A Deadly Assignment

The heavy oak door of James Harrison's office swung shut behind Blair, a physical barrier between the world she knew and the unsettling reality that awaited her. The aroma of expensive cigars, a familiar scent in this den of power and secrets, hung in the air, a heavy reminder of the life she'd chosen, the life she was about to be forced to betray.

James sat behind his massive mahogany desk, a dark silhouette against the backdrop of the cityscape visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows. His expression, usually composed and calculating, was shadowed, a flicker of unease dancing in the depths of his usually steely gaze.

He gestured to the chair opposite him. "Have a seat, Blair."

She sat, her posture stiff, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. The air crackled with an unspoken tension, a sense of impending doom that settled over her like a shroud.