The flowers proved excellent cover as Elias trailed T77E down the promenade. Every time his quarry turned to look behind him, Elias just looked at the flowers with a small smile, playing the part of someone very much enamored.

There were an odd number of roses, though, which irked him for some unknown reason. And, whoever had put this bunch together hadn’t the slightest inclination to design or artistic capacity. The roses were all bunched to the side, with other flowers—white ones that looked like tiny balls of cotton wool on sticks—on the other. It didn’t look so much avant-garde as shoved together in a hurry.

“Chief, do you still have the subject in sight?”

He knew better than to nod, fussing with the roses some more to cover his reply. “I do.”

“I’m afraid security has been delayed. Carry on in pursuit until they can reach your position.”

Elias sighed slightly, looking up to gauge his surroundings. “Understood, but I am going to run out of promenade shortly. Once that happens, he will quickly realize that I am following him.”

“Just do your best. Don’t lose sight of him.”

It was all well and good for security to tell him that, but they weren’t here. Elias’ jaw tightened as T77E reached the end of this promenade section and made an abrupt turn, heading for one of the side corridors. The furtive glance he threw back over his shoulder told Elias all he needed to know. T77E knew he was being followed.

What bothered Elias more, though, was the way T77E’s jacket pulled as he turned. Or rather more, the fact that the way the fabric moved revealed a harder outline under his clothes, tucked against his side.

He sighed again as T77E disappeared from view and followed after him.

T77E was armed.

He had a bunch of flowers.

This was going to be interesting…