Talon: The first step is the hardest.
Riley: The instructor reminds me of you. All business but kind underneath.
She sees kindness in me?Despite his reputation,despite the harsh realities of his job, she saw kindness. It was a gift he didn't deserve but would keep tucked away anyway.
Talon: Sounds like a good teacher.
Riley: The best kind.
Talon was stuckin yet another airport, but this time, the delay felt different. Instead of frustration, he felt … anticipation. Like he was waiting for something good instead of just killing time.
Talon: Flight delayed three hours. Send entertainment.
He could call anyone—his brothers, his mom, or dad, hell, he could catch up on mission reports. But he wanted to talk to Riley, wanted to hear something that would make him smile.
Riley: What kind of entertainment?
Talon: Tell me something I don't know about you.
There was still so much he wanted to learn about her—and not just the big things. He wanted to know the small details that made up her daily life.
Riley: I speak three languages.
Of course, she did. Riley was brilliant,accomplished, and far more impressive than she gave herself credit for.
Talon: Impressive. Which ones?
Riley: English, Spanish, and French. You?
Talon: Four. English, Arabic, Mandarin, and enough German to order beer.
The languages had been job requirements, tactical necessities. But sharing them with Riley made them feel like conversation pieces instead of just tools.
Riley: Show off.
She was teasing him and giving him grief. It was playful and warm and made him smile.
Talon: Job requirement, mostly.
July
Riley: Question: What do you want your legacy to be?
Talon was alone in his room again, cleaning gear and thinking about the mission coming up in six hours. Riley's question stopped him cold.Legacy.Most people in his line of work didn't think much beyond the next operation. But he knew what hewanted, and it fit hand in hand with what had happened to his family during the Siege.
Talon: To leave the world safer than I found it. You?
It was his truth, simple and honest. He'd never wanted recognition—just the knowledge that his work mattered, that the people he'd saved got to live their lives because of decisions and actions he’d taken.
Riley: To help other people take care of the world we live in.
Beautiful. Of course, Riley would think beyond a limited view to environmental protection to global responsibility. That was what she’d gone to school to do. She cared about the planet and the limited resources. She thought bigger than most people, cared more deeply.
Talon: That's beautiful.
Riley: Think we'll achieve those things?
Talon: I think we've already started working on them.
