g in the air, suffocating every

inguished light of Suite S00

tage, the wooden hamm

frozen behind the pol

microphone twice, checking

auctioneer repeated, his voic

rose from the tier

xedos and silk gowns craned t

ntouched on ever

the blue indicator on Suite

ppeared on the gia

stared at his laptop

" Leo whispered, his fingers

k?" Leo asked, wiping s

er sofa, her gaze locked on t

bidding," Ava

ainst," Leo said, gesturing towa

light," A

syndicates who bury peo

them try,"

ctioneer raised his heavy

m Suite S007, going once,"

ng up toward the

going twice," he repeate

dy m

al hall dared to ra

ing understood the unspok

body, and challenging S001 mea

oom smelled of cold ceda

k silk shirt sat with his boo

tip of his cigar aga

ledger for Suite S

d rapidly on an encrypte

r a tier-one SSVIP black ca

not pierce the encryption

e man asked, his v

your primary line, Sir,

is boots to the f

ne-way glass, looking dow

tinct tightene

silent steps in the foggy

ver mask reflecting t

erride protocol,

ter biometric," the assistant w

ressing his thumb firmly

he building's internal security

the private surveillanc

istant said, projecting the si

ion feed filled the

at the display as he brou

he laptop and the dri

looked

he tip of his cig

in fresh white gauze,

rose straight toward the cei

eyes did

t held his breath, terri

hung in absolute,

e girl had untied

nd luminous under t

re fixed on the digital bid

ugh his mind in two s

ipped violently from

eminding him that a revo

d his arm slow

g screen to the black con

laugh escap

her," he

creen, his gaze tracing th

my money to b

een the screen and his bo

hesitantly. "Should we co

or manager to freeze the tran

not answer t

at the bidding

the velvet cushion withou

gar into the crystal tray

l jacket off the armchair and

west corridor," the man comman

sedan to the base

d transfer?" the assistant

heavy suite door and ste

ting my debt