chapter 10

At 1:10 p.m., I arrive back at the club. I feel a lot better than I did earlier. I went home, picked up Nymph from my brother, took her for a run, showered and changed, and ate breakfast, even though my stomach was still a bit uneasy. By eighty-thirty I was in the office, and I’ve had a busy and productive morning. I’ve just dropped Nymph off home, and now I feel ready to face the music.

I’m a little late because my last meeting ran over, but it won’t matter—everyone in the Consortium runs a business, and we all know the pressures we’re under, and make allowances accordingly.

I have to admit, though, to feeling butterflies in my stomach as the elevator rises to the third floor. Will Huxley have told any of the others what we talked about last night? I can’t imagine he would have. Even so, I have to take several deep breaths as I walk out of the elevator and along the corridor to the board room where the meeting is always held.

As I approach the room, I can see the shape of the other e