"Then lie down and rest. Your brain needs downtime even if your body doesn't." I head toward the door. "And Reagan? No more attempts to delete evidence. You destroy files, I tell Kane. He'll remove you from the investigation and hand you over to federal marshals."
"I thought the deal was you keep me alive."
"Alive doesn't mean you follow your own path. You want to work this case, you follow our rules. No exceptions."
She doesn't answer. Just turns back to stare at the Committee network like it's a puzzle she can solve through sheer force of will.
I recognize that look. Saw it in the mirror for years before everything went to hell. The certainty that if you just work hard enough, dig deep enough, you can fix what's broken.
My phone buzzes. Kane's message is brief:
Cross just made contact. Says the Committee's moving faster than anticipated. Timeline's accelerating. Keep Reagan productive and alive. We're running out of time. - Kane
I look back at Reagan. She's already pulling up new files, cross-referencing, building connections. Completely absorbed in the work.
We're running out of time. The Committee's escalating. And I'm standing here watching a woman who's going to get us all killed with her stubborn refusal to quit.
Khalid appears in the doorway. Silent as always. His dark eyes assess Reagan, then me, then back to Reagan.
"You like her." Not a question. A quiet observation.
"She's an asset."
"You watch her differently than you watch targets. Like you're protecting something precious instead of guarding a prisoner."
"Go to bed, kid."
"I'm not tired." Khalid moves into the room, keeps his distance from Reagan. "She's the reason the Committee is hunting us harder?"
"She's the reason we can destroy the Committee legally instead of with bullets."
"Bullets are faster."
"Bullets don't bring down networks. Evidence does. She's doing important work. Work that matters."
"So did your wife. It got her killed."
The comparison hits harder than intended. Khalid's too perceptive. Sees patterns everyone else misses.
"Reagan's not Lisa."
"No." Khalid turns back to head to his quarters. "Be careful. People you care about die."
He's gone before I can respond. And he's right. Everyone I've cared about dies.
Focus on the mission. Keep her alive because she's useful. Because the evidence she's building will destroy the Committee's network. Because operational success requires her testimony.
Reagan looks up from her terminal. "Did you say something?"
"No. Just thinking."
"About?"
"About how much trouble you're going to be when this is over."
She almost smiles. "Looking forward to it."
Yeah. So am I.
