The first time I'd seen him I was in the back of a van. A wire being wove under my short dress.

Men were checking their firearms behind me and securing them in leg holsters.

The big man they told me would be my partner tonight stepped next to me.

He towered over me, casting me in a shadow.

I was small in stature but knew how to handle myself. "Who are you?"

He was substantially younger than me, probably still in his mid-twenties where I was approaching thirty.

He looked like a bodybuilder with massive shoulders and biceps that strained the dress coat he wore over side holsters. Everything about him was cut and immaculate.

Keen blue eyes scanned over to me. "Jared."

"Well, Jared, you ready for this?"

"Always." He said dismissively as he stared through the windows on the back van doors as we pulled up in front of the building. Nearly topping the curb in our rush.

I was the first one out the door and he was on my heels.

***

I found my target fast enough but had already noted that there seemed to be far more bodyguards then were purported in our briefing.

I don't like surprises.

Or obstacles. I touched my skirt and felt the small thigh gun underneath. Knowing it was barely concealed as tight as the dress was and that I'd only have six rounds per gun which should've been plenty.

If our Intel was correct.

I shot the lock on the door and kicked it open. Singling out targets and shooting as fast as my finger could pull the trigger. Men were dropping.

Some diving behind the expensive couches. Others trying to draw their own weapon.

But the reaction time of someone responding to a threat they have to assess is far less than someone intending to be the threat who isn't hesitating.

I picked them off. Counting my rounds and rolling from the doorway as I realized I was out of rounds.

***

The lumbering shadow fell over me and he rushed in. He was firing two guns but seemed able to watch both his peripheral at the same time. His reflexes were nearly animalistic and his head swung to trail even the slightest movement

He's pure predator.

It was something that drew me to him to begin with.

Something I liked.

For a while, I'd fancied myself in love with Jared. Until I'd learned he was a sociopath. When I realized he was more animal than man I began to reconsider what I thought I was feeling.

And the day I overheard him telling Tobias, our Chief of Operations that he would 'kill me' if necessary I realized he was a sociopath and it was time to go.

Besides...

I had another secret I was keeping. And it was time I leave with that secret.

***

January 5, 2000

Escaping CORE had been easier than I expected.

Tobias had always said I had a knack for planning and analysis.

As Jared and my partnership evolved in CORE, I became his handler.

Essentially the finger to point the beast.

And Jared was an adept killer.

I had resources at my disposal to plot with, escape routes in mind and one day I was able to vanish without a trace.

My plan perfectly executed.

Which left only one question.

How the hell did he find me?