Sam squared her shoulders. There were no more tears left. She just felt numb, resigned to whatever was in store for her. She started to pace, going from the living room to the kitchen, to the dining room and to the den, where she turned around and started all over again. She was in love. That was her problem. And she’d been rejected. She swore then that it would be the last time that something like this ever happened to her. Every damn time she stuck her neck out, got brave enough to mingle and join, someone blew her out of the water. Well, she was sick of it. She was also sick of her wimpy, little-girl attitude, too. She needed to toughen up, to give back as good as she got.

Sam stopped her frantic pacing when the phone rang. Her greeting was cautious. She listened when Slick rattled off a list of instructions. The only response from her was, “Okay, but I have to bring Alpha. I’ll see you at six.”

The adjoining rooms at the Marriott buzzed with activity as the women got ready for their six o’clock meeting at the Red Dragon restaurant. Kayla departed for the airport to pick up her brother while Olivia set out to buy phone cards and a digital cell phone. Slick and Hawkins headed for the library. With nothing to do, Zoe took a bubble bath, but she wasn’t able to relax as she contemplated what Kayla’s brother proposed.

Promptly at six o’clock, all the members of Team Three along with Kayla’s brother, Joey, entered the Red Dragon, which Kayla had rented for the evening. Rented for the evening meant there would be no other customers entering the establishment. Sam Chu, the owner and manager, looked at Alpha and shook his head from side to side. Sam stepped forward and nodded her head up and down. “He’ll stay by the door after you lock it.” An extra hundred-dollar bill changed hands. Chu bowed low and withdrew to the kitchen.