He ejected the USB stick from his computer. He slid his laptop into his backpack, pulled his hoody over his head, and climbed out of the window. It took only a minute to climb down the fire escape. He leapt onto the ground. By tonight he would be Master of the Cyber-fucking-Universe.

He broke into a jog and headed down to the railway tracks. He would have a nap and dream of the life that was about to be his.

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

8:23 a.m.

Kate hurried along the boardwalk that edged the waterfront.

She had slept through her alarm, only to be awakened by Alaska’s warm tongue licking her hand. When she blearily opened her eye to check the time, she bolted out of bed.

A mere forty-five minutes later, she had managed to pull herself together, feed the dogs, and find a parking space in the parkade of her office tower. She was glad that John Hillcroft suggested they meet in a coffee shop close to the Law Courts, because her jet lag was in dire need of caffeine.

It was hard to believe she had been strolling through the Piazza San Marco only a few days before, the Venetian sun soaking into every pore. There was something about the sun in the Mediterranean. It had a full-bodied quality to it, a voluptuousness in every ray. It lulled one into a sensual state of relaxation. Perfect for a vacation.

Perfect for not thinking.

And yet, somewhere amongst the museum trips, leisurely meals, and early morning runs along cobblestoned streets, she had experienced an epiphany. Despite the pleasures of her trip, she had been eager to return home.

She hurried along the Halifax waterfront, the tang of the sea air invigorating her. A blue and white ferry zipped across the harbor, emerging from the fog with a bounce of optimism. A smile curved her lips. She felt a small thrill of excitement about her meeting with John Hillcroft. The last time she had a job interview, she had been an inexperienced associate willing to take whatever John Lyons offered her for the prospect of working for a prestigious firm like Lyons McGrath Barrett.

Now, she had built a solid reputation as a lawyer, and had defended Randall Barrett in a case that had been viewed by many as unwinnable. Surely, John Hillcroft would recognize that she could bring a perspective that many other Crowns had not personally experienced.

The ferry unloaded as she strode by the ferry terminal. She was absorbed into the throng of disembarked passengers. It was morning rush hour and she allowed herself to be swept with the crowd. Within a few minutes she had reached her destination.

Here goes.