I wanted to protect him from this. Wanted to keep his childhood innocent just a little bit longer. But Lucas is smarter than I give him credit for. Smarter and braver and more aware of danger than any kid should have to be.
And I failed him. Failed to watch him at the grocery store. Failed to press him for answers when he came back scared.Failed to protect him from witnessing something that's now put a target on his back.
I cross to his bed and sit beside him, pulling him close. "Yes. But Mr. Stryker and his team are going to make sure those people can't find us. We're going to be okay."
"Promise?"
His word is a knife. Because I learned in Mateo's compound that promises mean nothing when evil is hunting you. That safety is an illusion and tomorrow is never guaranteed.
But Lucas needs me to promise. Needs to believe his mother can keep him safe.
"I promise," I whisper against his hair. "I promise you're going to be okay."
He relaxes against me, trusting my lie because what else can he do?
We sit like that for a long moment, mother and son clinging to each other in the dark while danger circles outside and Colton Stryker stands guard down the hall.
Eventually, I tell Lucas he can go back to sleep. He changes back into his pajamas and climbs under the covers, exhaustion winning over fear.
I wait until his breathing evens out before heading back to the living room.
Colton is still at the window, but his posture has relaxed slightly. Immediate threat has passed.
"False alarm?" I ask.
"This time. But we'll monitor." He finally looks at me. "You did good. Kept him calm."
"He knows." The words taste bitter. "About the people looking for him. He's scared, Colton."
"I know." His expression softens. "But he's also got you. That counts for more than you think."
"Does it? Because from where I'm standing, being his mother just means I get to watch him be terrified and pretend everything's fine."
"It means you're the reason he's still fighting. Still hoping." Colton moves away from the window, closer to me. "You survived Mateo's compound and built a life for him. You're stronger than you think."
"I don't feel strong. I feel terrified."
"Good. Fear keeps you sharp." He pauses. "But don't let it make you forget that you've already survived worse than this. You know how to protect him."
His words settle something inside me. Remind me that I'm not the helpless victim Mateo tried to break. I'm the woman who survived captivity and came out the other side, who rebuilt her life from nothing.
The woman who will do whatever it takes to keep her son safe.
"Get some sleep, Rachel." Colton's voice is gentle now. Less operator, more human. "I'll wake you if anything changes."
"Your team is monitoring the cameras. You should get some rest too."
"I will. Just want to make one more perimeter check, then I'll rack out on the couch." He glances toward the window. "Echo Base will alert us if anything trips the sensors."
I want to argue that he should take the guest room instead of the couch, but that feels too domestic. Too much like we're something we're not.
"All right." I pause in the doorway. "Thank you. For being here."
He nods, jaw tight. Doesn't say anything, but something in his expression changes. Softer, maybe. Or just tired.
I head back down the hallway, leaving him to his vigil. Leaving him to watch over my house and my son while I try to remember how to trust.
Around me, the house settles into familiar sounds—creaks as it shifts, distant hum of the air conditioning, faint ping of a motion sensor resetting.
