For the next hour, they went through every detail of the mission. Reed watched Elena gradually relax as she realized his brothers weren’t just willing to help—they were genuinely capable of pulling off an operation this complex.
“All right,” Walker said finally, leaning back in his chair. “Assignments. James, you and I will handle reconnaissance and perimeter security. Terrel, you’re our tech specialist and backup extraction. Reed, you’re team leader and primary assault.”
“And Elena?” James asked.
“Elena’s our inside expert,” Reed said. “She knows the technology, knows Webb’s operational patterns. She’ll coordinate intelligence and provide technical support.”
Elena nodded, but Reed could see uncertainty in her expression. “There’s one more thing,” she said quietly. “Webbcan’t know I’m alive. If he realizes I survived, he’ll disappear completely. We’ll never get another chance to stop him.”
Terrel was quiet for a moment. “So you stay hidden until we’re ready to move.”
“Exactly.”
“Where?” Walker asked.
“STAR corporate offices,” Elena said.
“On second thought,” Reed interrupted, “I think you’ll be safer here.”
Elena’s head snapped toward him. “What?”
Reed nodded. “Here is the safest spot. Plus, James and Terrel are staying here anyway, so that’s extra security.”
Both of his brothers nodded in agreement.
“No,” Elena said firmly. “I don’t want?—”
”This house is the safest place you could possibly be,” Reed said.
Elena’s eyes widened, but before she could protest, James grinned. “Oh, this just keeps getting better. Reed’s mysterious dead girlfriend moves into his bachelor pad while they plan to save the world together. Tell me someone’s writing this down.”
“James,” Reed said dangerously.
“What? I’m just saying, it’s very romantic. Very second-chance-at-love. Mom would have loved this.”
For a moment, pain flickered across all four faces at the mention of their mother, who’d died when Terrel was still in high school.
“She would have,” Walker said softly. “She always said Reed needed someone who challenged him.”
Reed felt Elena’s eyes on him, but he didn’t trust himself to look at her. Not with his brothers watching every micro-expression.
“We should get some rest,” Terrel said, breaking the moment. “Tomorrow, we’ll start operational planning in earnest.”
As his brothers prepared to leave, Walker caught Reed’s arm.
“You sure about this?” he asked quietly. “About her?”
Reed looked across the room at Elena, who was organizing papers with the same methodical precision he remembered from their time at the facility.
“I’m sure about the mission,” Reed said. “The rest... we’ll figure out as we go.”
Walker nodded and squeezed his shoulder. “Call if you need anything. And Reed? Welcome back to the land of the living.”
After his brothers left, Reed found Elena standing at the windows, looking out over the dark lake.
“They’re good men,” she said without turning around.
“They are.”
