“Dead,” Elena finished. “I know. It’s complicated.”
Terrel stepped forward, extending his hand with the quiet courtesy that had always been his trademark. “Terrel Star. I don’t think we’ve met.”
“Elena Vasquez,” Elena replied, shaking his hand. “And you’re right, we haven’t. But Reed used to talk highly about all of you.”
“Did he now?” James’s grin widened. “Good to know. Especially after you allegedly died and he turned into a complete hermit for two years.”
“James,” Reed warned.
His youngest brother just shrugged. “What? I’m just saying, it’s interesting that his long-lost love has apparently risen from the dead. Very dramatic. Very romantic. Like something out of a movie.”
Elena’s cheeks flushed, and Walker shot James a look that promised retaliation later.
“Maybe we should take this inside,” Terrel suggested.
Reed nodded, leading them through the front door and up the stairs to his office. The room was his pride and joy—expansive windows overlooking the lake, a large conference table that could seat twelve, and wall-mounted televisions that could display everything from financial reports to satellite imagery. The space was completely secure, swept for electronic surveillance weekly, and equipped with communications equipment that rivaled anything at STAR Enterprises.
His brothers settled into their familiar spots around the conference table—Walker taking the chair closest to the door, James sprawling in his usual casual manner, and Terrel quietly choosing the seat that gave him the best view of all approaches.They’d held family meetings here dozens of times, though never about anything quite like this.
“All right,” Walker said, cutting straight to business. “What are we dealing with?”
Reed turned to Elena, who was still standing near the door like she might bolt at any moment. “Elena, lay it out for them.”
Elena took a shaky breath and moved to the head of the table. For a moment, she seemed to struggle with where to begin, how much to reveal to people she’d just met.
“The short version,” she finally said, “is that I created a surveillance system called WATCHDOG five years ago. I was supposed to die in an explosion, but instead I went into hiding to protect the technology. Now my former mentor has been selling access to foreign governments and criminal organizations.”
Walker leaned forward. “And you need our help to stop him.”
“There’s an auction in five days,” Elena continued, her voice gaining strength as she shifted into mission mode. “In Vancouver. If those access codes get out, every digital communication on earth becomes vulnerable to monitoring and manipulation.”
James and Terrel exchanged glances. Reed recognized the look—they were shifting into operational assessment mode, weighing risks and resources.
“Well,” James said after a moment, “good thing we’re on leave. We can join your team.”
Walker nodded in agreement. “You’re going to need experienced operators for this. What’s the target profile?”
Reed felt something loosen in his chest as his brothers automatically began planning the operation. This was what family meant—not just shared blood, but shared purpose. People who would follow you into hell because they trusted your judgment.
“Elena?” Reed prompted.
Elena looked around the table, taking in the four Star brothers who were watching her with professional interest and growing acceptance. “The Blackwood Estate, forty minutes outside Vancouver. Private compound, multiple security perimeters, armed guards.”
“How many hostiles?” Terrel asked.
“Unknown, but at least twenty-four security personnel, plus whatever protection details the buyers bring.”
“Weapons?”
“Standard small arms, but we have to assume military-grade equipment.”
James was already pulling out his phone, making notes. “Timeline?”
“Five days total. We need at least three for planning and positioning.”
“Insertion method?” Walker asked.
Elena looked at Reed, who nodded encouragingly. “We’re still working on that. The estate is isolated, but there are service roads that might provide access...”
