John Sneeden - The Hades Conspiracy

Zane looked around for an excuse to stay on this side of the room. A talkative priest. A lonely nun. At this point, anything would do. As he surveyed the area, his eyes came to rest on a set of French doors opening onto a balcony. Perfect . After all the traveling, he could use a breath of fresh air.

A cool breeze caressed his face as he stepped outside. He crossed to the rail and looked down. A river of taillights stretched into the distance. Rush hour was still going strong. He shifted his gaze across the rooftops on the other side of the street. St. Peter’s Basilica glowed brightly beneath a full moon.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Zane jumped at the sound of the voice.

“Didn’t mean to scare you.” Emily joined him at the rail.

“You’re fine. Just don’t tell anyone I got startled. It’s not the kind of thing a senior operative wants to get out.”

“What happens in Rome stays in Rome.” Emily laughed then slid toward him a bit, her shoulder brushing up against his arm.

The two stood in silence, staring at the moon. Zane wondered if the contact had been purposeful. He’d sensed some attraction on her part but had brushed it off as a temporary manifestation, something that often happened when two people worked together in the field. Perhaps the brush had been a coincidence. Then again, perhaps it was an attempt to gauge his interest. If the latter, he didn’t want to go there, at least not now. He needed to get over Katiya before diving into anything resembling a relationship. Even casual dating was off for now. Perhaps at some point, he’d reflect on a potential relationship with Emily. But not now and certainly not after two beers and a flute of champagne.

“So how is your dad?”

“Dad is great. He loves being around Amanda. I think those two could talk archaeology for hours.” There was a long pause. “He poured his heart out to me the other night. He said he was happy to be alive…” Her eyes moistened, and her voice cracked. “Because it meant he was able to see me again. He really believed they would kill me once this was all over, and he couldn’t bear the thought of that happening.” She looked at Zane. “Dad has never told me anything like that before. He’s always been a man’s man when it comes to things like that.”

“There is something special about the love between a father and daughter.”

Emily laughed and wiped her eyes. “We’re so funny. Neither one of us wants to let the other out of sight. In fact, we’re going to take a trip across Europe together beginning in two days.”

“That’s wonderful.”

She looked at him. “Do you want to come with us?”

Zane averted his gaze. “I wish. Unfortunately, our fearless leader already has another operation on the docket. We’ll be here for two more days, then it’s back to the States.”

They stood in silence for a full minute. Finally, Emily crossed her arms. “It’s a bit cooler out here than I thought.”

“Oh, here…” Zane set his flute on the rail, removed his jacket, and draped it over her shoulders. “I didn’t realize you were cold.”

“Thank you.”

After Zane retrieved his champagne, he felt Emily’s eyes on him. He met her gaze. She held it for a moment then moved in his direction. Caught off guard, he averted his eyes to the rooftops across the street.

An awkward silence ensued. Emily finally turned and looked out over the city. “So what’s her name?”

Zane frowned and turned his head slightly. “Who?”

“The other woman.”

Zane was about to ask who she was referring to but realized that would just delay the inevitable. He knew what she meant. Emily obviously didn’t know her name but was able to sense her existence.

“Is it that obvious? How did you know?”

“Because I’m a female.” She glanced at him. “We always know when there is someone else.”

Zane nodded slowly. Most did have that ability. In this instance, he saw it as a blessing. It was better she knew. “We’re not seeing each other anymore, but it’s—”

“I understand. I’ve been there before. If you ever need someone to talk to, let me know.” She patted his arm. “Thanks for the chat, but I’d better go check on Dad.”

He felt a pang of guilt at running her off. “I’m sure he’s fine. Why don’t you stay out here and chat for a bit?”

“I might come back out later. I really do want to check on him. I need to make sure he’s not talking Amanda’s ear off.”

Zane laughed.

She gave him a little wave and walked back inside.

Zane set his elbows back on the rail. His respect for Emily had just grown immensely. She sensed his feelings and gave him the respectful distance he needed. Maybe if things had been different…

Footsteps approached from the French doors. Zane turned. “I thought you were checking—”

He stopped in mid-sentence, his mouth agape. A woman stood a few feet away. She was tall with light-brown hair that fell down to her shoulders. She smiled at him, her distinctive red lipstick glistening in the moonlight.

Zane pushed off the rail in disbelief. “Katiya?”

She walked toward him until she was a foot away. Her expression made it clear she wasn’t there to talk. Zane set his glass aside and took her into his arms. They kissed like lovers who had been separated for far too long.

Finally, Katiya pulled back. A gentle breeze blew hair across her face. “You seem surprised to see me. I guess you didn’t figure it out.”

Zane lifted an eyebrow.

Katiya nodded toward the building. “I was just talking to Carmen on the phone a few minutes ago, and she was convinced you had picked up on something.”

Zane laughed and shook his head. It all made sense now — Carmen’s look of concern on the phone, which apparently had nothing to do with Delphi. She had been hiding a little secret. And Zane was glad she had.

“How did this happen? How did you know we were here?”

Katiya laughed again and gave him a quick peck. “You can thank your boss.”

He frowned. “The Oracle? I’m not sure I believe that.”

She nodded. “He called me a few days ago. Apparently, one of your colleagues told him the reason for our breakup. He said he couldn’t allow his organization to stand between the two of us. Here, hold on a sec. You’re not going to believe this unless I show it to you.” She squirmed away and pulled an envelope out of her pocket.

“What’s this?”

“It’s our itinerary. We’re taking a five-day vacation across Italy, compliments of the Delphi Group.”

Zane was stunned. “It’s so unlike the guy. I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything.” She leaned against him. After they hugged, she pulled back. “But before we go on this little trip, there is something I need to know.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

Her eyes darted back toward the party. “You’re going to have to tell me why some cute young brunette is wearing my boyfriend’s favorite coat.”

Zane opened his mouth to speak, but Katiya tapped his lips with a finger. “But you can tell me that later. Right now, just kiss me.”

Katiya pulled his head toward her. As they kissed, a man catcalled from a balcony across the street.

Only in Italy .

Dear Reader,

Thank you so much for purchasing The Hades Conspiracy . I know there are a lot of ways you can spend your entertainment dollars, so I’m grateful you decided to spend yours on one of my novels. I’m currently working on the third book in the series, which will be released soon.

I sincerely hope you found The Hades Conspiracy entertaining. If you did, I’d like to ask you to do something: please go online and post an honest review. The reviews of satisfied readers are vital to the success of every author, and please know that your effort will be greatly appreciated.