Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, on the top floor of a hotel.
The short-haired man with hawk-like eyes, dressed in a gray suit, stood on the balcony, overlooking the brightly lit urban sprawl below.
The oval-shaped room was spacious and bright. Its pristine marble floor reflected the dazzling light of the crystal chandelier. The floor-to-ceiling windows were wide open. Gusts of cold wind blew in, lifting the dark-gold curtains and dispersing the room's strong, strange odor.
