Mark Denaltieri could fulfill his employer’s expectations and rescue Princess Alessandra from her kidnapper. Not that it would be a long-term rescue, since he was also being paid to deliver her into the hands of people she hated. A real “out of the supernova into the black hole” situation. He’d walk away with more credits in his account than most people accumulated in a lifetime. And Alessandra would be lost to him. Again. Was that the outcome he truly desired? Despite his cool head’s best arguments, his sentimental heart pushed him to accomplish a genuine rescue of his former lover, setting her free. The great house across the street from his hiding place blazed with lights, as it did every night. Alessandra’s kidnapper kept late hours. Surveying the mansion and its occupants from all angles, in many guises, had chewed up the better part of two weeks. One of his bribes got him a temp job as a deliveryman’s helper, and he’d gone inside the house. He’d also been on the grounds at night, testing the defenses indicated on plans obtained through another bribe.
