Hailstones falling outside

In the dimly lit library, the spy slumped in a worn chair, pretending to be asleep. Her eyes, however, remained alert beneath hooded eyelids, carefully scanning the faces of passing patrons. Each whisper and footstep offered potential clues, while the soft hum of fluorescent lights masked the pulse of her focused adrenaline. Cloaked in the guise of an ordinary reader, she was a silent guardian of secrets, awaiting the perfect moment to spring into action.