“Glad to know where yourprioritiesare.”
“I fight for and with them the same way I’ve fought for your politicalambitions.”
“You’ve used our name to the detriment of our safety and we have received nothing in return. I’m not canceling the Boston rally on the MDF’sorders.”
Jamie swallowed the words he wanted to say, the argument they could have in a space that wasn’t safe to yell in. Instead, he accepted the only option he could in the face of his father’s dangerousstubbornness.
“If you won’t cancel, then I’m taking over your security. I don’t give a fuck about your campaign at this point, Father. I care about keeping you alive. You can consider my orders law while in Boston, whether you like it or not. Do you understand?” Jamiedemanded.
“You’re in nopositionto—”
“I saiddo youunderstand?”
Jamie barked the words out so forcefully his throat hurt for a few seconds. His father snapped his mouth shut, staring at Jamie as if he’d never seen his son before. His mother was the one to break the tension buildingbetweenthem.
“Let Jamie handle your security, Richard. I don’t want what happened today to be repeated,”Charlottesaid.
Maybe it was the fear in her eyes or the way her voice cracked on the words, but Richard took a deep breath and nodded at her request rather than draw out theargument.
“You can handle security,” Richard told Jamie. “Get everyone back in here. I have a campaigntorun.”
Jamie turned to unlock the door, but paused when his father addressed himagain.
“AndJamie?”
“Yes?” Jamie said, looking over hisshoulder.
“This discussion about your choicesisn’tover.”
Jamie raised an eyebrow. “Worry about running your campaign, Father. Stop worrying about how I livemylife.”
He palmed open the door to let the aides come back inside, putting the conversation on hold, when he wished it could be overforgood.
9
Might CheatDeath
“>”Alexei asked as he entered Sean’s office withoutknocking.
“>” Kyle replied over the line. “>”
“>”
“>”
“>”
“>”
“>”
“>”
The line went dead and Alexei looked at where Sean sat behind his desk, furiously working on a report. His suit jacket was draped over the back of his chair, the shirt he wore one from yesterday, wrinkled and in need of a wash. Sean looked tired and stressed out, both of them barely getting any sleep last nightonbase.
With Sean being targeted by Cillian Halloran, the director had placed him on restricted status. He’d been assigned temporary quarters on base until this whole mess blew over and he could start looking for a new apartment. Which meant Alexei was staying on base as well, because like hell was he leaving Sean alone during a time like this. Aside from that, Sean was required to report his activities and location to MDF Deputy Director Ranisha Stirling any time he wanted to leave the base. They wanted Sean to refrain from using his phase power if at all possible, since it negated any and all bioware and subdermaltrackers.
Alexei was the type who would normally chafe at such restrictions, but considering the enemy’s target was his lover, he was tempted to ask Gracie if she thought any blood-based nanotech trackers would work with Sean’s power. He had a feeling the answer would stillbeno.
