To stop her hands from shaking, Elena clenched her fingers into a fist. Her heart was pounding in her chest, double beats to the second. She needed to calm down. The first part of their plan had worked. She’d slipped out from the hotel without being seen. Her lover, Mikael Ivanov, had studied the layout of the Grand Metropolitan, identifying a vulnerable area: the pool and outside sundeck on the fifth floor, monitored only from the main entrance. The American secret police had wrongly assumed there was no other way out.

The cab passed by the top of Central Park, heading into the north of the city. Part of her appreciated that she snk thered take in the sights around, the park, the apartment towers, the people on the sidewalk, but she was too distracted, unable to concentrate, the city passing in a blur. She looked through the rear window to see if anyone was trailing the cab. She’d never experienced traffic like this, an incredible number of cars. Few were official: the majority seemed to be privately owned. She would’ve marvelled at the experience if she hadn’t felt so sick and dizzy. Surely it was due to the motion of the vehicle. She hated the idea that it was her nerves. Throughout her life she’d been the weaker, younger sister – quiet and well behaved, the sister who never caused any trouble. In contrast, her older sister Zoya was independent, strong-willed, impressive. She’d made decisions for both of them. Her authority was unquestionable. Elena had always been compliant, deferring to her sister’s judgement. Their relationship had followed this pattern for as long as she could remember. But Elena was her own person. Now was the time for her to emerge from her sister’s shadow and find her own identity. For the first time in her life she’d been entrusted with a matter of great importance. It had taken someone outside of her family to recognize her potential. Mikael had selected her. He considered her an adult and an equal. Even before they’d fallen in love, he’d never spoken down to her, choosing to confide in her the real reason that he’d been assigned to this trip.