A collective sigh of relief sounds from nearly everyone gathered around the table. Liz wants to be just as happy as the faces around her, but the nagging in the back of her head won’t allow it.
She flips through the pages in front of her, skimming for the information she needs. Their names are clear. The world knows Scott was the mastermind behind every negative thing said about them. But nothing had been said about Dmitri.
“What about Dmitri? I don’t see anything about him in here,” she says, gesturing to the files.
“His operation is tied to more than just Scott. Details are classified as we work toward the bigger picture. Given that this has been the main focus of Nemesis, I can tell you the air strike was a success. I cannot say more than that at this time.”
He doesn’t need to. Any reservations Liz had going into their meeting are long gone. Her only struggle is holding her emotions in check while they finish. Warmth seeps into her thigh. She glances down to find Riley’s hand gripping her leg, rubbing his thumb slowly back and forth. That one gesture says everything he can’t.
It’s finally over.
She can hardly focus on the rest of the meeting. Only when chairs scrape across the floor does she realize it has ended. Copying what the rest of the team is doing, she stands, plucking the folder off the table before walking to the door. Riley stays right behind her, sticking like glue as she moves through the crowd gathering in the doorway. A voice calls out, stopping them in their tracks.
“Corson. We need to talk,” General Langford says before they can make it through the door.
Riley snatches Liz by the hand and pulls her back into the room. Russell looks between them as if he wants to say something, but the words never come. The two climb back into their seats, waiting for the room to finish clearing out before Riley reaches over and shoves the door closed.
“I looked into what you asked about, Riley,” he begins, his tone softer than before. “You signed iron clad contracts. My hands are tied. I can, however, offer you Scott’s position as general and leader of Nemesis.”
“I appreciate the offer sir, but that isn’t going to work for me. There has to be something I can do?” Riley says.
Liz watches him, confused.
“I know it’s hard to hear, but—” Russell starts.
“But nothing. I made a promise and I intend to keep it,” Riley snaps.
The moment the words leave Riley’s mouth she pieces it together. He tried to get them out of their contracts, to give her the life he promised. All those times she snapped at him, told him not to make promises he couldn’t keep starts running through her head. He had meant it, every word. Riley is willing to leave everything he has known for nearly twenty years behind. For her. She watches him with a mix of admiration and frustration, wanting to yell at him for being so stubborn.
“The base in Montana needs someone to help rebuild and pick off the rest of Dmitri’s forces. And I need someone I can trust to help build and train a new unit of soldiers. Our oath was to our country and its people, and it’s about time our president is reminded of that. There is more work to be done Riley, a lot more work. Without Scott holding you back, you can make a real difference in this fight,” he explains.
“I said no. I will find another way to get us out of our contacts. I have to,” Riley says in a rare moment of desperation.
“Like I said son, my hands are tied. The best I can do is give you the promotion. You are the best man for the job. If you would just take a few days, think about it?—”
“He accepts,” Liz says.
Riley’s eyes go wide as he turns to her. “No, I don’t,” he argues.
“Yes, you do,” she turns to him fully, interlocking their fingers before continuing. “Ry, this is your dream. This is everything you have spent your life working for. Even if you could have gotten us out of the contracts, you can’t throw that away for me.”
“I can and I will. You’re everything I spent my life working for, I just didn’t know it at the time,” he says, tears rimming his rich amber eyes.
“And we will have that life. If you still feel the same when our contracts are up, we can walk away. But right now there are too many people who need you for me to let you give up.”
“Did I mention you will need to sign a new contract with the promotion? You can make your service as short as one year. And, as a general, you can promote who you see fit, giving them a shorter contract as well,” Russ presses. “It will also allow you to take a step back, organizing missions from your office instead of leading them, unless you choose to stay in the field. You can go home every night, have dinner with the missus, and pick back up the next day.”
“See? You can get everything you want, just not exactly how you pictured it,” she says.
“Liz, I made you a promise. I told you I would get us out of this. If I accept, that promise is broken,” Riley says, turning to her.
“No,Iam breaking that promise. You tried to keep it, and I stopped you,” Liz argues.
“Look, why don’t you take a few days and think it over,” Russell offers again.
“No need,” Riley says, peering at Liz while she smiles up at him, already knowing what he is going to say. “I accept.”
EPILOGUE
