come in for a quick bite during lunch or in the morning."


    ''That rules a couple things out.''


    "Oh, that makes sense." Max said.


    Luis finished ringing Max up, and he paid in cash. He took the items he bought which only amounted to four plastic bags, and made his way out of the store. "Thank you!" He said waving to Luis as he returned outside to the cold embrace of Autumn.


    As if on cue Ava rounded the corner, and greeted him. Her eyes immediately went to the bags Max was holding.


    "Get me anything?" She asked.


    "Oh, look at you, a sense of humor. Didn''t think you had one," Max said ignoring the question, and walking past her.


    Ava caught up to Max pretty easily, and continued walking beside him, "The only thing of note is that the back entrance has a camera looking down at it."


    "Good to know," Max said, "Ava, I''m not 100% sure if the guy has any employees or not, so I''ll need you to spend some time nearby the next couple of days to check and see."


    "Alright then, is that all?"


    "Yeah, go home." Max turned his back on Ava, and started his way down a nearby street.


    "So, who won our little game?" Ava asked, she stood still as Max walked. He wasn''t looking at her, but he could feel those emerald eyes piercing his back like a ray of blazing sunlight.


    "Only time will tell," Max said raising his hand and waving her off for the second time that day.


    Groceries in hand Max disappeared into the fog leaving Ava outside the store on her own. He considered the conversation a success overall, and felt he''d earned a bit of Ava''s respect, as little as it was. He learned that Ava had a competitive spirit, and Max would use that to manipulate her in the future if he needed to.


    With that out of the way all he needed to do now was talk to Draco, and then the three of them would be on the same page, but that would happen tomorrow morning. For now, Max was hungry, and eager to get back to the orphanage.