xXx return of Xander Cage : Chronicles of Serena Unger

Brussels, Belgium.

Serena sighed, parking her car outside a diner. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted a black SUV, parked blocks away, tailing her. She groaned, wishing she hadn't gotten involved with the CIA. She was a freelance retrieval expert, a 'huntress'—if you wanted something found, she was your woman. But this mission, cutting short her Barbados vacation with Xander, was becoming a headache.

Bells tinkled as she stepped into the diner, heading for a seat near the fireplace. "Good morning, ma'am, what can I get you?" an overly friendly waiter asked.

"I'd like to see Saktros. Director Mantle sent me," she whispered. His demeanor shifted. He signaled her to wait, then disappeared into the kitchen, returning moments later to beckon her to follow. She folded her parka, already feeling the heat of the kitchen.

It was a hot, stuffy place, crowded with laughing, chatting chefs. A short, round man with a pinched face approached. "You are Serena? It's a pleasure meeting you. I couldn't believe someone would find my hiding place." He grasped her hand warmly.

"Do you have the package?" Serena whispered.

"But of course. A warning: be careful. The CIA aren't the only ones who want it." The waiter handed him an SD card, which he transferred to her. She slipped it into her jeans pocket, a small smile playing on her lips. "It was nice doing business with you."

"The pleasure is all mine. Hope we meet again." He grinned toothily. The cold air assaulted her as she stepped out, pulling her parka close. As she opened her car door, she glanced back. The SUV was still there. Now she was certain.

"Time to give them the chase of their lives." She ignited her engine and sped off, leaving the car far behind.