The admission hits harder than it should. He's training harder because of us. Because protecting Lucas means being faster, stronger, more prepared than the Committee operatives hunting him.
They reset again, but this time Kane calls from the gym entrance. "Stryker. Mercer. Take five. Dylan just called in with updates."
Both men step out of the ring. Mercer grabs a towel and water bottle, heading toward where Kane waits. Stryker moves to the edge of the ring closest to me, arms resting on the ropes as he catches his breath.
Sweat runs down his neck, disappearing beneath his compression shirt. His chest rises and falls with controlled breathing that suggests excellent conditioning despite the intensity of the sparring.
"You're good at that," I say, because silence feels more dangerous than speaking.
"Practice." His voice carries that rough edge it gets when he's been exerting himself. "Mercer's better. I just got lucky."
"That wasn't luck."
Stryker's mouth quirks slightly. Not quite a smile, but close. "How are you holding up? Being inside the mountain."
The question lands heavier than it should. "I'm managing. It's hard. No windows. No fresh air. Everything feels closed in."
"I know." He climbs out of the ring and drops to the bench beside me, close enough that I can feel the heat radiating from his body. "Echo Base wasn't designed for comfort. It was designed to be secure."
"It's working. I just need to adjust."
Across the gym, Lucas laughs at something Khalid is showing him with Odin.
"He's doing well," Stryker observes.
"Khalid's good with him. Gives him someone to look up to who isn't carrying a weapon at all times." Pausing. "Not that you're not good with him. You are. He talks about you constantly."
"What does he say?"
"That you're like a dragon who protects people instead of treasure." Smiling despite myself. "That you're the bravestperson he's ever met. That he wants to be just like you when he grows up."
Every muscle in his body locks. "He shouldn't want to be like me."
"Why not? You're protecting us. You're keeping him safe. You're exactly the kind of person a kid should look up to."
"I'm a weapon, Rachel. I destroy things. That's what I'm good at." His voice drops, goes rough with something that might be pain. "Lucas should want to be like Dylan. Like Kane. People who build things instead of breaking them."
"You're not just a weapon." Turning to face him fully, making him look at me. "You're a man who chooses to use violence to protect people who can't protect themselves. That's not the same thing."
"Isn't it?"
"No. Weapons don't choose. They don't care. They don't read dragon stories with kids or check on their mothers when they're struggling." Meeting his eyes, holding them. "You choose to care. That makes you more than what you do."
Stryker's jaw works like he's trying to find words that won't come. Before he can respond, Lucas's voice cuts across the gym.
"Mom! Mom, watch this! Odin's going to do the new trick!"
I turn to see Khalid positioning Odin while Lucas bounces with excitement. Khalid gives a hand signal, and Odin performs some elaborate maneuver that involves rolling over and barking on command.
Lucas claps enthusiastically. "Did you see?"
"I saw! That was amazing!" I wave back at him.
Lucas returns to Khalid and Odin, already asking what other tricks they can teach the dog.
When I turn back to Stryker, he's watching me with something soft underneath all that hard-earned control.
"What?" I ask quietly.
