an kitchen. His fingers were shaking slightly as he

his heavy breathing. He planted both hands flat on the cold marble co

, shuffled into the kitchen wearing slides. He wa

ting low pressure in the room. He

about streaming hour

esso. He drank it black. The bitte

ifton sa

ess-steel fridge. He lowered his

n the stairs. Did you go down to

ramic cup. The skin over his knuckles stretche

ed at Buster with eyes so c

urnament in Chicago a year ago?"

urprised. Then he

was our peak. How

of warmth pulled at the

ner. The one with the ca

om his hand. It slammed onto the marble counter with

ished right after the finals? The one you

is empty espresso cup down onto the coun

oked around nervously, checking the hal

d closer

at Aegis? Is he here

e Clifton feel like he was being stabbed.

eal. That night in Chicago. Everything. Said it was a

a sharp breath. H

look at you. It was like

essively through his ha

He's a liar. A

pain twisting his captain

Should I tell Delmus to

gh. A dangerous, predatory

hell just to get into the

lked to the floor-to-ceiling window, sta

ront of everyone," Clifton said, hi

Clifton's aura. He swallowed agai

nk sounded from the hallway outside the ki

tled leopard, crossing the kitchen in three massive s

away, a metal trash can was swaying ba

ing metal. Suspicion and p

the kitchen. He point

o anyone. Especially

t needing to start his stream and practically ran out of

ht hand instinctively reached up to massage his throbbing wrist. But his min