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“I’m open to it, but we’re not there. Not yet.” Cypher took a couple more steps. “Since you brought it up, there is something I’d like to ask you.”

Thomas didn’t say anything but lifted one brow, as if he had an idea of what Cypher was about to ask.

Cypher took a deep breath and just laid it out there.

“I intend this thing with Lauren to be permanent. I intend to marry her. Have children if it’s meant to be. And to make a life with her.” He glanced at Thomas then back up the road. “Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not asking for your permission. That’s hers to give.” He stopped and turned to face her father, meeting his gaze, “What I’d like to have, what I’m asking for is your blessing.” He continued before Thomas had a chance to protest or question him. “I know that some of what the club’s into has brought her trouble, but she’s family and the Warriors take care of family. Always.”

Thomas watched him for a moment, not speaking.

“What are the chances that the men who took her will try again?”

“None. They’d have to be breathing to try it again.”

Thomas didn’t say anything but turned and continued walking toward the clubhouse.

“I’m going to assume they weren’t acting on their own. What about the person who sent them? Will they try again?”

“We know who sent them. I have zero doubt. But proving it? That’s a different story. Most of what I have would be termed circumstantial. I’m still looking for something to pin it to him in court. And even then it will be tricky. He’s part of the system and a well-known, well thought of part of the system.”

“In the system? How far up do you think this goes?” Thomas asked.

“Think or can prove?”

“Think for now. This is just a friendly potentially hypothetical conversation for now. We can worry about proof later.”

Cypher sighed and looked up to where the tops of the trees surrounding them touched the sky as he continued walking. “I know we’ve more than just the one here. I have evidence of someone in the state government’s involvement, but I don’t know who, not yet. What I suspect? That’s another issue. I suspect this goes to the federal level. I suspect that if we continue pursuing it, things will get more dangerous before they get safer. And yet…” he trailed off for a moment, wondering how much to say. “Yet, we can’t stop. We can’t let anyone get away with kidnapping women and girls, the girl who was seeing Lauren over her trauma is 14, and selling them into sexual slavery.”

“I can’t blame you there. I know Lauren wouldn’t stand for it either. If she can do something to stop it, she will.”

Cypher nodded.

“From what she tells me, the men who took her were trying to convince her not to testify. She refused to give in, so they roughed her up.”

Thomas’s jaw bulged. Cypher could see he was holding something back, something he wanted to ask but maybe wasn’t sure if he should.

“Ask,” Cypher said.

“Did they—” he swallowed and tried again. “Did they violate her?”

Cypher couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be for the other man to wonder, to want to ask but not know if he should. They reached the clubhouse. Cypher opened the door and motioned for Thomas to precede him, then followed him inside and led him back to his office.

“No.” He wondered for a moment if he should say more, then decided her father needed a few more details. “At first they slapped her around, then they broke her nose. That’s where all the bruising came from. It took them a while to decide they needed alternate methods to convince her to agree. I arrived before that could happen. I made sure they’d never be a threat to her, or anyone, again.” Cypher motioned for Thomas to have a seat, and sat in the rolling chair in front of his desk.

“Good. You going to have trouble with your agency over it?”

Cypher shrugged. “If I do, then I do. I’ll face the consequences of my actions. Mostly though, I think my superiors will consider it taking out the enemy in an act of war.”

“War?”

Cypher unlocked the screen.

“War. Whether you consider the trafficking a violation of the abolition of slavery or if it’s more part of a war on freedoms, either way it’s war. Personally, I think it’s part of the war on terror. I don’t know a single woman who’s not worried about being kidnapped and either forced into the kind of thing we’re fighting or being raped. One hundred percent is a pretty terrifying statistic.”

Thomas blinked as he absorbed that.

“You’re right. And I know my daughter, you’re right. She would never back down if she was doing what she believes is right. No matter how painful it might be.” Thomas sighed. “All right. You have it. I guess this means we’ll have to stop hounding her to come home. She found a home here and as much as we miss her up there, I can’t take her away from what she’s found here.”

“Thank you,” Cypher said, breathing easier. He hadn’t realized until Lauren’s father gave his blessing how much it meant to him. He would have gone on with what they wanted, no matter what her old man said, but it meant a lot to get his blessing.