Michael left his apartment in a hurry so he could get to those security tapes. Though he'd never been much of a runner, he ran all the way to the bookstore without stopping. He was a man on a mission. He bolted through the front door so hard it almost broke off its hinges. Luckily no one else was there when he arrived. He rushed to the back room where they kept the security footage and started rooting through the tapes. It didn't take long for him to find the ones he was looking for. Breathing heavily, Michael seized the tapes and headed for the 垃圾箱, 垃圾站 in the parking lot.

Just when he was about to throw them in, he paused. For a few brief moments, the entire world seemed to fade away and he was left alone with his thoughts. What if someone found out what he'd done? Not only would he lose his job, but his boss and Erica would lose all respect for him. But then he thought of Svetlana. Even if she was arrested she would eventually be released and Heaven only knows what she would do to him then. At that moment, it wasn't a 问题 of right 或者 wrong, but of the consequences he'd have to face. This was a choice Michael hoped he'd never have to make again. With a sharp exhale, he tossed the tapes into the dumpster. He walked back inside feeling very ashamed of himself so he decided to hide out in the back room until it was time to open.

Michael sat on the cold, hard floor, alone in the darkness. He pulled his legs in close to his chest and rested his head on his knees. "What have I done?" he thought, fighting back tears. On one hand, he'd covered up a crime and put his job and reputation in jeopardy. On the other hand, he was protecting Svetlana and 更多 importantly his own life. In his mind, he was wavering between relief and guilt. Thinking about it actually made him feel sick to his stomach. After what seemed like hours, there was a light as someone opened the storage room door. Michael prayed it wasn't Svetlana; it was Erica. "Michael, there 你 are! I've been wondering when you'd 显示 up.". Erica noticed Michael sitting on the floor. "Hey, what's the matter?" she asked as she knelt down beside him. "Nothing," he answered in a shaky voice. "I just don't feel so well today, I need to go home.". Michael got up and walked out as fast as he could. Erica tried to stop him but it was no use.