a man with the blandly efficient name of Alex, produced a wallet containing a

ed Lincoln that was more of a mobile bunker than a car. The doors closed with

er from head to toe, as if trying to find the seam

completely at ease. She found the crystal de

Iain asked, his voice

hiskey. It was smoky and e

rsation. "I need protection. Resources. A shield against the

would I help you? I have no interest in a

forward, the space between them shrink

the nerve damage isn't irreversible. It's a data problem.

vulnerability known to no one, not even his most trusted aide. His hands, resting on his lap, clenched

pulled out a tiny, metallic object-a micro-USB driv

regeneration algorithm. A little something I... acqu

a data fragment she'd pulled from the game'

. Greed, suspicion, and a desperat

drive, but for her hand. He need

ps brushed a

ise. A void. A black hol

oxicating to him than any power he had ever wielded. This wom

ck, his decision made

straight in the ey

he had expected-money, power, revenge-this

able," Jazmin explained. "Legally. Socially. It puts m

f a sleek, black skyscraper in SoHo

dable. He was looking at her not as a woman, but as a pr

ared the ramp for his wheelch

analyze the data on this drive. If it's real... if it has even a

im the USB drive. He caugh

in let out a breath she didn

ing flashed i

ITH CORE ANTAGONIST. SERVER

at the city lights

e empty car. "Let it crash.

ancock. Adopted. Married Adrian Garrett four years ago. No criminal record

s rubbing the cool metal of

I want to know what she had for breakfast every day for the last ten