"Come in."

It wasn't even their house, but they had manners.

The door opened, and two people walked in.

Tasha, the Russian spy who'd been so hot last night, and a portly man in his late thirties.

Tasha had changed into a black two-piece office suit that hugged her body.

She loved black.

Just looking at the tall Russian beauty got my heart going.

In her eyes, when they met mine, I saw unreserved warmth.

I sent her a smile with my eyes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Deputy Director Mikhail Petrov."

The man held out his hand.

But in that moment, I was startled.

Mikhail Petrov was the name of the friend Vladimir had mentioned when we talked.

A traitor who, never mind the age gap, had treated him very well.

He'd apparently climbed to deputy director by selling out Vladimir.

I hid my expression.

In go terms, I was on the defensive, absorbing the attack.

If it had been one man, I'd have wrecked Lee Zhangchang in Hong Kong.

But Lee Zhangchang was tied to the state of China.

I'd slipped out of his attack, and now I was dealing secretly with Russia.

To attack, you have to know how to step back.

I didn't want to throw punches whenever I felt like it, like some ignorant thug.

"I'm Daniel Jang. Nice to meet you."

This was the Russian brown bear's den.

I smiled and shook his hand.

In Russia, I was still something close to a hostage.

One call by this traitor and I could be buried somewhere outside Moscow.

"Was your trip comfortable?"

It was great.

Last night especially, I'd never forget as long as I lived.

"Miss Tasha took very good care of me."

"Really? Good work, Tasha."

"Thank you."

Tasha smiled, looking satisfied.

Affection grows deeper when it flows both ways.

A connection made by chance and a god's points, but I hadn't been careless with it.

My parents would go ballistic if they knew, but they were never going to meet her.

"Deputy Director Mikhail Petrov."

"Call me Mikhail."

The power…