The StrangerVille shame lingers over us all. 7 sounds great to me :)

She's pretty sure he was more concerned that she'd hunt him down to ask some pointed questions about what he's been up to lately. His texts have been... a little concerning.

Great! I'll see you then!

First, though, there's a whole day to fill, assuming she doesn't get a call from the hospital. She checks on the apple, and then decides it might be time to start working on her actual reason for coming here: figuring out what happened to her parents. With this in mind, she starts going through their studies. She doesn't expect there to be much - they always were conscientious about sensitive documents - but any little bit could help.

No call from the hospital the next day, but there is a knock on her door, around midday. 

An actual knock, not a thump.

She opens it, "Yes?" 

The man from last night stands there, glasses on, dressed absolutely impeccably. 

"Erin Newark?"

"That's me," she says, leaning against the doorjamb. "I don't think we've been introduced, for all that you seem to know who I am."

"Me? I'm no-one. Now, excuse me-"

He ducks around Erin, heading into the house. 

"Wha-hey!" She grabs at his arm as he passes. "I did not invite you in." 

"You didn't?" The man says, just dodging around Erin's hand. He moves fluidly, trained in some kind of self-defence, no doubt. "Because I distinctly remember you mentioning coffee, perhaps even a pastry?" 

He looks around, until his eyes land on the apple, and beelines towards it. 

"You must have been hearing things," she rushes after him, "Get out of my house before I call the cops or find a- hey, don't touch that, it might be dangerous-"

The man picks it up in his bare hands, tosses it in the air, catches it, and stows it in his pocket. 

"Well, thank you for your hospitality, Dr Newark. I'll save the police the trouble, and escort myself out." He makes for the door.

She's there before him, blocking his way more thoroughly this time, "That thing seems to be connected to the infection that's piling people up in the hospital," she says, now seriously displeased, "Give it back."

"My god, woman, has anyone told you you're built like a Greek goddess?" 

He seems particularly entranced by her arms.

"Yep, and I'll be happy to put my resemblance to Athena to use if you don't put that back. It could be the key to understanding and healing the infection." 

The man sighs. "Don't tempt me, my god, what an afternoon. Sadly, I was given quite strict instructions to keep my interactions with you to a minimum." 

He makes to move around her.

Instructions?

"Oh no you don't-" She moves with him, grabbing for his shirt with one hand and the pocket of his jacket with the other.

Quick as a shot, the man's hands snap out to block Erin's grab for his shirt, and he twists around her, managing to not even have a hair out of place. "Hopefully you won't see me again, but just to be on the safe side, stick to the hospital, doctor." 

He's out the door and down the steps in seconds.

"Screw that-" she turns to run after him, if anything the fact that the apple is apparently valuable enough or dangerous enough in her hands or something to steal it from her only making her more determined to get it back.

As the man gets into a black car, he gives Erin one last very admiring look-

and drops a small piece of paper on the ground. 

Then the car is peeling away.

"Damnit."

She stops at the curb, watching the car vanish down the road. Once it's out of sight, she sighs, and looks down at the sidewalk, catching sight of the paper. She bends down to pick it up, scowl lightening into a curious frown as she takes a closer look.

TR has given EN the fruit. Find his source, then retrieve EN's. 

Do not engage with her. 

Destroy this message.

Did he drop this on purpose, she wonders? It's not the most useful clue, but... Well, TR is the mayor, of course, and EN is her. 

The note suggests asking Ted for another one won't get her anywhere - assuming it would have even if he did have access to this 'source'. Though, maybe he has access to more than one.

...Actually now that she thinks of it she kind of wants to go check on them. Or at least see if she can see any activity inside from the street. The man didn't hurt her, but she has no way of knowing whether he harmed the Roswells. She walks down the road a ways until she's in front of their house, peering up the walkway. 

It all seems quiet from the street, and then, passing in front of the window-

Mayor Roswell. He seems tired, but himself. 

...What? 

Did the sickness just run its course or... was he cured, somehow?

Well, she was looking into her parents' disappearance. With that as an excuse, maybe she can get a closer look. She heads up the walk and knocks on the door. 

The mayor's wife answers the door. "Oh! Hello." 

She seems nervous to see Erin again.