After two hours had passed and no one wanted to cross, Tim began gathering the papers he would need to scan at home. Noir and Judith helped him pack up, and Tim tried to hide Mara's documents so they wouldn't notice. They agreed to have lunch together.

Tim felt uncomfortable and wanted to get rid of the papers as soon as possible and secure them, so he hurried home, promising to return. Judith had arranged with Sara, the cook, that they wouldn't need the gatekeepers' lunch delivered today because they would be dining at the inn. Sara also cooked for the inn's guests.

Upon reaching his small house, Tim quickly flipped through the papers and set Mara's papers aside. He pondered what he intended to do with them. If he officially submitted them, it might be revealed they were fake, and he still wrestled with whether he would be harming the girl or not. He felt deep down that the papers were fraudulent. With trembling hands, he folded them up and hid them in his mattress to ensure no one would accidentally find them. Then, with swift movements, he changed into more comfortable clothes, slipped on his slippers, and headed to the inn.

The village was even more deserted now. All locals were in their homes, enjoying their meals peacefully during lunchtime. The sound of the creek buzzed pleasantly in the background.

Tim felt he was being watched, and this sensation grew stronger as he approached the inn. Out of his eye, he noticed a curtain fluttering in one of the windows. It struck him like a blow to the chest—Mara could still be somewhere around here. Maybe she hadn't left the village. Why would she, when he had told her to try again tomorrow? Could she be staying here? Why hadn't he thought of this earlier?

The small hallway of the inn was dark, and he moved forward uncertainly, groping his way down the long corridor. Opening the door to the dining room, he immediately saw Noir and Judith sitting at a distant table by the window. To his surprise, the dining room was almost complete. Looking around more closely, he recognized some familiar faces, not locals, but other gatekeepers.

Judith greeted him warmly. "We thought you'd never come, Timothy! Imagine Sara making soup today because there are so many of us. I think we're in for a feast!"

"Do I see gatekeepers from the city here?" Tim asked as he made himself comfortable and looked around, still searching for Mara, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Judith and the old man exchanged a glance as if hiding something. Noir had brought his pipe and nervously tapped it on the table's edge. Tim started to laugh. "I'm not going back for tobacco and matches now!"

"I should have told you to bring them!" Noir shook his head. "Anyway, yes, you see correctly. They're here because of the Heine crossing."

Tim broke into a sweat. So, they already knew about the girl trying to bribe him, but he hadn't reported it. Why had he told Noir!

Sara arrived, bringing pre-portioned bowls of soup to a small serving cart. Tim was glad for the distraction, as it drew attention away from him, and he was sure his face was red.

The vegetable soup steamed hotly, and everyone watched as the cook placed the bowls on the tables. When she reached their table, she winked at Tim and whispered, "Let me know if you want more!"

Judith was surprised by the close relationship. "You've made friends here so well, Tim, although I didn't expect you to be so close with the cook!"

Tim didn't need help understanding what his boss meant. They ate their meal mostly in silence, only exchanging a few words, mostly compliments about how well the cook prepared the food and how lucky the people here were compared to the city with its junky, unhealthy food.

After lunch, as people began to leave the other tables, Judith continued her thought as if they had just been discussing Heine. "You know, Tim, strange things are happening in Heine, and it might be better if you knew about them."

Noir nodded frequently and nervously fiddled with his pipe. Tim imagined how much he must have wanted to light it. If they had eaten at home, he would have smoked both before and after lunch.

Judith continued, "There's an invention that everyone is talking about. Rumors are spreading that they've invented a way to cross without gates. With a small device, you can cross wherever you want. The authorities are already taking steps to ensure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands, but those who have heard about it also want to acquire it. That's why Heine crossings are being closely watched everywhere."

Tim leaned in closer. "Do you mean they might patent it, and we'll be out of a job?"

"You've got it right," Noir interjected. "But that's not the biggest problem, at least not for gatekeepers. The real issue is that this will make it impossible to control who goes where and when."

"More precisely, the authorities will have a problem controlling it," Judith corrected. "But there are still many questions. The key point is that the invention must be in the hands of the authorities and not fall into the wrong hands. That's why no one is allowed out of Heine from now on. Entry is restricted too, but if someone has a permit, they can enter, but they will be closely watched."

Tim shifted uncomfortably, not understanding why they were telling him this. He wasn't usually involved in such confidential conversations. Starting to feel mixed feelings. On one hand, he was pleased that his boss was talking to him like an adult, a colleague whose opinion mattered. Not that they were asking for his opinion, but at least he was getting an idea of what the future held for gatekeepers. With a furrowed brow, he could only think about what he would do if he lost his job. "If the authorities have the invention, can they control it, keep an eye on it?" Tim speculated.

"That's part of it, but it's more about money. If the state gets it, they'll profit from it immensely. And that brings me to why I wanted to talk to you, Tim."

Tim gripped his chair, sensing that he would have to answer for not officially reporting the bribe. Why had he told Noir? "I suppose this is about the bribe," he blurted out.

"Yes, Tim, you should have reported it!" Both of them scrutinized him.

"I know, but I didn't want to get her into trouble. I don't know what got into me... but I promise, if she shows up again, I will report it!"

Judith nodded in satisfaction. "Good, Tim. And the other reason we're here. The people you saw here today will be crossing tomorrow. They are members of the Inquisition, a sort of military. They won't have a number; they must cross without a trace, so they can't be tracked. So, when they come to you and hand you their papers, you will let them through and then erase the crossing from the records."

Judith pulled a carefully folded piece of paper from her pocket, unfolded it, and pushed it toward Tim. The paper had names on it, with codes at the end.

