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Until we got to Hong Kong.

I guess all the practice in the world can’t make us get along worth a damn. Especially when she continuously tries to one-up me.

“Do I need to come show you how to use a scope?”

“No, I’ve got a manual for that, unlike you.”

“Oh, so youcanread.”

Adjusting the focus, I scan along the path of the square, the sidewalk. I can practically see the pores on people’s faces with this thing. At night.

Cutting edge shit.

At least Pantheon doesn’t hold back on the gear. Our safe house is swank, the tools unlimited. Anything we want: contacts, cars, guns. Ananke has a seemingly bottomless bank account.

I wish I had a bottomless well of patience to draw from for my partner.

“Speaking of reading, did you have the map right side up? I still don’t?—”

“I’m standing right on thecorner. Across from the noodle stand. Like we decided. Fucking idiot,” she mumbles under her breath.

“You know I can hear everything you say.”

“Really? I didn’t know that’s how two-way coms worked. Maybeyoushould keep that in mind when you’re talking to yourself. It’s bad enough listening to you do it at the compound.”

Ciro shrugs awkwardly, sitting against the wall of the window I’m aimed out of. I really need to be more discreet about talking to my hallucination ghosts.

“Ah, youarespying on me.”

“You want to go there? I’ve seen you creeping out on the roof across the courtyard, peeking in my window.”

“Don’t flatter yourself. If I wanted to see you naked, I’d tear your clothes off and have at it.”

“Assuming Iletyou,” she growls, her voice lowering to a tone that makes me want to?—

“Oh yeah? I didn’t realize this was a one-way street. So it’s okay for you to just come into my roo?—”

“Speaking of one-way streets, Ero. I’m on the corner.Of two one-way streets. In position.”

“Fine. I’m about to shoot the dude standing on that corner and you can be responsible for the death of an innocent?—”

“You are such a drama queen!” A chuckle tints her words and I can picture her head tipping to the side like it does when she laughs.

Almost exactly like the old Chinese man standing on the corner just did…

I zoom in, looking closer. The bearded man glances right at me.

“You’ve got to be shitting me.” It’s her. Even with the contacts, I’d recognize those eyes anywhere. But she blends in on this street like nobody’s business.

“How did you?—?”

“It’s my specialty, jackass. Now let me do my job, and then you do yours. I’ll lead the target out, get him into position, and you take the shot. It’s pretty simple, isn’t it?” She shrugs her shoulders, lighting up a cigarette.

“Yeah, simple. What would have been simple is you not dressing up like a fucking old man.”

“Does it bother you that I’m dressed in men’s clothes?”

“No. Why would I give a shit? It just wasted time and effort.”