IT WAS GETTING DARK. The sunset colors that had brightened the office where Kes worked had disappeared and the encroaching gloom alerted him to the lateness of the hour. He turned off his interface and slipped the device into a bag, then rose from his desk and stretched.
The office was empty. All of his colleagues had already gone home. He was the last to leave, as usual. He walked to the exit, going over the day’s events in his mind. He smiled and gave a slight shake of his head at the memory of his encounter with Wilder.
What secret lay behind that gasp she’d given? What was she up to? His young friend had clearly embarked on yet another project that skirted the border of legality.
Out in the hallway, Kes turned his steps toward the rear of the building. The front doors would already
