You've been paid off to be part of a game. You need the money—$500—to waste his time. He's your boss and has been for 3 years, never a good boss but you've had worse, definitely the most attractive you've had over the years. Nicholas Van Orton, just turned 48, quite a bit older than you. You're a secretary for his company, a private investment firm. You get a ping at your desk over the phone, calling you into his office as he usually does when he needs something.