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the country or killed your fiancé. Remember that while you do your work."
    "If you explain why a man would fight for a country that nearly destroyed his people and turned them into immigrants in their own land."
    "To defend that land. To see pride reborn. To live a warrior's life. To restore honor."
    Emma's speech touched Zan in a way she hadn't expected. "You speak eloquently on your grandson's behalf."
    "His life is in your hands. I would call up every word I've ever learned if they would reach your heart."
    Zan saw no reason to challenge Emma's loyalty and simply nodded.
    "Are you still with the police?" Emma asked.
    "Officially. I'm on recuperative leave."
    "Where did you get hurt?"
    Zan added coffee to their cups. "You want to know everything, don't you?"
    "I need to know about you so I know what to expect. Can you understand that?"
    "Mike Eagle feels the same way. I understand it's because you both care so much about Stormwalker."
    Emma gave her a long, probing look. After a moment she nodded and rose. On her way to the door she stopped to examine another photo. "Who is this?"
    "That's my fiancé."
    "All those curls and blue eyes cold as a winter sky." She glanced at Zan. "Handsome, but hard. He looks how you'd expect a spy to look."
    Zan let her leave without acknowledging the naive comment. Only in the comics did spies "look" like spies, but then, Emma Redfeather was a civilian. She couldn't be expected to understand.
    She sipped at her coffee. Dar had been the FSA's top field officer. His exploits, at least those that could be discussed, had been legendary. It made no difference if what he sought was security information, contact with a foreign agent or a woman. Darwin O'Neill had been an efficient professional who always got what he went after.
    The memory made her smile. The first time they met she'd come very close to thwarting him in one of his goals. Later, when they'd become lovers, they laughed about the encounter.
    He'd come to the section because he wanted to learn his way around computers. When she'd insisted that he needed special permission, his demeanor had taken on a hard, almost menacing, edge. Eventually, he'd gotten limited clearance. Although he was denied access to the Agency's computer files, authorization came through for her to give him basic computer training.
    During the days that followed she got to know him well and had been disarmed by his intelligence, sense of humor and gentleness. He never again showed her his predatory side and before long its existence faded from memory.
    She grimaced. Without the force of his personality to muddy the waters, the old woman had homed in on a truth love had obscured. Denial would not make that truth any less true.

 

     
    Chapter 4

     

     
    She'd spent the night at her computer examining Dar's file and learning more about his activities for the Federal Security Agency than she'd ever known. By the time she'd locked away the diskettes, she was fairly certain that he'd been as calculating and cold-blooded as she'd accused Stormwalker of being. She would have to deal with that eventually. Eventually, but not just yet. Until she was sure she understood the implications of what she'd read, she would continue to believe in her memories of Dar and the love they'd shared.
    Her hours at the computer had left her stiff and achy. She reached into the drawer beneath her bed for the workout clothes and jogging shoes that had gone unused for too long. Outside, an early morning breeze caressed her bare arms and thighs as she did her warm-up stretches and cooled her as she ran through the small village. On her third and last round trip along the dusty main street, Stormwalker emerged from the barn leading the black mare. He draped the reins over the corral railing and fell in beside Zan.
    "Do you do this often?" he said.
    She paused to catch her breath and shook her head. "Just working out the kinks."
    "Lady and I were about to do the same."
    "She's beautiful."
    "Do