In the other hand

Ryan shot out of his seat, heading toward the man at the table. Something was bothering him about the way the he sat, staring at his computer screen, while all of this had happened. It wasn't that anyone else had noticed that time had hopped forward, or the red-haired man Ryan had been drinking with had suddenly disappeared.

Then it dawned on him. There wasn't any reflection in the sunglasses. There wasn't a computer screen there. A chill crept through the bottom of his stomach as he got halfway across the room. The hairs along the back of his neck stood up. What the... Does this man know that I've seen him? The thought rolled through his brain even as the person took off the sunglasses, folded them carefully and slipped them into a case.

He measured out his steps, but he'd already crossed the distance between them there wasn't any backing out now. The other man didn't really look like anybody, or rather he looked like the statistical probability of everyone put together. His skin was tan, but not tan enough to be Mexican, but too light to be Caucasian. Round eyes stared out from flat cheekbones and an average nose. In fact, if it wasn't for the sunglasses, Ryan wouldn't have noticed him anywhere.

"Can I help you?" When the other man spoke, it again sounded generic. Not nasal, not too high, not too low, emminently and utterly forgettable.

"Who are you?" Ryan's heart still sped in his chest, but he forced the words out.

Snapping the laptop closed, the man stood up. Ryan guessed he was about five foot ten, but right now he wasn't sure about much. The man smiled, showing a set of perfect teeth. "That isn't really important. I'm going now, so if you'll excuse me."

When the man started past him, Ryan snapped out an arm. "Wait! You know what's going on here."

Raising an eyebrow, the man kept the same placid smile. "And what's going on here?"

"You know damn well. I saw you earlier today in the lobby. That's when all of this started, you were there." The words flopped out his mouth. I sound crazy, floated through his head. But he knew he wasn't crazy. He couldn't be crazy. In fact, he was the most sane person he knew.

"Are you sure about that? People always mix me up for someone else." The other guy pushed Ryan's arm out of the way, starting for the door again.

But he couldn't let it sit. Grabbing the guy by the shoulders, he spun him back around. This time he yelled. "No! I know it was you! I saw you!"

The grin slipped away. For a second, the man snarled at him, but it slipped away. "You know you're making a scene. Maybe you should just sit down and have another beer. You look like you've had a rough day."

Now Ryan was sure this man knew something. And if he had to beat it out of him, he'd get it come hell or high water.

Then Chad put a hand on Ryan's shoulder. "Calm down there, Ryan."

Switching back and forth between Chad and the man, he wasn't sure whether to take a swing at them both. But then he noticed the entire bar staring at him. The bartender already had the phone in his hand.