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

Ms. Parker looked up as I walked into the outer office. “Mr. Vincent.” Something very like relief filled her face. It took a great deal to shake my unflappable secretary, and right then she was obviously on a tightrope of anxiety.


“Mr. Wallace wants to see you in his office.”


“Did you tell Ms. DiBlasi I was out of the office?” The Boss’s secretary had a reputation for being a tough-as-nails battle-ax unrivaled in the WBIS. Everyone trod warily around her, including me. She had come to the WBIS when it had first been created a dozen or so administrations ago, and rumor had it she would leave here feet first.


“You don’t understand, sir. Mr. Wallace has been calling.”


Chapter 125