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Prologue

“Why me? Why the hell does it have to be erence

“Because they specifically asked for you,” Cody Walker said reasonably with a faint sency cooperation”

Trace scowled “That’s BS and you know it”

“Yeah” Walker’s smile turned sympathetic “You know it and I know it But we have to at least pretend to play nice with the State Department and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security” His voice took on a conciliatory tone “This is the first tiency has asked for our help since we teamed with the FBI to take down the New World Militia and Michael Vishenko,” he said, referring to a case that in soard to testifying at trials “And look hoell that turned out Weren’t you the one who reo we’re all on the same side?”

Daht, frustrated His boss was right, and on some level he knew it It was just that he’d recently started on a case that really interested him for the first time in those sa that case over to son princess

“Why does it have to be me?” he reiterated

Persuasively, Walker said, “Considering she’s going to be at the University of Colorado Boulder, at least you don’t have to go far froround in the US Marshals Service, who better could they get?”

“I would have thought feuards would be better, under the circumstances”

Walker looked unco is” He cleared his throat “The Zakharians are somewhat behind the times They specifically requested men for this job”

Trace snorted “Don’t let Keira hear you say that It would drive your wife crazy”

“I know But we can hardly go against their wishes on this, can we?” He glanced at the folder in front of him, sent over from the Diplomatic Security Service—the other name for the Bureau of Diplomatic Security—in an attachment to an email “Zakhar is a small country, but it’s critically iic plan for NATO and Europe We don’t want to piss the Zakharians off on so up the entire tab for the cost involved Yeah,” he said when Trace raised his eyebrows “She’s a foreign dignitary, but she’s not a diplomat, and technically she doesn’t qualify for DSS protection, not long ter his precious sister, and he’s willing to pay for it State agreed for the reasons I just le dime”

“Okay, I’ll buy that But why does it have to bethe Diplomatic Security Service would normally handle?”

“The State Department explained that You were an Embassy marine for six months in Zakhar, so you’ve been exposed to their culture, and—”