He put on the headphones, then placed them over her ears. He pressed play.

He saw her. His eyes widened. “The key-finder.”

The next day, desperate for a break, she went to the only coffee shop in town. As she waited for her latte, she overheard a voice at the next table. A man was explaining to the barista why the shop’s espresso machine’s hiss was off.

“The hazard,” she replied, a tiny smile escaping.

“That last one,” he said softly. “That’s us. Right now.”

Part One: The Missed Connection