"Take these names with you tomorrow. They won't cross all at once; they'll blend into the crowd. So, you let them into Heine, and then in the afternoon, when you're doing administrative tasks, you delete them using the code at the bottom of the paper." Judith pointed to the long sequence of numbers and letters.

"If I understand correctly, I have to let a bunch of travelers into the restricted area?" Tim asked.

"Exactly. But these aren't ordinary travelers; they're going to track down and bring back those who have crossed illegally because of the invention," Judith replied, urgently pushing the paper closer to Tim.

Tim took the paper, folded it, and hesitantly put it in his pocket. "So, I let them through, delete them, and pretend I never heard of them."

"You're smart, Tim. You know your duty. I told Noir you're reliable, and we couldn't have sent a better gatekeeper here!" Judith smiled.

"That's right, I think you'll go far," Noir agreed.

They broke up the meeting, and Judith went to her room while Tim and Noir walked home in the pleasant warmth. Noir was impatient to smoke his pipe, and Tim kept thinking he couldn't tell the old man anything. Even though he thought of Noir as a friend or at least a mentor, he was more loyal to the authorities.

The administrative work was tiring, and Tim couldn't focus. He made several mistakes and had to start over, and Mara came to mind again. Took out the papers. He thought her residence was listed as the inn, but he didn't understand why she wasn't there for lunch. Then he realized everyone would have been curious about her presence if she appeared among the many gatekeepers. It would have been evident that he hadn't let her through, and that's why she was still in the village. The papers still looked authentic, or had the new forgeries gotten that good?

Tim felt a sudden urge to talk to Mara as it started to get dark. He didn't understand his decision and began to doubt as he walked towards the inn. How could it be that no one could be let through according to the rules, yet some were to be let through without a trace? By this logic, the authorities could let anyone through as they pleased. Another feeling swirling within him was fear for Mara. What if they watched her every move tomorrow, and he had to send her away or let her through? Neither seemed like a good solution.

He went straight to the cook working in the inn's kitchen. She was surprised to see the gatekeeper but greeted him warmly. "Tim, dear! Was the lunch good? Do you want something? Some apple pie?"

Tim couldn't stop apologizing, and after eating his second slice of apple pie and listening to the week's menu with all the ingredients and where they were sourced, he finally gathered the courage to say why he had come. "Sara, do you know which room a woman is staying in? Short, with black hair and big brown eyes?"

Sara was momentarily stunned, clasping her hands together. "Tim, I knew that girl was up to something. I thought it was bad, but is she here because of you?" She jumped up, took some walnut liqueur from the cupboard, and poured two small glasses into them. While Tim sipped the strong drink, the cook downed two glasses. "Is she your city girl? You can tell me!" she grinned at him.

Tim was surprised, maybe even blushed, and it felt good that someone finally wasn't mocking him but believed he could have a girlfriend despite his appearance. He looked at Sara gratefully, and his smile was taken as a yes, though he said nothing.

"She's in room six. She wasn't feeling well today, so she asked for her lunch to be brought to her room. Take her some pie," Sara giggled.

Tim stood up, thanked her for her kindness, and headed up the stairs with the plate in his hand. He had no idea what he was doing, and the walnut liqueur had either slightly gone to his head or given him courage? What if he ran into another gatekeeper or Judith? Having no plan, but as he felt the adrenaline rush through his body, he enjoyed the danger, the thrill of getting caught at any moment. He finally felt alive.

In front of room six, he hesitated again and was about to turn back when the door suddenly opened, and Mara stood there with her coat on as if she were about to go somewhere.

"Tim!" the woman exclaimed in surprise. Tim also stood there for a few moments before lifting the plate and showing it as if that was the main reason for his visit. Mara uncertainly stepped aside and motioned for him to come in.

"The cook is worried about you. She said you weren't feeling well," Tim said, handing her the plate.

"That's kind of you to bring it, but you must know that I'm fine," Mara replied, sitting on her bed and poking at the pie with a fork.

Tim stood uncertainly for a moment before sitting on the only chair in the room, in front of the desk, with a shirt draped over the armrest. He carefully picked up the garment and placed it on the desk.

"How do you know my name?" Tim asked, not what he intended to ask, but it worried him the most. Mara stood up and placed the plate on the desk. She took out a note from the pocket of Tim's shirt and pushed it toward Tim.

The paper listed gate names, each with a corresponding name. He found his own: Timothy Emmons, Walnut Grove. Tim swallowed hard and handed the paper back.

"Why do you want to cross?" he asked.

"The authorities are hiding something that the world needs to know. That's why I want to cross," Mara replied hurriedly.

"Yes, you mentioned that. But can you be more specific? Who do you work for? What is this secret?" Tim asked.

Mara studied the gatekeeper curiously. "I can't tell you specifics. But I can double the money to let me through tomorrow if you want. Did you send my papers for verification?"

"It's surprising how informed you are about our processes." Tim stood up and stepped towards the door. "If you try to bribe me again, I won't speak to you anymore. And don't think I don't know everything about why you want to cross!" His hand was already on the doorknob, angered by the bribery. Then he felt Mara's hand on his arm.

"Wait, Tim, I didn't mean to offend you. I want to cross because of the invention. And it's crazy, I know, that I'm still here because you could have reported me anytime. But I saw something in your eyes. When I first saw you, I knew you were different. That you would understand that what the authorities want isn't right."

Mara moved so close to Tim that he could smell her perfume again. She still held his arm, almost caressing it, and Tim suddenly felt scared. He had never been this close to a woman before. Had lost his virginity in a brothel, but it had never felt like this, breathless and overwhelming. It felt as if he hadn't taken a breath for minutes, and as he looked into her eyes, he almost felt dizzy. He looked away and gripped the doorknob tightly.