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smiled tightly as Gaia approached.
    â€œMay I help you?” she asked.
    â€œYeah, I’m here to see Mr. Lawrence Vance,” Gaia said, thrumming her fingers on the glossy marble countertop. The receptionist eyed her gnarled fingernails and Gaia clasped her hands behind her back.
    â€œI see. And your name?” the woman asked dubiously.
    â€œGaia Moore. Please tell him I’m Tom Moore’s daughter,” Gaia said.
    The receptionist hit a few buttons on the switchboard in front of her, then turned away from Gaia to speak into the receiver. This was never going to work—Gaia could feel it. It was Jake’s idea to play bythe rules—if she wanted to find out what was going on with Natasha and Tatiana, she would have to gain the respect and trust of the CIA. But Gaia didn’t like it. She would have preferred to figure out a way to break in after dark and deal with things her way.
    Of course, this was the CIA. Her way would probably get her shot dead on first sight.
    â€œI’m to show you to one of our waiting rooms,” the mousy woman said, seeming surprised as she hung up the phone. “Nancy, will you cover the phones for a sec?” she asked her counterpart. Then she led Gaia over to a bank of silver elevators at the back of the lobby. Once inside the sleek elevator, the woman stuck a key into a silver button, turned it, and depressed the button. The elevator moved swiftly down and Gaia almost lost her balance. She’d been expecting to be going up.
    When the doors slid open again, a stern-looking woman, not much older than Gaia, stood in front of them in a gray suit and white blouse. She made an expression that may have passed for a smile in CIA circles.
    â€œMs. Moore. What a pleasure to meet you,” she said, extending her hand. “I’m Agent Rosenberg.”
    Gaia shook the woman’s hand and Agent Rosenberg looked at the receptionist. “You can go now, Jean. I’ll take it from here.”
    â€œLater, Jean,” Gaia said as the doors slid closed. Then she eyed Agent Rosenberg’s skinny legs, her evenskinnier arms, her sleek black hair. “You don’t look like an agent,” she said.
    â€œNeither do you,” Agent Rosenberg replied. “But I hear you can fight like one. Follow me.”
    Gaia did as she was told, keeping with the play-by-the-rules plan, but every cell in her body was jumping around: chaos. Natasha and Tatiana were here somewhere and it was all she could do to keep from laying the agent out and opening doors at random.
    â€œIn here, please,” Agent Rosenberg said.
    Gaia stepped inside a small office and Agent Rosenberg sat down at a silver table, looking up at Gaia expectantly. Gaia remained standing.
    â€œIs Vance coming?” she asked.
    â€œNo. The director is otherwise occupied,” Agent Rosenberg said. “What can I do for you?”
    â€œThey sent you to deal with me?” Gaia asked with a scoff. “You must be an intern or something like that.”
    â€œActually I’m a special agent first class, and they wouldn’t have sent me if they didn’t want you to know that you’re very important to this organization,” Rosenberg said, her words clipped.
    â€œBut not important enough for the director,” Gaia said.
    â€œÂ â€™Fraid not,” Rosenberg replied, breaking diction temporarily. “Now, what can I do for you?”
    Gaia stood across the room from Agent Rosenberg and crossed her arms over her chest.
    â€œMy dad was taken off the Petrova interrogation,” Gaia said. “I want him back on.”
    â€œI’m sorry. We can’t do that,” Rosenberg said with a semblance of a smile.
    â€œThen I want to interrogate them,” Gaia said.
    â€œI’m sorry. We can’t do that,” Rosenberg said.
    â€œWhy are you even bothering with me?” Gaia snapped.
    â€œWhy are you even bothering asking for things you know I