Quinton Mann is CIA through and through. Mark Vincent is WBIS for life. There is no way they could end up as anything other than adversaries -- and yet, Quinn takes Mark out to dinner on his birthday -- the one no one is supposed to know about -- and gives him one hell of a present in the restaurant's restroom. Mark, not to be outdone, has decided to escalate this game, because it has to be a game, right? There's no way it can be anything else.<br><br>But as the game continues, as Quinn shows up to a WBIS funeral, as a friend of Mark’s penetrates the CIA computer network to get information on Quinn, as Mark breaks into Quinn's house and gives Quinn a very interesting encounter, both Quinn and Mark realize that this is becoming the most real thing in their lives.<br><br>Can they find a way to do their jobs and keep this surprising, intriguing connection?

Houseboat on the Nile

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” he blustered.


“Sure you don’t.” I held my hand out, giving him a flat look. He swallowed, fumbled with the tape recorder, and dropped the tiny cassette into my hand. I stripped the tape out of its casing, said unctuously, “Thank you for your cooperation,” and left.


First I’d see about disposing of the tape, then I’d stop in the cafeteria to get some lunch, which I’d eat at my desk. That was what I usually did when I was working out of Headquarters. For some reason, the cafeteria tended to empty out when I ate there, so I made it a point not to eat there often.


I arrived back at my office with a pastrami sandwich—on rye, lots of fat and mustard and a juicy pickle, phallic in appearance, on the side—to find Ms. Parker was still out to lunch. I hadn’t seen her in the cafeteria, but….


Chapter 23