Back at her house, Ariella started looking for answers herself. She went to the library. She called old friends. She used her sharp mind to think. She started to put the pieces together. The secret codes. The old books Samuel liked. The little clues he had left behind.
She found something. "The People's Government." Samuel's secret group. His revolution. She started to understand what he was doing. The danger he was in. The huge pressure he must be feeling.
She wasn't angry. She was actually amazed. He wanted fairness. He wanted a better world. She felt the same way. She couldn't just stand by and watch.
"I have to help him," she said to herself.
She looked at the coded messages again. One sentence stood out: "The meeting point shifts."
"Shifts? Where to?" she wondered.
She knew Samuel well. He always had a backup plan. A second place to go if things went wrong. She just had to figure out where that place was.
She thought about where Samuel usually worked. A place where he could blend in easily and have access to information. "The big bookstore near the president's headquarters," she said aloud. "That's it." That was a place he used a lot.
She grabbed her car keys quickly. She had to get there right away.
As she drove, she thought about the men with guns. Who were they? Why did they want to hurt Samuel? What was really happening?
She parked near the bookstore. It was closed, but she could see dim lights inside. She walked quietly towards the back entrance. The door was slightly open. She carefully slipped inside.
"Samuel?" she called out softly.
There was no answer.
She walked further into the store. The aisles were dark, with shadows everywhere. Then she heard a sound. A faint sound, coming from the back room.
She slowly walked towards the back room. The door was a little bit open. She peeked inside.
There was a dim light, and she could hear voices talking quietly.
"They know about the meeting," one voice said.
"We have to move," another voice said.
"Too late," a third voice said. "They're already here."
Ariella froze. They? Who were "they?"
Then she heard Samuel's voice. "We have to go. Now."
"Where?" another voice asked.
"We have to leave this place," Samuel said.
Ariella knew she had to warn him somehow. But how could she do it without being seen?
Suddenly, she heard footsteps coming towards the back room door. Someone was getting closer.
She decided to help him from the shadows. Just like he had used her mind without her knowing before. She understood secrets. She knew he needed protection. She wouldn't confront him directly. She wouldn't tell him she knew everything. She would help him quietly. She would guide him without him even realizing it was her.
She sent him a message. It looked like a reply to one of his puzzles. A casual chat about old wars and how to win them.
But hidden within the words were warnings. Ways to stay hidden. How to make his group stronger. And a hint about danger coming from inside his own group.
She wrote: "Smart leaders win with clever plans, not just fighting. A quiet word can be more powerful than a loud shout. Be careful of people who are too nice. They might be hiding bad intentions."
She knew Samuel would understand. He would see the warnings. He would figure out the plan. And he would trust her, even if he didn't know it was her who sent the message.
Back at the bookstore, Samuel read the message on his phone. He frowned. He read it again carefully.
"Cunning and foresight honeyed words poisoned dagger" he muttered to himself.
He recognized this way of writing. It felt very familiar. Too familiar.
"Ariella?" he whispered quietly.
He looked around the room quickly. Was she here? Had she followed him?
He shook his head slightly. No. It couldn't be. But the message was so clear. Someone was trying to help him. Someone who knew him very well. Too well.
"Who?" he asked aloud, his voice barely a whisper.
He read the message again. He focused on the last part. "Beware of those who offer honeyed words."
He thought about the men he trusted. The men who were in this room with him. Which one of them could it be?
He looked at each of them. They looked back at him. They seemed normal. But could he really be sure?
"We need to move," he said suddenly. "Now."
"Where to?" one of the men asked, sounding surprised.
"I don't know yet," Samuel said. "But we can't stay here any longer."
He felt a cold feeling of fear. He was being watched. Someone was playing a game with him. But who?
He looked at his men again. One of them shifted his weight a little too quickly.
Samuel's eyes narrowed slightly. "You," he said, pointing to the man. "What did you hear outside just now?"
She was taking a big risk, walking a very fine line. Loyalty and lies were mixed together. She loved Samuel. She believed in what he was fighting for. She was his silent partner. His hidden helper. His secret weapon. Together, she hoped they could fight for a better world. Even in the shadows.
But Ariella's secrets went much deeper. Hidden beneath her sharp mind and strong heart was another truth. One that could destroy everything Samuel had been working towards.
She wasn't just smart. Or strong. Or a secret helper. She was also a spy. A trained agent. Working for President Mark. The very man Samuel wanted to overthrow.
This was her biggest secret. A truth that could destroy her completely. Both sides would hate her if they found out. She had been recruited years ago. Before she even met Samuel. Before she fell in love. They had chosen her because of her intelligence, her charm, her ability to fit in anywhere.
She had to be extremely careful. Every move she made. Every word she spoke. She had to play both sides perfectly. And she had to keep her secret safe at all costs.
Back at the bookstore, Samuel felt tense. He looked at his men. He didn't know who he could trust anymore.
"We need to leave," he said firmly. "Now. There is a traitor among us."
The men looked at each other, their faces showing confusion and suspicion.
"Who is it?" one of them asked, his voice filled with concern.
"I don't know for sure yet," Samuel said. "But someone is watching us. Someone sent me a warning message."
He held up his phone, showing the coded text. "This message. It's a clear warning. Someone knows what we are planning."
He paused for a moment, looking at each of them carefully. "And I have a feeling they are right here in this room."
No one said a word. The silence in the room was heavy.
"Fine," Samuel said, his voice hardening. "We'll do it my way then."
He took out a small device from his pocket. He pressed a button.
A loud alarm suddenly blared through the bookstore. The lights flickered on and off.
"Everyone out!" Samuel shouted over the noise. "Now!"
The men didn't hesitate. They ran towards the exits without asking any questions.
Samuel stayed behind. He had to find out who the traitor was. He needed to know who was watching him so closely.
He looked around the room carefully. He saw a shadow move in the corner.
"Who's there?" he asked loudly, his voice echoing in the empty store.
There was no reply.
He slowly moved towards the shadow. He saw a figure standing there. A person.
"Show yourself," he demanded.
The figure stepped out of the darkness and into the dim light. It was a woman.
"Ariella?" Samuel said, his voice full of surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"It's me, Samuel," Ariella said softly. "I'm here to help you."