Yemin stood outside the conference room, his ear pressed against the heavy oak door as he strained to catch fragments of the conversation taking place inside. The voices were muffled, but he could make out the serious tone and occasional mention of terms like "consolidation" and "final phase."Are they trying to recruit Thomas into Sphinx? Yemin wondered, his mind racing with possibilities. Or are they planning to eliminate him now that he's proven he's not the real Alexander?The conversation inside grew more animated, with multiple voices speaking over each other in urgent tones. Yemin was about to attempt finding another way to eavesdrop when he heard familiar footsteps approaching from down the hallway.His blood ran cold as he recognized the measured pace of someone he had hoped never to see again - the tall man in the baseball cap who had been surveillance him for weeks. The watcher appeared around the corner, moving with the predatory grace of a trained operative.Stay calm, Ye

Yemin stared down at Sarah's lifeless body, his rage threatening to consume him completely. But even in his fury, his tactical mind remained sharp. He knew that confronting Agent Collins directly would expose his true identity, and that could destroy everything he had worked to build.Collins saw me as the manservant earlier tonight, Yemin realized. If he recognizes me now, it will blow my entire cover.His eyes swept across Sarah's apartment until they landed on a colorful silk scarf draped over her desk chair. Without hesitation, he grabbed the fabric and quickly wrapped it around the lower half of his face, creating an improvised mask that would conceal his identity.This will have to do, he thought grimly as he checked his reflection in Sarah's bedroom mirror. Collins will know someone is after him, but he won't know it's the same 'servant' from the company.Yemin burst back into the stairwell and began his descent, his enhanced hearing picking up the sound of rapid footsteps seve

Yemin spent the next three hours methodically checking for surveillance, using every counter-intelligence technique he had learned during his years in hiding. He doubled back through alleyways, used reflective surfaces to check for tails, and made sudden directional changes to flush out any potential watchers.Agent Collins is good, but not good enough to track me when I'm actively evading surveillance, Yemin thought as he completed his final security sweep from the roof of a downtown parking garage.Satisfied that he was truly alone, Yemin pulled out a secure satellite phone and dialed a number he hadn't used in months."Good evening, sir," came the immediate response. "We've been waiting for your call.""I need a pickup. Corner of Fifth and Madison, discreet approach.""Of course, sir. The car will be there in seven minutes."Within the promised timeframe, a sleek black limousine with tinted windows glided silently to the curb. The rear door opened automatically, revealing luxurious

Two weeks later, Yemin found an elegant invitation in his mail delivery. The heavy cardstock and gold embossing proclaimed Katherine and James's housewarming celebration at their new estate, complete with dress code requirements and valet parking.Pathetic, Yemin thought, tossing the invitation into the trash without a second glance.When Katherine received no RSVP after several days, she escalated her approach. Yemin's email inbox chimed with a message that made his blood run cold."Dearest Yemin," the email began, "I noticed you haven't responded to my party invitation. How terribly rude of you! But I suppose that's to be expected from someone of your... diminished circumstances. However, I feel I should mention that if you don't attend my little gathering, I might be compelled to contact that nice gentleman who gave me his business card. You remember - the one with the interesting pattern that looked so similar to that ring you gave to poor Faye? I'm sure he'd be fascinated to know

Katherine stared down at James's motionless form, her mind struggling to process what she had just witnessed.The man she had divorced for being weak and pathetic had just demonstrated a level of skill and power that seemed impossible.Her heart raced with a confusing mixture of terror and something that felt disturbingly like arousal.How is this possible? she thought, her eyes fixed on Yemin's calm expression. Where did this dangerous edge come from? And why is it so... intoxicating?Mrs. Shaw, however, felt no such conflicted emotions. Her voice rose to a shriek that echoed throughout the ballroom. "You savage! You absolute barbarian! How dare you attack an innocent man at my daughter's party!""Mother, please—" Katherine began, but Mrs. Shaw was just getting started."This is exactly what I expected from gutter trash like you! You've always been nothing but a violent thug hiding behind a pathetic facade!""Interesting theory," Yemin replied with unsettling calm, not taking his eye