CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY SIX – DON’T BLOW YOUR COVER

He released her wrist, leaning back in his chair. "See that you don't. And Cassie? Be careful." The concern in his voice surprised her. She offered a small smile before turning to leave, the weight of the mission already settling on her shoulders. Outside Sergei's office, Anya was waiting. "Ready for this?" she asked, falling into step beside Cassie. "As ready as I'll ever be," Cassie replied. "Walk me through it?" For the next several hours, Anya drilled Cassie on every aspect of her cover identity. By the time they finished, Cassie felt like she was inhabiting a new skin - that of Ekaterina Volkova, a street-smart orphan looking for a place to belong. As night fell, Cassie found herself in a grimy alley behind a seedy bar in one of Moscow's rougher neighborhoods. Her heart pounded as she approached the back door, the secret knock Anya had taught her echoing in the quiet night. After a tense moment, the door creaked open. A burly man with a scarred face peered out, his eyes narr