She was sorry to see you go.”

“I wanted to stay,” I said.

“But my circumstances in Columbus have become difficult.”

Helen opened a drawer and retrieved a small metal hole punch.

“I will need your security access badge for the Columbus facility now.”

I unclipped the blue plastic badge from my scrub top.

My photograph looked back at me, taken on my first day of work when I believed my new identity as Mara Bell was completely secure.

Helen took the card and pressed the metal punch through the magnetic strip.