Nia thought.
They shook all the contents of the bag out onto the floor of the hut. Nia watched this spectacle with curiosity. What was there that was so interesting to Lira and her gang? Maybe something would give a clue?
Lying on the floor were: a pendant made of some strange, matte stone. An antique watch with a cracked dial and leather strap. Some item, the purpose of which Nia did not immediately understand. It was a small metal cylinder with some buttons and indicators. And finally, something that looked like a flash drive. Exactly the same flash drive as the one that Nia had in her bag when she woke up in the alley.
Nia felt her breath catch in her throat. A flash drive… What did this mean? Was this the key to her past? And why did Ein have one too? Coincidence? Or fate?
Lira ran to the bag and grabbed the flash drive. Her eyes burned with greed.
– This is what we need! – she exclaimed.
Triumph sounded in her voice. What did she know?
She tried to insert the flash drive into a device of incomprehensible purpose, but nothing happened.
– It doesn't work! – she said with disappointment.
– You probably need to enter a code, – her henchman said.
– What code? – Lira asked.
– He should have it, Ein.
Lira turned to Ein, who was still standing in shock from what had happened.
– Where is the code? – she asked sharply. – Where is the code for the flash drive?
Her voice was harsh and demanding.
Ein looked at her with incomprehension.
– I… I don't know… I don't remember anything…
Nia felt a pang of sympathy for this lost and frightened man. She knew what it meant to remember nothing. “He is the same as me. A puppet in the hands of fate.”
Lira's people were clearly upset that the flash drive was not working. They began feverishly sorting through different options, trying to enter something on the strange device. But all attempts were unsuccessful.
Lira watched this useless occupation with irritation.
– Enough! – she ordered. – You're just wasting time. He won't remember anything anyway.
– What do we do with him? – asked one of the henchmen.
Lira pondered for a moment.
– We'll do the same thing with him as we did with her.
She pointed to Nia. What was she plotting?
– We will leave him as a prisoner, – Lira continued. – We will watch him. Maybe he will remember something. Or his actions will clarify something for us.