re glowed across the hall li

esitate for h

keypad before the auctioneer

dollars fro

voice cracked ove

silent, followed by a b

digital panel for S

up on the centr

and ten thous

his fist ont

Leo hissed. "H

d not

stic keypad and typed

nd twenty thou

isplay refres

the glass of Suit

a black silk shirt leaned

burned between his

was wrapped tightly around

across his private monitor,

tant stepped forwar

ing our pace," the assistant sai

ring of grey smoke

d. Keep

nt tapped t

million

new number illumi

reply without

million

S001 responded wi

illion d

d not

illion d

e other bidders had a

ilent except for the aucti

he S-tier suite! Fift

s the couch and g

id, his voice tense

Leo added. "I can source this exact

ree and looked at the

money. I do

o longer about the

man in black silk sa

hree million," the assistant warned.

istration for Suite S

let for twenty seconds, then

black card," the assistant said. "The crede

e screen, the cigar

earance as

stubbornness flashed

de and the ice-blue eyes by

king slowly to t

gh the dark tint at

ght up the internal sec

d, silhouetted back of a man lo

angle on his fa

id. "The orchid is

tied the silk strap of her silv

d down at the console to re

final number with

illion d

staggering figure in

shook as he raised t

Suite S007!" the auctioneer

llion goi

llion goi

ocked on the dark w

blue light of S001

her side did not