VAR

ale International was

d file said everything sh

ancial secrets. They wanted somet

didn't rattle

ching the city blur behind the glass. The mansi

e see the truth behind her new name. Hide. Change everything. Be

about the Voss family. The same symbol from that file showed up on the listen

No denying it. Someone wa

part-the past

window. Then, a knock. Sh

g up an evidence bag-ins

found

dded.

owed. "You di

didn'

is skin. "You ke

still

e bag down, jaw clench

n't k

uy it. "You

harpened. "That'

es. "It's an

"You should be c

hy

think you're seeing the

r, tension crack

ary-grade listening

is stare.

e same symbol as

kno

rgeted a Voss

d, the mask slipped-her eyes pinched,

"How do you know ab

harsh laugh. "Tha

energy between them sh

ked into

d

nd the V

es

know e

s the problem," Caelan

ork history that lines up with what you can actually do-and now, right after we find a bug

as too quick. He d

, facing him. "I don't beli

ened for a second. "So

can

ed on it

t y

tience thin

he truth: "Because I d

w set. "You

ed, dead c

don't t

his time. "Putting a ring

d, at the wedding ban

er, the guarantee that being Caelan Vale's wife would make dangerous people pause

"That's getting h

be i

, closing the l

rtable, almost electric. It hit her that this-a closed room, two hearts raci

d. He looked back to her eyes. Everythin

e impossible t

ll, tired smil

ep secrets

cause you've ne

What's that sup

ok her head

soft but heavy. He wanted

questions you're not ready

Don't give me r

hickening the air-but something else, too

lifted. He alm

stood he

moment snapped, both of t

he listened. "What? ... How long? ..

ed the

ked, "What

ttack'

ady reaching

surprised. "Y

out thinking.

d neither of them

more. But he just nodded, opened

, employees poured from their offices, even the machines seeme

up. "Sir-th

their

ame ar

ded to hear. "T

d. Caelan glared; he hadn't t

ea

e. She strode to the n

but there was something about

ormed. The calm, secretive woman from the mansion was gone. Here was someone else

s the keyboard. Lines

ted. "What's

answer. He cou

a fourth. "Your firewall isn't the problem," she

choked.

ming in through

Adrian asked

ork map. "Here. You're

d at the

mirrored authen

other guy said. "We cut t

never missing a keystroke. "Someone left a

an, disbelief all ove

," Varelia said, zooming

ession changed. "

act

ed, "Can y

attack sped up, warnings blarin

. "She's los

ink they are," Varelia replied, v

ze at 74%. Then it

opped. "What di

e mirror,"

pping-then stopped.

peared. The room

d back in her

dy m

tors. His ego was bruised; Cae

er less pressure, watched entire tea

ked it, really-by knowing e

seemed wounded, but Caelan looked at he

t him. He grab

stop

n the air, quietly, but no less fi

The whole room

aw her mask slip. She remembered dimly lit rooms, a child's frightened voice, a compu

tened, almost sad.

e pulle

o didn't wa

ouldn't hide what he was thinking-

rare artifacts, outwit hackers, vanish from any r

riage he thought he

been fighting a war long

her. And, like it or not, it