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Four Seasons Hotel, Palo Alto

28 February

Wednesday, 4:15 am local time

Aidan sat up in a wing-backed chair in Simone’s hotel room Dressed in the hotel’s bathrobe, he sipped his coffee and watched Si even and relaxed

He was anything but

While their love had been a welco Aidan’s adrenaline rush enough to let him rest

Last night had started out for hiton’s e and a closed-door co with Vance—one Aidan had pro, just prior to Vance’s first—and obviously emotional—communication with Lauren

That done, Aidan had jetted back to Palo Alto, given Sithy videoconference between him, Simone, and Ryan

Si Ryan explained to her in painstaking detail Their discussion had included Aidan cluing Ryan in on the tweaks they’d ned for athis data transfer—a little i had been necessary The new plan was that Si around her neck on a silver chain Aidan had purchased If anyone asked, she’d say it was her boyfriend’s pride and joy and that he’d given it to her to wear as a prelude to a future commitment Since she’d already told Lawrence Blockreat revelation Aidan had made sure the chain had an easy-open clasp so Si went as planned, the Chinese would have what they wanted and the necessary tiht

But Aidan wasn’t a fan of ifs

He saw that Simone was outwardly calm and prepared But he also knew her too well The task ahead would be pushing her way out of her coy specialist or a thief Plus, this involved a whole new heightened type of pressure The security of a human life, not a corporate entity, was planted solely in her hands How could she not be a bundle of nerves?

So on two separate fronts, today’s events would be not only challenging but critical to the assurance of Lauren’s well-being

Aidan checked his watch Ti on the Gulfstrea back to Lake Tahoe He’d be way earlier than six But it was imperative that he ically ready Everything hinged on how Vance handled this call and the information he extracted

Once the call was coh alert as he waited for Si that she’d successfully completed her mission, that she was now outside Nano’s impenetrable walls, and that she was ready to transy, as promised

It was going to be a hell of a