"You have a problem, Miss Knight." Eliseo Daisani sounded distressingly pleased to make such an announcement.

Margrit, prediction fulfilled, bit her tongue and waited until her impulse to respond with sarcasm faded. "Good morning, Mr. Daisani. Coming from you, that's an alarming statement."Coming from Eliseo Daisani, almost anything could be alarming. The appalling quickness with which he moved came back to Margrit as forcefully as the taste of his blood had the night before.

"Good morning," he said, undeterred by her stiffness. "I think you'll want to come to my office to discuss your problem, rather than stand there on the street."

"It's a quarter to eight, Mr. Daisani. I'm on my way to work."It was an obligatory line of defense that allowed Daisani to chortle indulgently.

"Of course you are. I've already spoken with Mr. Lomax," he assured her. Margrit bit her tongue again, this time on an exclamation of understanding. Daisani had gotten to her boss first, forcing Janx into the situation he called otherwise. "He can spare you for an hour or two," Daisani went on. "Obviously, your ride is there, or we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Cliched protests leapt to Margrit's lips. "You can't do this, Mr. Daisani" was first and most obvious of them, though it was abundantly clear that he could, in fact, arrange her schedule to his liking. "I've asked you not to call me at work,"ran a close second, foiled by Margrit neither being at work yet nor having had the foresight to make that request. She said neither, clenching the phone and staring at the Town Car as people rushed by. Getting in constituted Daisani winning a round. Margrit ran her thumb over the phone's number pad with a half-formed thought of calling her boss and asking if the business mogul had indeed arranged for her to come in late. She had no doubt, though, that he had, and that Russell would tell her not to be absurd by refusing the vehicle Daisani had sent for her. She'd end up going regardless, and only arrive at Daisani's stunning corporate headquarters breathless from walking. Margrit flipped the phone shut and let the driver open the car door for her.