"You can't promise that."
"No. But I can promise I'll do everything in my power to make it true." The words come out rougher than I intend. "You and Lucas are safe here. I need you to believe that."
Rachel studies my face for a long moment. Something in her expression softens slightly.
"I'm trying," she says finally. "It's hard to feel safe when your son is someone's target."
We finish the tour at the communications hub. Sarah looks up from her station as we enter, offers Rachel a slight smile.
"This is where we coordinate external communications," I explain. "If you need to contact your sister or reach the team during operations, this is your access point."
"I have that secure video call with your sister scheduled for later today," Sarah says. "If that works for you."
Relief floods Rachel's entire body. "Yes. Thank you."
"I'll make sure everything's set up," Sarah promises. "Your sister is doing well. The protection team reports she's handling the situation with remarkable composure."
"That sounds like Jen," Rachel says with a slight smile. "She's always been the steady one."
Dylan's words circle through my thoughts.Protecting family isn't the same as running a mission.Missions have clear objectives, defined parameters, extraction points. Family is messier, full of emotional variables that don't fit into tactical planning.
But family is also worth protecting in ways missions never are.
Later my feet carry me toward the communal area without conscious decision. Sound reaches me before I round the corner. Rachel's voice, soft and animated, reading aloud with expression that brings stories to life. I slow my approach, staying just out of sight.
Rachel sits on one of the couches with Lucas tucked against her side. Khalid occupies the other end, and Odin lies on the floor with his massive head resting on Lucas's feet.
"'The dragon wasn't scary at all,'" Rachel reads. "'He was lonely, and he'd been waiting hundreds of years for a friend brave enough to climb the mountain and say hello.'"
Lucas listens with rapt attention, occasionally reaching down to pet Odin's head.
"That's like Mr. Stryker," Lucas announces suddenly. "He climbed a mountain to help us."
Rachel's reading falters. "Mr. Stryker did help us."
"Is he going to stay?" Lucas asks. "Or is he going to leave like the prince in the other story?"
Khalid looks at Rachel, waiting to hear how she'll answer.
"I don't know, baby," Rachel says quietly. "Mr. Stryker has important work to do."
"Protecting people," Lucas says with certainty. "That's his job. Like how dragons protect treasure, but he protects people instead."
"Something like that."
"Well, I think he should stay and protect us forever," Lucas declares. "Because we're important too."
Rachel's laugh sounds strained. "We are important. And Mr. Stryker is doing everything he can to keep us safe."
"But will he stay after?" Lucas presses. "After the bad people stop looking for us?"
I should leave. But my feet won't move, and every word Lucas speaks mirrors the questions running through my own head.
"I hope so," Rachel says finally. Honesty runs through her voice, raw and unguarded. "But sometimes people can't stay even when we want them to. Sometimes they have to leave because their work takes them other places."
"That's sad," Lucas says.
"Yeah, baby. It is."
