Sydney tried to look nonchalant, but her mind was already spinning. So, this was the girl who had been in Winter’s hotel room. Sydney knew the name, had seen it in his file and the occasional article: Gavi Ginsburg, New York socialite. She had a long, on-and-off relationship with Winter, according to the tabloids. And apparently, they were on again. She shifted her stance, folding her hands together behind her back. Niall glanced briefly at her, but she pretended not to notice.
Sauda nodded. “I ask because the gala will require her information as soon as possible. They’ll do a background check on her.”
Winter shrugged. “They’ll find plenty in a public search.”
“You won’t need to do anything once you’re in,” Niall added. “It shouldn’t even disrupt your tour schedule. Let us handle getting to Tems and ushering him out. All we need you for, Winter, is access.”
“What about the president?” Sydney asked. “What about the plot to assassinate him?”
“Let me be clear. That is not your mission,” Sauda replied. “Let me worry about that with the Sapphire Cross and the CIA. You worry about getting our guy safely back home.” She tilted her head at Winter, then nodded at Sydney. “That is, if you’re both willing to accept this.”
Sydney glanced over to Winter, a thoughtful expression on his face. She recognized the look from her early days as an agent—questioning whether she’d make it out alive, whether the mission was worth doing, why she bothered throwing herself into these sorts of situations over and over. Another dangerous game in a foreign country. Another brush with shadowy groups and those hell-bent on bringing chaos into the world. Singapore was one of the wealthiest countries in Asia—and a gala in the city-state meant encounters with the world’s elite. The most insufferable people on the planet—but also the most powerful. They weren’t just rescuing a fellow agent. This was a political dance that could remake nations.
Winter spoke first. “As long as it doesn’t interfere with my tour,” he muttered. “I don’t like lying to Claire, so I don’t want to have a hard time explaining it all to her.”
“We’ll make it work seamlessly with your schedule and your performance,” Sauda answered.
“That’s what you said last time,” Winter replied.
Sauda shrugged, offering him a grave smile. “You know there are only so many guarantees in this business. We will do our utmost, as long as you do, too.” Then she glanced at Sydney. “And you?”
Sydney sighed and unfolded her arms. Her eyes wandered around the paused simulation, still stuck on the scene of the Sapphire Cross agents making their way through the gala building. There were a million pieces of this rescue mission that could go wrong—she could sense it, could feel the chaos building. Niall had to coordinate successfully with the CIA; she had to be able to make contact with Tems at the gala; the assassination attempt had to be thwarted; they had to be able to get out in time.
There’s always a reason why we choose you for your missions.Sauda’s words came back to her. It was why she was still here, why she put her trust in Panacea, why she had taken their oath when she was first recruited. Panacea always had their reasons, and they almost always involved the security of their agents.
Sydney nodded. “I’m in.”
Sauda smiled. “Then let’s get started,” she said.
By the time Sydney escorted Winter back to the side entrance of the hotel, the worst of the storm had passed, but the slanting rain was still pouring a waterfall onto the glass awning over the door. The sky was pitch-black, even though it was only midafternoon.
“We can put you on a later flight,” Sydney offered as Winter flipped the collar of his coat up and stared out at the rain. “Yours isn’t canceled, but it won’t be a fun ride home in this.”
Winter shook his head. “Can’t. I have a date.”
As if on cue, his phone buzzed in his pocket, but he didn’t bother answering it.
Sydney folded her arms and tried to ignore the way her heart recoiled at his words. “Well, the sooner you confirm your date for the gala, the better,” she decided to say. “If she refuses, we’ll need time to resubmit your date’s info to the Singaporean authorities.”
Winter shot her a sidelong look. “Her name’s Gavi.”
“Oh, I know.”
He stared at her a beat longer, as if he were trying to discern the reason for her dismissive answer. As if he knew it bothered her. Her annoyance only deepened.
“Besides, how do you know she’s the date I’m talking about now?”
She shrugged. “You’re a creature of habit, Winter,” she replied. “I just assumed it was the same person.”
Winter looked at her for another moment, then turned back to the rain. His phone buzzed again in his pocket. “Well, what about you?” he said.
For a second, his question confused her—it sounded a little like he was asking whether she could be his date. She frowned at him, her heart suddenly racing. “What about me?”
“Tems. Your ex. Or fling. Whatever you want to call him.” Winter nodded at the curtain of water covering the glass. “Aren’t you the reason Sauda chose us for this mission? Because you have the best chance of luring him out?”
“I’m not luring him out. He’s in trouble.”
“Then why send you in particular?”
