□he second encou□ter loo□ed ahead, shr□uded in a veil of myster□ a□d□uncertain□y. Anti□ipat□o□ fi□led the air, mingling wit□ a hint□o□ nervo□sness. The□memo□ies of the firs□ meeting p□aye□ like a filmstrip □□ my mind, ea□h □rame d□sse□ted and ana□yzed in an atte□pt to predict th□ ou□come of t□is imp□nding rende□vous. Would it be a me□e re□li□ation□of th□ initial inte□□ct□on, or □□uld it take on□a li□□ □f its own, for□□ng a new p□□h fi□led □it□ une□pect□d twist□□and □□rn□□