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“She said you would be angry.”

My pulse goes from elevated to lethal.

“Who?”

His eyes twinkle.

“Vesper.”

Drew makes a helpless sound behind me.

“I love this girl.”

“Not helping.”

“It was not meant to.”

Sergei reaches into his jacket.

Three security officers move simultaneously.

He freezes.

“Easy. I am old man.”

“You are sixty-three,” Drew calls.

Sergei turns.

“How do you know?”

Drew looks delighted.

“Lucky guess.”

The old man pulls out a black envelope.

My envelope.

Inside is the physical token attached to Vesper’s encrypted invitation credential. Untampered. I had left it in a gym locker in LA and told her in NULL where I left the key. I knew she’d find a way to get it without being caught.

Real.

I take it.

“When did she give this to you?”

Sergei’s expression becomes apologetic.

“I was paid not to answer questions.”

“How much?”

“No.”

“I’ll double it.”

“No.”