“That was some stunt you pulled back there in Manila.”

Annja looked at Vic. He looked a thousand percent better now that he was clean and face-paint free. The close shave did him justice, as well, showing his strong jawline and the laugh lines she’d suspected were there, but hadn’t yet seen much evidence of.

“He was too young to die,” Annja said. “He was just a boy.”

“A boy who knew exactly what he was doing,” Vic said. “He would have detonated the device—you know that.”

Annja nodded. “I didn’t want to believe it, but yes, he would have. I saw it in his eyes and the final act of trying to get the detonator out of his pocket. I think in that split second, I realized I’d made a mistake.”

“Luckily, as soon as you started to jump forward, you cleared out of my way and enabled the shot,” Vic said.

Annja sighed. “I wish I could be happy about that.”

Vic laid a hand on her shoulder. “You don’t need to be happy. You don’t need to be upset with yourself about not being happy. This kind of thing—it comes with the job.”

“It’s not exactly a job I want,” Annja said. “I was happier doing other things.”

Vic nodded. “Yeah, well, hopefully soon you’ll be back to doing what you love.”

“And what about you?”

Vic smiled. “Me? I’ll be back to doing what I do, too, I suppose.”

“Traipsing through jungles?”

“Living out of a backpack and humping a rifle all over the place. Yep.” Vic shrugged. “It’s a living.”

“If you say so.”

He looked at her. “Are we going to argue about whose existence is more meaningful now?”

“I hope not.”

Vic took a deep breath. “I heard there was quite a shake-up in Beijing after the Philippines government confronted them about their involvement in the averted nuclear terrorist act.”

“Oh?”

Vic nodded. “Word is that a very senior colonel in the Chinese army was executed for his rogue status in planning and executing the entire operation.”

“So, officially, the Chinese weren’t attempting to cause a huge ecological disaster in Southeast Asia?” Annja said.

“Supposedly no.”

“And you believe it?”

Vic smirked. “This kind of thing happens more than you might want to know. Governments are always trying to gain the upper hand. And they’ll sink to the lowest depths in order to do so. There’s no such thing as a good government. Only a motivated one. And one government’s motivations are always at odds with another.”

“And the people?”

Vic nodded. “They get caught in the middle. And usually get squashed for it.”

“That’s a pretty optimistic viewpoint,” Annja said.

“Let’s change the subject. By the way, you look quite beautiful today. Did I mention that?”

“No,” Annja said, smiling.

Vic came up behind her and gave her a kiss on her neck. “Well, you do.”

She turned and kissed him then, full on the lips, pressing herself into his body. She could feel how heavily muscled he was, and yet the way his hands wandered over her body, he could have had the lightest touch around.

When they broke apart, Annja gushed. “Some kiss.”

“Likewise.”

“You have any leave coming up?” she asked.

Vic shrugged. “I could put in for some time off. What’d you have in mind?”

“Nothing tropical. How’s that sound?”

Vic smiled. “I could spend some time somewhere cooler. A nice mountain lodge. A roaring fire.”

“Late mornings spent sleeping in?” Annja said.

Vic’s mouth turned upward. “Yeah.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Vic turned and slid on the white coat. “As soon as we’re done with this, I think we should catch a plane and go for it.”

“You can phone in your leave?”

“Well, maybe.”

Annja heard the chirp in her ear, followed by the voice she knew Vic was hearing at the same time. “Heads up—he’s on his way in.”

Vic looked at Annja. “You sure about this?”

“Absolutely.”

Vic slid on his eyeglasses. “How do I look?”

“Fabulous.” She smiled. “But you’re an almost perfect match, I think. That extra bit of nose putty really helps.”

Vic glanced in the mirror. “Shame, actually. I could get used to having a straighter nose. When I take this stuff off, it’ll be right back to that rather Romanesque schnoz.”

“Which I happen to like,” Annja said. “Now, get in there.”

Vic stopped by the door. “Showtime.”

And then he slipped through. Annja could hear him speaking Spanish to the man waiting on the other side of the door. They exchanged pleasantries and then she heard the man giving Vic a detailed explanation of exactly what he wanted.

Vic laughed and told him it would be no problem and if he wanted to, they could get started immediately.

The man was eager.

“My nurse will be in shortly to get you squared away,” Vic said. Annja watched him come right back through the door. “He’s all yours.”

Annja slid her surgical mask on and then strolled through the door. She looked into the face she’d grown to know so well.

