night.

pped inside. Her crimson leather dress was sleek, simple, and fit like a secon

ntire restaurant just to talk to him. On the white tablecloth next to him sat a heavy

against the floor. Giordano stood up wi

voice quiet. "I was startin

lling out her own chair before he could ge

nd gesturing to the glittering bouquet. "Though I figured a li

nd a blackmail threat. You have a reall

, you're the one who cornered me in my own el

slid her thumb across her phone screen. "Check

hed from his face the second he unlocked the partition

opping. "This is a military-grade encryption sequence on a live Soviet cor

latly. "I need the activation matrix clea

es. "Three weeks? To crack a quantum cipher that the government could

" she countered, her voice dangerously cal

reckless spark hitting his eyes. "Fine. Three w

nt to step up to the table. "Goo

Giordano. "The lobster thermido

waiter, flashing a dry smile. "Real ones this time. The lady

quickly and practi

nds on the table. "But let's be real for a second. What does DanTech

ing the authorities off your back. I know about the Naples leak, Giordano. If an

and slid a matte-black

d a Montblanc pen from his jacket, and

pen and signed rig

avy black fountain pen between his long fingers. A dark, unreadable gleam flash

know, Victoria, in cybersecurity, we have a saying: the most beautiful systems are the ones that look c

mocking tilt of lips. "As long as you deli

ng lobster thermidor and pouring the bubbling Dom Pé

ough to cut with a knife as they drank their champagne. Victoria took her time, enjoying the

lates were cleared, Giordano took a final s

can't build an electromagnetic trigger in my penthouse. The thermal

bterranean facility on the West Coast, right under the marine caves. It's o

y before he let out a low laugh. "You real

t like

I just another asset fo

oking right at him. "You belong to my

ugh. But the server cooling units I need are

Z

A notification from his encrypted banking app wa

r crimson dress. "Three weeks, Salva

gave him one last unreadable look, and wa

licked on. Kany's voice came through-breathless, sha

he inner circle. It's the original execu