Tony stiffened in his chair, the now subsided nausea in his gut resurfacing with gusto.

'Is everything alright?' Crystal asked, her brow furrowing in concern.

'Yes,' He smiled weakly, 'Everything's fine.'

But he wasn't sure that it was. He'd had Chinese translated fortune cookies that hadn't made sense before - but this was different. Distinct, direct. It was a warning, but from who? And why? Who would want to hurt him? Or was it even meant for him? He'd grabbed it at random, and he wasn't even there when they were being handed out - so was it beyond imagination that it wasn't a message for him, and he'd simply shoehorned in on someone else's situation? He softened a little. Yes, that must be it. He smiled

more brightly at Crystal now. Everything was fine.

It came in waves of peacefulness followed by the tumult of the crest. Now, as quickly as it had gone, it was back. He was suddenly distinctly aware of the restaurant manager staring at him in a way that no restaurateur should ever look at a patron. He returned the stair, wondering naively if the manager was simply waiting to be signalled for a further order. As time went on, he realised it wasn't the case.

The fortune cookie was for him. Judging by those eyes, there was no mistake. He was just wondering whether the manager was warning him about the danger from someone else, or whether it was the manager who indeed meant him harm.

Either way, he pushed back from the table and left