Agamemnon.

Agamemnon was removing his jacket and shirt.

Annja set down the tray she carried and began preparing the hypodermic needle. “You’ll be here with us for a few weeks, I understand?”

“Yes, just long enough to get the operation completed and make sure there will be no infections.”

Annja nodded and stuck the syringe into the vial. “We’re getting you right in there, apparently, so please lay down on the table and allow me to get you relaxed.”

Agamemnon had just a robe on and lay down on the table, exposing the vein in his right arm. “Very well.”

“You’ve had a long journey?”

He smiled. “Feels like it, yes. But I’m looking forward to a long rest.”

Annja bent over and slid the needle into Agamemnon’s arm. She pressed the plunger down and sent the drug mixture deep into his vein.

As she did, Agamemnon looked at her. “You’re a very beautiful woman.”

Annja smiled. “Thank you.”

“You look a bit familiar. Have we met before?”

Annja shrugged. “I don’t think so.”

She withdrew the needle and turned back to the table. She heard Agamemnon sit up.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

The door opened and Vic walked in. “How are we doing?”

Agamemnon frowned. “Your nurse looks familiar to me.”

Vic raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure?”

“I think so.” Agamemnon slurred his words now. “What was that you gave me, anyway?”

“Just a muscle relaxant,” Annja said. She looked at Vic. “Doctor, is it okay if I take my mask off now?”

“I think that would be fine.”

Annja turned and faced Agamemnon. Slowly, she took off her mask. And when she stared at him, his eyes widened. “You!” he shouted.

Annja smiled.

Agamemnon tried to leap at her, but his movements only toppled him off the table onto the floor. Vic got him back up on the table. “Now, now, we can’t have you hurting yourself. Not yet.”

Agamemnon looked at him. “Doctor?”

“Actually, no,” Vic said. He slid off his mask and then tore off the plastic nose putty. Agamemnon’s eyes widened again. “This can’t be.”

Vic laughed. “Yeah, funny thing about that—turns out your pal the colonel knew some interesting things. Right before the Chinese put a bullet in his head, they got him to talk about your vacation plans and all. You know, the trip to see the good doc and get yourself a brand-new face, maybe go back to being Chinese after having been a Filipino for so long. Anyway, as part of their atonement for their rogue officials, Beijing let us have you instead of sending their boys to finish the job.”

“Awfully kind of them, wouldn’t you say?” Annja asked.

Agamemnon tried to sit up, but his body wouldn’t obey his commands. “I wouldn’t,” Vic said. “That drug Annja slipped you is potent stuff. You’ve got just enough willpower left to tell us where the money is.”

“What money?”

“The fifty million dollars the colonel wired into your account for successfully completing your assignment.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Annja leaned close to him and whispered in his ear. “You promised Miki that you would send his family money for his sacrifice. Miki’s dead. And he would have followed your orders, I know that. So, even though the nuke strike didn’t happen, Miki completed his assignment. The least you can do is honor your promise to him. Tell us where the money is.”

Agamemnon looked at her. “You’ll protect me from Beijing?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said.

He sighed. “Very well.” He gave Vic the bank information. Vic copied it down and relayed it to the team outside. “They’ll make sure Miki’s family gets a nice check in the mail.”

Vic looked at Annja. “I think we’re just about done here. Did you want to go and wait outside?”

“I think so.” Annja looked at Agamemnon. “I hope you find justice in the afterlife. You’ve committed some pretty heinous crimes against humanity and I hope you’re punished for them.”

“One thing is for certain.” Agamemnon smiled. “I won’t be judged by you.”

“You already were,” Annja said. “And now it’s time for your sentence to be carried out.”

Vic walked over and held another needle in his hand. As soon as Agamemnon saw him, he started thrashing about. But the relaxant Annja had administered had turned his body into a disobedient mass. He flopped once and then Vic simply held him down with his free hand.

Annja looked at Vic. “I’ll be outside.”

Vic nodded. “I’ll be along shortly.”

Annja looked one last time into Agamemnon’s face. But now, the bravado was gone. And for the first time since she’d known him, she could see the fear welling up in his eyes. Tears started rolling down his face.

“Now you know how all the people you’ve killed felt in the last few seconds they had on earth.”

Vic leaned down, already aiming the needle at Agamemnon’s arm.

Annja closed the door behind her as she walked out.