A ghost of a smile touched his mouth and vanished.
Then he grew serious.
“It is the best chance we have.”
“What about my role?”
Patricia answered before he could. “You stay here.”
I laughed outright.
“Not happening.”
“This is not negotiable.”
“It’s my mother.”
“And your wife still doesn’t know where you are,” Patricia said. “Your children are in hiding because of what’s happening tonight.”
“Exactly. My family.”
My father stepped forward. “You are not trained for this.”
“Then train me fast.”
“Julian.”
“No.”
For the first time in my adult life, I saw uncertainty in him where I had always seen authority.
I stepped closer.
“You don’t get to disappear, come back from the dead, tell me my family is being hunted by a man I’ve never heard of, and then sideline me while you go save my mother,” I said. “You can order me all you want. I’m not a child.”
Patricia crossed her arms. “You’re a corporate lawyer who has probably never fired anything more dangerous than a nail gun.”
“True.”
“This isn’t a movie.”
“I know.”
“People die in these operations.”
“I know that too.”
She studied me for a long moment. Then she looked at my father.
“He’s coming anyway, isn’t he?”
My father sighed.
“Yes.”
She rubbed at her temple like she had a headache she’d expected from the moment I walked in.
“Fine. Then he stays with the secondary entry team. He does exactly what he’s told and nothing heroic.”
I nodded.
My father didn’t.
He held my gaze until I thought he might refuse outright.
Then, at last, he said, “If things go wrong, you run.”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Promise me.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
His face hardened into something I remembered from childhood—the expression that meant there was no room for argument.
“Promise me.”
I swallowed.
The truth was I didn’t mean it.
But I said, “Fine.”
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