r over the manor, q

carrying a carefully balanced

with lean meat and brightly colored vegetable

ed into dark gray silk loungewear, the relaxed fabric lending him a l

ed and came t

d by only James and me," he said, his low voice carrying easily through the spacious

he took the seat across fr

etly, calmly noting Christopher's

ning manners polished to perfection, the kind of ele

Mr. Douglas at the garden entrance this evening," Christopher said,

eneath the question at once

d. "I would not call it unpleasant," she

ut unmistakable. "Oh? He chose another woman over you, yet

indifference. "Mr. Evans, I just made the decision to abandon hi

n, stripped of bitt

illed?" Christopher studied her with an assessing gaze, as thou

e," she said calmly. "When someone treats me well, I return it in kind. But if someone tries to

neatly with the image of a resili

iet restraint, an undercurrent of

se and clear the table, Chr

card, and slid it across the table toward her. "Go

. "That will not be necessary, Mr.

ning almost imperceptibly. "You are my nutritionist. Dressing you

re adding, "I prefer b

ppeared between

his eyes, her clothes si

hand, she accepted the card and s

ked the door and immediately

ared on the screen, the name Task Forc

operation has begun. All operatives remain on standby an

nt through, the group cha

at is unreal. You got yours

mmediately after. "That

d welcome back to the organization. Oh, and one more thing. Is

ruck message, and without warning, Chris

rief moment, then moved as

the laptop, rose from the bed, and

lass of water. As she passed by the study,

wed to

nged to Christo

ncy threading through his words. "We have exhausted every channel. It

pils tighten

or Lia was nothing more tha

opher's low, weary voice carried through the door. "

without a sound, her pulse ra

t the computer to life, her slender fingers flying as she entere

ssassins and intelligence bro

ias into the sea

rfaced at the top. "All information regarding Lia, including

no name or trac

e registered the timestamp. I

e night the top-secret encrypted f

possibility began to t

ight not have been the resul

le attempting to breach the organization to steal the fil