"Kane is out there."
"I know.And the U.S.Marshals are looking for him.That's their job.Our job is to find the platinum killer before he kills someone else."
"I should be helping with Kane.I know him better than anyone."
"Hayes said to stay on the platinum case.That's what we're doing."
Miles finally looked at her directly."Two guards are dead because Kane escaped.Three more are injured.And I'm sitting in a hotel room in Manhattan chasing a different killer while the man I spent months tracking is loose again."
"You can't do anything about Kane right now," Vic said."You being upset doesn't change that.You obsessing over news coverage doesn't change that.What you can do is help me prepare for out visit with Ashford and figure out next steps if she’s not our killer."
"I know."
"Then why aren't you doing it?"
Miles didn't answer.He looked back at the television, at the images of smoke and fire trucks and officials making statements.
Vic grabbed the remote and turned the TV off completely."Talk to me.What's really going on here?"
"Kane escaped."
"I know Kane escaped,” she said, nearly shouting it.Jesus, it was like talking to a stubborn child at this point.“But there's something else.You're not just upset, you're spiraling.What is it?"
Miles was quiet for a long moment.When he finally spoke, his voice was low."Hayes didn't want me on the manhunt."
"He said the Marshals are leading it."
"He said I should stay on the platinum case.He said the Marshals would handle Kane."Miles looked at her."He didn't pull me.Didn't ask me to consult, didn't want my input.The guy I spent nearly a year tracking, the guy I know better than anyone, and Hayes doesn't want me anywhere near his capture."
Vic sat down on the edge of his bed."That's what this is about?You feel insulted?"
"I feel looked over.Like all that work doesn't matter.Like knowing Kane's methods and philosophy and network doesn't count for anything."
"Or maybe Hayes is protecting you.Maybe he knows you're too close to this, too personally invested.Maybe he wants you focused on something you can actually control."
"I could help find him."
"Maybe.Or maybe you'd get yourself killed trying to prove something.Or think of the media.You’d be so swarmed with news crews and reporters that you wouldn’t get a damned thing done."Vic leaned forward."Kane is in your head, Miles.He's been in your head since the day you started tracking him.Every case, every disciple, every murder has been about him.And now he's escaped and you're taking it personally, like it's your fault, like you should have seen it coming."
"I should have."
"How?You're not psychic.You can't predict every move Kane makes.And you sure as hell can't prevent a coordinated prison break from hundreds of miles away.That's not on you.That's on Kane and whoever helped him.But sitting here watching news coverage isn't going to bring them back.It's not going to help catch Kane.It's just making you feel worse."
"I know."
"Then help me.We've got eight names to investigate.We've got a killer who's already murdered two people and will probably kill again if we don't stop him.That's what we can control.That's where you need to focus."
Miles was quiet.Vic could see him processing, see the conflict playing out behind his eyes.Part of him knew she was right.But another part was still stuck on Kane, still obsessing over the escape.
"Hayes thinks I can't handle it," Miles said finally."That's why he didn't want me on the manhunt.He thinks I'm too emotionally compromised."
"Maybe you are, if you want the truth.But that doesn't mean you're useless.It just means you need to focus on what you're good at.And right now, that's finding disciples before they take more lives.Not chasing Kane across the country."
"I hate this."
"I know you do.But we've got a job to do.And I need you present for it.Not sitting here watching television, not obsessing over news coverage.I need you actually working with me."
Miles looked at her for a long moment.Then he nodded slowly."You're right."
