Well, Well, Well ....
I hadn't heard anything since the Event last week, and I've been quietly making myself nuts by constantly checking my emails for the name of the next target. That stopped yesterday when I got a text message from "James" to meet this morning behind the Starbucks stand in the Food Court at the Menlo Park Mall at 9:00 AM. When I got there about a quarter to, there was no Doyle so I grabbed a table to wait for him.

"What? No coffee?" I looked up, and it was Givings.
"What? No Doyle?" She sat down across from me.
"Nope. He's all tied up in meetings with the People Upstairs. Which is why I'm here. The meetings I mean. They have to do with you."
"Oh? How? Haven't I been doing what they want?"
"Actually, you've turned out better then they expected. Let me get some coffee and I'll explain. Want anything?"
I shook my head "no" and she went to the Starbucks stand. It's bad enough that they charge so much for coffee, but she had to stand in line, too. It took about 20 minutes, but she was finally back with a coffee, and a muffin that probably cost $5. I was drumming my fingers on the table while she set herself up. Finally, she said,

"OK. Here's the deal. We told you - when we started Phase 2 a couple of months ago - that the People Upstairs were very impressed with how you handled Phase 1, remember?"
"Yeah. I remember. And Phase 2 is another 6 months, with only 3 Events. But we just pissed away a week, and I still don't know who the next Event involves."
"Patience..patience...all will be made clear in a few minutes." She drank some coffee, and ate some muffin. I tried to slow my breathing down. "Your efforts on the Dr. Forrest Event, putting aside the fact that you initially dragged your feet, also impressed them. In fact, they liked that you were planning something out involving the garage, but instead took advantage of an opportune situation to carry out the assignment."

I didn't bother to ask how they knew what I was planning.  I knew they had me watched, and the implant made following my movements extremely easy. I asked, instead,
"OK. So what do they want now? Why the delay?"
"There's no real delay, actually, since they are changing the rules slightly. The target they originally had for you is no longer viable. They've had Doyle in with them for the last week trying to decide on who the new one should be. Since the delay is on their part, they've decided to alter the time frame. Now you will be given 2 months in which to stage the next Event, starting from when they send you the name. After that, it will probably be another 2 months for the 3rd Event in the Phase, again starting from when they identify the  chosen target for you. understand?"
"Yeah. It's not that hard, but why the change?"
"They liked the way you thought on your feet, so I get the feeling that they are trying to pick a target that will be a little more challenging."
"So when, or how, do I get the name?"
"I don't know, so keep checking your emails. But once a day is sufficient. When they send it, it will be between 1 and 2 in the afternoon. That's what they said. Also, they are aware of your upcoming biopsy so they wanted me to assure you that if you need some time "off" due to a medical situation, they will place the Phase on hold until you can resume the effort."
"What do you mean by medical situation?"
"If it should become necessary for you to be hospitalized for observation, lets say, then - simply put - the clock will stop ticking until you're back in the game."
"That's real big of them." Sarcasm is lost on Givings. "Do they know something I don't?"
"No. But they are aware that you are only on one anti-rejection medicine as opposed to the usual two. They just wanted you to know that they are willing to be flexible since the Events are not time-specific."

She paused, finishing her coffee and muffin. I tried to think of something to say, but there was too much to get my mind around for a quick response. She stood.

"You'll hear from us, I believe, shortly. Most probably within the next week. Meantime, if I were you, I'd relax and enjoy the rest. Who knows when you'll get another."

With that, she turned and walked away, dropping her empty coffee cup and muffin wrapper in a receptacle, and taking the escalator to the ground floor.

I sat for a while, and thought about getting some coffee from the Burger King on the other side of the Food Court.