The meeting continued for another hour.
By the end of it, nobody seemed particularly happy.
Federal protection remained necessary.
Public disappearance remained impossible.
Victor remained missing.
The archive remained incomplete.
Everything was complicated. Totally complicated.
Exactly as expected.
Eventually, Agent Bennett dismissed everyone. Well, everyone except me and Jaxon.
That detail immediately caught my attention.
The room emptied gradually.
Marcus left first.
Several agents escorted him toward another interview room.
Lena disappeared into a conference call involving attorneys, federal prosecutors and what sounded like a deeply unfortunate television producer.
My mother lingered for longer. Watching us. Observing. Thinking. The familiar habit irritated me even as I
