Chapter One: The Rain-Bar

The third looked at no one except the back of the gray-suited man's neck. Professionals. Someone near the jukebox muttered, "Close the door. It's freezing." The first man smiled. "Looking for someone. Won't take long." Ethan looked at him and set down the towel. "Nobody gets found in here." "You the owner?" "Tonight." The smile faded. The man took a photograph from his inner pocket. The face in the picture belonged to the wounded man. "Marcus Vale. Hand him over and your bar stays intact." At the name, Ethan's eyes changed. Marcus Vale. Chief data architect at Asterion Dynamics. Three weeks ago, his name had appeared on an encrypted procurement list leaked through the darknet. Quantum computing rental. Synthetic identity databases.