"Some of those people are victims. Prisoners. If we go in guns blazing?—"
"We'll do what we can." Hawk's voice was not unkind, but it was final. "But this is war. Collateral damage happens."
"Collateral damage." The words tasted like ash. "You're talking about human beings."
"I'm talking about survival." Hawk met my eyes, and I saw the weight he carried—every death, every compromise, every impossible choice. "Sometimes the only way to save some is to sacrifice others. That's the math of war."
I wanted to argue. Wanted to scream that the math was wrong, that there had to be another way. But I looked around the table—at these men who'd taken me in, protected me, bled for me—and I swallowed the words.
"What's my role?" I asked instead.
Axel's expression flickered. "You're staying here."
"Excuse me?"
"Someone needs to man the infirmary. If we take casualties?—"
"Send Maria. She's trained."
"Maria's staying with the kids at the safe house." His jaw tightened. "You're not coming, Kai."
The room went very quiet. I felt eyes on us—curious, uncomfortable, waiting for the explosion. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction. "We'll discuss this later," I said, voice carefully neutral.
"There's nothing to discuss."
"Later." I turned and walked out before I said something I couldn't take back.
I found Tyler on the roof, smoking a cigarette I didn't know he had.
"Didn't know you smoked."
"I don't. Except when I do." He offered me the pack. I shook my head. "Heard the meeting got tense."
"Axel wants to bench me."
"Can you blame him?" Tyler exhaled a stream of smoke, watched it dissipate in the grey afternoon light. "He loves you. He's terrified of losing you. That makes him stupid."
"He's not stupid."
"No. But love makes people irrational." He glanced at me sideways. "You want to be there tomorrow."
"I need to be there. Those people in the compound?—"
"Might include kids." Tyler's voice went flat. "I know. I've seen them. Viper moves product through that warehouse. Human product."
My chest constricted. "How young?"
"Young enough." He took another drag, hand trembling slightly. "I couldn't stop it, Kai. Eight months undercover, and I couldn't stop any of it. Just watched. Gathered evidence. Told myself it would be worth it when we finally took them down."
"It will be."
"Will it?" He laughed, bitter and broken. "Those kids I couldn't save—do they care about the greater good? Do they give a shit about legal cases and FBI corruption?"
I didn't have an answer. The wind picked up, cold and sharp, carrying the smell of smoke from somewhere distant. "You should be there tomorrow," Tyler said finally. "Not for thefighting. For after. When we breach the compound, someone's going to need to help the survivors. Someone who knows how to keep people alive."
"Axel won't agree."
"Then make him." Tyler stubbed out the cigarette, turned to face me fully. "You've been deferring to him since you got here. Following his lead, accepting his protection. And that was fine when you were a civilian caught in crossfire. But you're not anymore."
