CAMERAS AN

e multi

ld see them in the reflection-cameras stacked three rows

othly from the seat across from h

ibi

de her thro

clogged the street. Satellite dishes tilted toward the sky. Reporte

rrings-Georgia's pearls-a

ll. Smile, but not wide. Georgia L

he talking poin

es

the co

s continued confidence. I've taken time to r

nce. Approval

oor o

expl

the SEC is reviewing

d you know Victor

r criminal in

composure. Victor Hale. The former CFO who h

teppe

lbs det

mile

crowd surged. A hand brushed her sl

e chaos, low and male,

uldn't b

lse st

rn. Georgia w

urent Tower swa

nce fell lik

voice followed her

uldn't

f he

ens were already o

reen panels. Analysts dissected her posture. Body l

n Victor Hale's name was men

ess," another repli

t collect beneat

le. "This is good," he said to the

snapped. "The stock dropped

n shifted to

ill

rgia-three months ago at

thing wa

leaned

time

ted two w

she murmured before s

om wen

d toward her. S

use

meant-the angle

e lau

age li

two weeks ago... then who had Sha

r cleared his throat

other image o

hot from toni

ar

ghted in r

ar near he

dn't have

ras had

d began

hem. Calm. Controlled. "We

n could f

s weren't jus

re tigh

ia's penthouse suite, city lights burning ben

e footage on he

us

om

it was

angar

nced the

orgia-was a man partia

on f

w that

it in tra

allw

ide

s Ba

imestamp

an

use lights

n

ic

hone

wn nu

ted before

ce whispered

e watch

blood tur

is

rea

h

Geor

ne wen

laser dot appeared on the

ea

ave

d on he

did not

e skyline, someone

claimed to be the woman

ser do

p

er h

lights w

allowed the

er dot

Sharon thought sh

he hea

um of the motorized bl

tic lo

th layered security. Reinforced gla

eant on

detected a we

ned from hold

whispered

rd the interior hallway?

onal sniper, they wo

lickered on-low amber

hosted faintly a

rself to thin

Sh

ould not

would

owly-away fro

like walking thr

h

split

d. Supp

nmist

d-white fractures blooming inches fro

s almost

e had

forced, ball

igh caliber.

paparazzi

as exe

ully now-metal shutters slamming down ov

sealed

a

tra

e vibrat

wn nu

shook as s

an I hoped," the

sured. Co

ou?" Sharo

now wh

"If you were Georgia, yo

pa

ft, humor

you that,

heart s

man co

e. Northwest corner. Yo

you kn

ce said calmly, "I

hit like

d can't force a vote while I'm alive. Bu

ainst the marble column, s

re ly

"Check the hangar photo

stomach

saw

you recogn

me

the voice continued. "You're no

ed the space

stion that had been clawi

e are

her

answered, her

than you

e disco

urged back t

voice echoed thro

zed. Exterior ac

rali

he control panel e

building's live p

level

: nothin

ncial district high

fl

itched

at

ot

at

arily blinded the

quired

evel a

ne buzz

ime-a

ber at

video

ed before p

lled with sec

rom t

ree nig

thouse

gia-arguing with

stamp wa

ed exhausted

was faint

would only

voice r

coming unp

leaned

tepped in

s Ba

d something Shar

ing happe

eo cut

se thundered

message

I'm alre

unknown

ame w

gia was

d Sharon alm

sounded

turned

in the doorway of

it. Calm e

ly arranged acr

urt?" he a

uth we

pped c

as I heard abo

ide

ere a spil

died h

rch

ess

ulat

ntact you?" he

e it

te

ed her brea

N

d hers a sec

he sm

oo

one of the interior security m

drifted past

across the stre

on

ing up a l

utomatically on f

age sh

ea

eni

't a st

nt Global secu

d by Jame

s snapped ba

d her line

raction o

ask s

eno

hat she

under

kn

t reach for

dn't

ed the office

ked

aid q

upposed to acc

don't slo

ten the

upposed to acc

oice was

disap

was

didn'

nly felt smaller

lock engaged with a m

lo

dram

t f

ing," she said careful

tudied

ng for

fe

onfes

ing," he obs

one just tri

anding between me

aw your contract

wouldn't say

ent would ti

ld remain u

traightened

he replied coolly. "A bull

flickered

ere

gu

ere

he said. "Most people

on't have rein

nother st

hreat

sur

dat

pting quick

ds land

pti

e were a

his wer

t silence

h

ived a

face

sli

age?" h

ne claiming

e it

ulated

a had contacted her, this

e di

ould

didn't

the mess

ed evenly, "that you wer

le

av

ns

didn't

ith a

ith o

aled s

aid. "Stress fra

live?" Sh

on hung be

held h

smi

he said quietly, "is

omach

't deny

t confir

refra

r sh

es confidence. Markets drop. Shareholders panic.

ic narr

ring an

aging r

taging

the shot," Sha

e would test t

e

atte

e

ill me," sh

lied calmly. "K

rds we

he was standing just i

ld. To the board. To the banks. To the prosecut

e it

irma

re inves

p cooperating

n't he

u stop e

ised

thr

t f

thundered

h

e vibrat

dropped inst

it," h

me unk

ifted it

on sp

le

h

rea

liar

sur

oman

am

ure in the r

taphor

ual

didn't

hardened beh

be calling this

c

ompo

?" the woman

s breat

isgu

mpt to

gia Laurent w

g instability,"

d to kill

ox

Sh

a wo

ass

the phone l

nderestimate wome

's min

wasn'

was h

as hist

e you?" J

rgia replie

aking thi

e said.

pa

orgia c

k the

ne wen

in the room buzze

ron

me

n flickered automatically

nner across

FO FOUND DEAD IN

stomach

didn't

ort con

Moreau was discovered late tonight. Sources suggest the invest

d cut a

y turned to

n was no long

ger pa

alculati

," he m

looked

y lo

lculating

uietly, "this is why

de

er a

eorgia

-public

ked onto one terr

O had bee

orgia w

Sh

pos

one vibra

anced

tened for th

Sharon d

answer i

, his voice

ed her primary bank authenti

d his ey

unt is biometr

erson coul

eal G

h me

n't jus

as mo

as taking

steppe

fting into

e said sharply. "Security will increas

toward

pau

Sha

na

Geor

ar

had crosse

aid quietly, "you tell me. Or I w

or unl

epped

ged again fro

stood

icker stil

de

s trem

gia activ

just confirmed s

ibrated one

w me

Geo

three

ille

tared at

er message

ou're

cko