Page 17 of Shadow Lies

She was being dismissed.

“Yes.” Charley had arranged for everything for her with military precision—or that of an intelligence agency.

And Alexis had failed in her assignment for her. She couldn’t ask if she could stay so they could talk after his day was done. Not with his day ending so late.

These warrior monks were hard-core. She’d have to leave now and try again tomorrow. There was nothing else to do.

“Can I come back in the morning?” she asked.

He stared at her for so long she expected him to say no. Finally, he nodded. “Yes. But not in the morning. Come at twelve-thirty. We can talk during my break.”

“You get a break? I’m shocked,” she gasped, clutching her chest.

He actually let out a genuine laugh.

She liked the sound, so she continued, feigning horror as she said, “Oh, I’m sorry. Sarcasm is probably a sin for a Buddhist.”

His smile continued. “Actually, no. It’s not.”

“Thatisa shock.” She returned his smile, but as much as she’d like to stay, she knew she had to go and so did he. “All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.

“I’ll look forward to it,” he said.

“Sarcasm?” she asked, one brow cocked up.

“No.” His answer sounded sincere.

“Good.” Maybe she hadn’t failed yet after all.

That feeling of positivity lasted until she’d made it back to the hotel Charley had rented for her and picked up the cell phone the mysterious organization had provided.

She stared at it in her hand as the screen came to life and the logo appeared. A phoenix with an anchor and trident.

What did it mean? Hell if she knew. What she did know, or at least strongly suspect, was that they’d be tracking her movements with it.

They know she’d left the monastery and they’d be expecting a call, so she’d better make one.

With a sigh she hit the one and only contact in the phone. Charley.

The woman obviously had no life, as evidenced by her answering after the first ring. “Yes.”

“No.”

“Excuse me?” Charley said.

Alexis had thought she was being clever by answering Charley’s single word with one of her own. Judging by Charley’s tone, the woman didn’t agree.

“I’m going back tomorrow to try again. I need more time to talk to him.”

“Then why didn’t you stay longer today?”

She let out a lip-flapping breath. “Because he had to go to kung fu practice.”

Silence met that. Alexis couldn’t blame Charley for being perplexed. It sounded just as crazy to her now as it had when he’d first said it.

“Yes, I know. It sounds like bull, but he wasn’t lying to get rid of me. I hung around long enough to see them actually practicing.”

Dozens of them, all lined up with rigid precision.

---