With haste and no small amount of bravado, the CEO brushed into the room, bowing to the two ladies. He was alone, and he was smiling, seemingly unfazed by the sudden appearance of the second of his two mysterious friends. It had been a good day for Shinobu Matsuoka and he was a very happy man, all the happier to see the two women who had made it all possible.

“Good afternoon, Ayala, it is most pleasing to see you again.” said Shinobu, seating his smug little self down in the small room.

He was not used to being in such discreet confines, but for these two angels he felt he would do almost anything right now, almost. The two women across from him looked at each other, like conspiring sisters, and Madeline nodded almost imperceptibly at the older Israeli, who took the lead.

“Matsuoka-san, thank you for responding so quickly to our request for a meeting, we know how precious your time is.” said Ayala, well practiced in the unwritten rules of polite dealings, no matter how covert they might be.

“A man would have to be a fool not to want to meet with two such ladies as yourselves, especially ones who have brought such good fortune.” said Matsuoka, his English excellent, if accented. But, now that he saw the expression on the face of the darker lady, he realized he did not feel as convivial as he had thought.

Madeline had always seemed to be exactly what she said she was, a scientist from some entity, probably the US government, but that was not certain, who had decided that the technology she was working on was too important to be kept under lock and key. And now that he had seen it in action he had to agree. But her friend was not so easy to read. She was nice, and very polite, following all the Japanese rules of social engagement with surprising alacrity for a Westerner.

But under that he sensed, well, he sensed that there was something he couldn’t quite sense. She was not easy to read like her partner and that unsettled Shinobu. And now, after he had surprised Madeline this morning with his visit, she had returned the favor with her own sudden appearance not six hours later.