I feel someone at my shoulder.
"Easy." Dom's voice is so quiet. "I've got the kid."
I don't look at him. Don't acknowledge him beyond a slight shift in my stance.
"The hotel change?—"
"Already handled. Zoe's en route to the Langham. Cat's rerouting Phase One extraction. We'll have eyes on him within the hour."
The relief is almost dizzying.
Dom is going to be in the car with Hale. My son will have a six-foot-five hockey player whose tactical training consists entirely of body-checking people into plexiglass and occasionally chasing his wife through the woods for fun.
Not ideal, but I'll take it.
"The extra security?" I ask, still not looking at him.
"Mortelle sent them as a courtesy. Calder accepted because turning them down would've looked suspicious."
Which means half the security on this tarmac actually works for us.
Aaron, you brilliant little shit.
"Anything else I should know?"
"Yeah." Dom takes a deep breath. "Calder's been making calls all morning. Encrypted line. Cat's trying to crack it, but whoever he's talking to has insane protection on their comms."
The unease flares back to life.
"You think he knows?"
"I think he's paranoid. Whether that paranoia is pointed in our direction…" Dom trails off. "Don't worry, we've got this."
I quickly glance over at him. "It's good to see you, man."
"We're happy you're home. I'll see you later."
Then he's moving away, joining the detail around the third car, where the nanny is buckling a crying Hale into his seat.
Keira has noticed. She's pulling against Calder's grip, her eyes locked on the car that's about to take our son away.
"Where are they taking him?"
"Sister hotel. He's joining us for breakfast tomorrow. Better for him to be away from the chaos tonight. Maria will be with him," Calder says dismissively.
"But you said he'd be with us?—"
"Plans change, wife." His fingers dig into her elbow. "He'll be fine. Don't make a scene."
Through the car window, Hale presses his small hand to the glass.
His face crumples. Tears stream down his cheeks as he calls for his mother.
Keira's composure cracks. Tears slide down her face even as she forces a smile, waving at him through the glass, trying to comfort him when she's the one falling apart.
Dom catches my eye through the window. A single nod before he drives away.
I watch the car merge into airport traffic and disappear, carrying my son toward a hotel I didn't choose, protected by a man I'd trust with my life.
