Later that evening, back in her apartment, Janet sat cross-legged on the floor, her journal open in front of her. The page she'd written on earlier now seemed insufficient, as though it couldn't possibly capture the complexity of what she felt. She stared at the words Mike. Bar. Strangers. Urgency. before adding a question beneath them: What does it mean?
The room was quiet, the only sound the distant hum of traffic from the street below. Janet closed her eyes, letting her mind wander, hoping for some clarity. But instead of answers, another vision came.
This one was sharper, more visceral.
She saw herself in a dimly lit room, the walls lined with books and flickering candles. Across from her sat a man—older, with a weathered face and piercing eyes. His voice echoed in her mind, though she couldn't make out his words. On the table between them lay a small, ornate box, its lid slightly ajar, revealing something glowing faintly within.
Janet's breath quickened as the vision shifted. She saw Mike again, this time standing in a storm, his suit drenched, his expression frantic as he called her name. She tried to reach him, but something held her back—a force she couldn't see, but could feel.
The vision faded, leaving her gasping for air. She pressed her palms against the floor, grounding herself as her heart raced. The box. The man. The storm. None of it made sense, but all of it felt important. And Mike—he was at the center of it all.
Janet leaned back against the wall, staring at the ceiling. The visions were coming more frequently now, more intensely. She had always known that her life wasn't meant to be simple, but this was something else entirely. This felt like the beginning of something she couldn't escape.
The next day, Janet found herself walking through the financial district, the skyscrapers looming above her like silent sentinels. She hadn't planned to come here—it wasn't part of her usual routine—but something had drawn her to this part of the city.
Her steps slowed as she approached a sleek, modern building with glass doors that gleamed in the sunlight. The plaque beside the entrance read: Meridian Capital Group. It was Mike's workplace. She didn't know how she knew that, but she did.
For a moment, she debated going inside, her hand hovering over the door handle. What was she doing here? What was she hoping to find?
But before she could decide, the door opened, and Mike stepped out. He was on his phone, his expression focused, but the moment he saw her, he froze.
"Janet?" he said, lowering the phone from his ear.
Her stomach tightened, and for a brief second, she considered turning around and walking away. But then she saw it—the same urgency she had seen in her vision. It was in his eyes, in the way he looked at her, as though he already knew she wasn't just another fleeting moment in his life.
"Hi, Mike," she said, her voice steady despite the whirlwind inside her.
He stepped closer, his phone forgotten. "What are you doing here?"
Janet hesitated, searching for the right words. But in the end, all she could say was, "I think we need to talk."
Mike studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Alright. Let's talk."
As they walked together down the busy city street, Janet couldn't shake the feeling that this was the beginning of something neither of them could have anticipated.
They found themselves in a small café tucked between the towering skyscrapers. The hum of the city outside felt distant, muffled by the warmth of the space and the quiet chatter of other patrons. Mike ordered coffee for both of them, his eyes occasionally flickering to Janet as if trying to decode her presence.
When the coffees arrived, he leaned forward, his expression earnest. "Alright, Janet. What's going on? Why are you here?"
Janet wrapped her hands around her mug, staring into the swirling steam as she tried to gather her thoughts. She couldn't tell him the whole truth—at least not yet. But she also couldn't walk away without giving him something. The vision had been too vivid, too insistent.
"I… I don't know how to explain this," she began, her voice hesitant. "But last night wasn't just some random encounter. There's something about you, Mike. Something that feels… significant."
Mike raised an eyebrow, a mix of curiosity and skepticism playing across his face. "Significant how?"
Janet hesitated, her heart pounding. She could feel the weight of her secrets pressing against her chest, but the words wouldn't come. How could she explain to him that she'd seen fragments of their future? That she knew things about him she had no right to know? That their connection was somehow tied to forces she didn't fully understand herself?
Instead, she deflected. "Do you believe in coincidences?" she asked, her eyes meeting his.
Mike leaned back in his chair, considering the question. "Not really. I think things happen for a reason. Even if we don't always see it right away."
Janet nodded slowly. "Neither do I."
There was a pause, heavy with unspoken words. Mike studied her, his gaze searching. "You're not like most people, are you?"
She let out a soft laugh, though there was no humor in it. "That's one way to put it."
Mike leaned forward again, his elbows resting on the table. "Janet, if you've got something to say, just say it. I'm not exactly the type to scare easily."
Janet bit her lip, debating. She could feel the moment teetering on the edge of something monumental. But before she could respond, the familiar tug of a vision hit her like a tidal wave.
The café around her seemed to blur, the sounds fading into a distant hum as the world shifted. In its place, she saw Mike standing in an office, his expression grim as he argued with someone on the other side of a sleek desk. Papers were scattered across the surface, and the tension in the room was palpable. The man he was speaking to was older, with sharp features and a calculating gaze. Janet couldn't hear their words, but she could feel the weight of their conversation—something was at stake, something big.
The vision shifted again. This time, she saw herself standing beside Mike, the two of them staring at a map pinned to a wall. The map was covered in red circles and handwritten notes, and Mike's face was lined with determination. Whatever they were looking at, it was important—urgent.
When the vision faded, Janet found herself gripping the edge of the table, her coffee untouched. Mike's voice cut through the haze.
"Janet? Are you okay?"
She blinked, her eyes refocusing on him. The concern in his voice was genuine, and for a moment, she felt a pang of guilt for dragging him into her world.
"I'm fine," she said quickly, though her voice was shaky. She released her grip on the table, trying to steady herself. "Sorry, I just… got lost in thought."
Mike didn't look convinced, but he didn't press her. Instead, he leaned back, his arms crossed as he watched her carefully. "You know, you're a hard person to read. But I can't shake the feeling that you know more than you're letting on."
Janet sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's not that simple, Mike."
"Then make it simple," he said, his tone firm but not unkind. "You came here for a reason. You said we need to talk. So talk."
Janet looked at him, her mind racing. She couldn't tell him everything—not yet. But she also couldn't walk away without giving him something to hold onto.
"Alright," she said finally. "I'll tell you this much: I've… seen things. Things that haven't happened yet."
Mike frowned, his skepticism returning. "What do you mean, 'things that haven't happened yet'?"
Janet hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "I get these… flashes. Visions of the future. They don't always make sense right away, but they're real. And last night, after I left, I saw something. Something involving you."
Mike's expression was unreadable as he processed her words. For a moment, she wondered if he would laugh it off, dismiss her as crazy, or walk away entirely. But instead, he surprised her.
"What did you see?" he asked, his voice low.
Janet exhaled, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "I saw you in an office, arguing with someone. It looked serious. And I saw the two of us, working together on something. Something important."
Mike studied her, his gaze intense. "And you think this is… connected to us?"
"I don't know," Janet admitted. "But I can feel it. Whatever's happening, it's not random."
For the first time since she'd met him, Mike looked genuinely unsettled. But instead of pulling away, he leaned closer, his voice steady. "Then I guess we'll figure it out. Together."
Janet stared at him, caught off guard by his response. She had expected doubt, resistance, maybe even anger. But his calm acceptance was something she hadn't anticipated.
"Are you sure?" she asked softly. "Because this… it won't be easy."
Mike's lips quirked into a faint smile. "I don't do easy. But I don't run, either."
For the first time in a long while, Janet felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't have to face this alone.