I stared. It was a beautiful arrangement; I recognized chrysanthemums, lilies, and roses. “It’s bigger than my head.”

“You’re there to make an impression, Zhou,” Victor said. “Not to fade into the background.”

I took the bouquet, ready to go. If I waited any longer, I’d start thinking too much, which was the last thing I wanted.

Vic glanced at his Palm. “Your limo has arrived downstairs.”

•  •  •

The Jin mansion was set on bigger grounds than any other residence in Taipei, surrounded by massive gray stone walls in the Chinese style with carved beasts and flora decorating them. Although it was already dark, the entire estate was brightly lit. My black airlimo circled over the grounds, giving me a view of the Chinese courtyards and gardens below. The mansion itself was European inspired, reminding me of the Tuscan villas I’d studied on the undernet when I had been learning architecture on my own. It was built of cream-colored stone with majestic rectangular windows lining the first and second floors. We drifted over the tiled roof to land in a designated parking area behind the mansion.

I was fashionably late, per Victor’s instruction. There were already dozens of expensive cars and limos parked in the large lot. A man dressed in a black suit opened the limo door and asked for my invitation. He wasn’t overtly threatening, but it was obvious he was part of security, and my senses told me he was dangerous. I regretted being weaponless going in—but it was too much of a risk.

“Jason Zhou, huh?” the man asked.

I nodded, keeping my face smooth.

“You’ve never visited the Jin residence before?”

“No,” I replied. “But I have a personal invitation from Miss Jin.”

“We’ll have to run a background check,” he said, then scanned my face with his Palm, bathing my vision briefly in green light.

I stood still, relaxing my stance. There was no reason I should be nervous.

The man stared at his Palm for some time.

“Is there a problem?” I asked finally, mimicking the bored and impatient tone of all the rich you kids and their net diaries I’d watched. “I’d like to get in before the party’s over.”

He flicked a disinterested look at me and returned the invitation. “Enjoy the gala, Mr. Zhou.”

My driver switched off his headlights, but the commercials continued to play across the opaque glass of the limo. He’d wait for me until the event was over.