The sun was setting over the mountains when the call came.
Vance was in the garden with his daughter, teaching her how to plant flowers. Her small hands were covered in dirt, her face smudged with soil. She was laughing, carefree in a way that made his heart ache.
"Daddy, will the flowers grow big?"
"Big and strong. Just like you."
She giggled and dug her fingers deeper into the earth.
Echo walked out onto the porch, her face drawn. "Vance, we need to talk."
He looked at her and knew. Something had changed.
"I'll be right there, sweetheart. Keep planting."
His daughter waved him off, already focused on her work.
He walked to the porch, wiping dirt from his hands. "What is it?"
Echo held up her laptop. "I've been monitoring the Sentinel Network's intelligence feeds. Something's ha
