"Ididn't knowI’dwant to keep you."
Sheleans into my touch, offering a subtle, quiet surrender.
"Canwe get him?" she asks, dropping her volume. "Really?"
"Wehave the location, the patrol routes, and the thermal."Iscan the map, calculating vectors. "Loganwill authorize the raid.Shaneis already itching to shoot something, andAustinhas the gear."
"Butthe compound is a fortress."
"Weare theGunnars,"Isay. "Thisis our mountain.Theyare just tourists."
Shiftingher weight,Ipull open the desk drawer.Pushingaside tangledUSBcables and myGlock19, my fingers close around a small, cold objectIkeep in the back.
Ipull it out.
Smoothas glass and shaped like a rough arrowhead, the dark stone sits heavy in my palm.
Kailafrowns. "Arock?"
"Obsidian."Itake her hand and unfold her fingers.Pressingthe stone into her palm,Ifold her fist shut over it. "Mygrandfather found this on the ridge above the clubhouse forty years ago, long before theMCexisted.Hegave it to my dad, who passed it to me whenIprospected."
Shestares down at her closed fist, then meets my gaze. "Whyare you giving it to me?"
"Obsidianprotects against negative energy.That’swhat the locals say."Myshoulders roll in a shrug.Magicholds no value for me compared to ballistics and bandwidth, but this physical piece of the mountain carries weight. "It’ssharp,Kaila.Itcuts if handled carelessly.Respectit, and it anchors you."
"Daniel..."
"Holdonto that,"Icommand. "Keepit in your pocket.Possessingthat stone places you under the protection of theBrokenHalos.Youoperate under my protection."
Shesqueezes the stone.Hergrip tightens until the edges bite into her palm. "It’scold."
"Itwarms up."
Standing,Ilift her entirely off the chair.Herlegs lock around my waist by pure instinct, a reaction that settles deep in my gut.Icarry her over to the small cot in the corner of the loft.Settingher down on the mattress,Ikeep my hands firmly on her hips.
"Wemove at dawn,"Isay. "Logancalled aWarCouncil.Ineed to present the intel."
"I’mcoming with you," she says.
"Tothe meeting, yes."Ipause. "Tothe raid, no."Myinstinct screams to lock her in theVault, burying her under six feet of concrete out of the trajectory of stray bullets.
Istudy the rigid determination locking her jaw and the raw intelligence burning behind her eyes.Sheserves as a weapon, our absoluteEyein theSky.
"Yourun comms from the van,"Isay. "Guideus in.Hackthe doors and kill the camera feeds."
"Ican handle that," she says, her chin tipping up. "Ican do that in my sleep."
"Good."Ipush a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Becauseif you try entering the building,Iwill tie you to the bumper."
Thefaintest ghost of a smile pulls at her mouth. "You’rebossy for a computer nerd."
"I’maTracker,"Icorrect. "Andyou’re mine."
Sheskips the argument, leaning forward to press her forehead against mine. "Getmy brother back,Daniel.Please."
"Iwill."
Steppingback puts necessary distance between us beforeIdrag her down onto the mattress.Thebeast inside me is fed, but it paces relentlessly instead of sleeping.