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THEO STRITCH

McLean, Virginia

T heo Stritch sat back in his chair and tossed the earbud onto the desk. His lack of empathy had always been a strength. Stritch never let emotions cloud his decisions. Two things mattered: money and power, and anything that stood in the way of achieving those was an obstacle to be eliminated.

Stella Keen was too smart for her own good.

Theo had nearly revealed himself when she mentioned the anomaly with the computer printers.

He had quickly regrouped and suggested Stella mention her suspicions at the White House briefing—that would widen her suspect pool and throw her off his scent.

She was the best agent Hyperion had, but she would need to be silenced.

Theo couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sorrow about the inevitable course of events.

He had taken on Stella Keen as a favor; she was a troubled teen too smart for her own good.

By Stritch’s estimation, had Stella followed a traditional academic path, she would have graduated college at fifteen.

Some kids go to boarding school. Stella went to spy school.

She had been an exemplary student and Theo Stritch’s most gifted protégé.

Shame, really.