na's

the design of a necklace whe

saw a delivery man holding a

ce flat. "You have the wrong addr

his tablet. "Is this for Mrs. Harrington?

e. Xavier? Did he really think a bouquet of

. Harrington. And I'm telling you I did not order those flowe

the bewildered man walked away with the bouquet

and returned to my work. These desi

evening, my phone vibrated. It w

tiously. The me

annual summit of the American Academy of Neuro

, unlocking a part of my memor

ngest-ever head of the Horizon Medical Research Institute and

've rejected me many times over the years, but I still believe y

t five years, he had sent the same invitation before ever

time was

oment's hesitation. "

typed one more sentence. "And one mor

roduction to a new ally. He was the first person, besides me, to know my definitive plan.

lmost immediate

barely concealed excitement, came throug

said. "Co

Truly, I'm happy for you. After the summit, come work at my

it. I don't want any special treatment. If I co

it's official website and registered

urosurgery from the past five years. The knowledge was still there, branded int

ably still furious over

wn together, loosening his tie, going over and over in hi

er understand wh

nor did I have any expectatio

e nothing more than another one of his usual tactics. He wanted to make me soft

ady made up my

e, I wasn't

ooking for me, and I didn't make any attempt to speak to him either. We still lived

wondering what

he would continue waiti

ready fixed on something fa