“Conditions.”

“That’s right. Conditions. We’ll find your grandson and back up the SWAT teams, but we don’t want to be left standing when the music stops. Understood?”

“Clearly.”

“And we’ll need complete background and intelligence information on the targets and their compound.”

“Not a problem.”

“One more thing. No armchair quarterbacking. Once you turn us loose, that’s it. No second-guessing our moves. We do this our way, without interference, or we don’t do it at all.”

“Like I said, it’s an issue of trust in both directions.”

Frank pushed the file across the desk.

Nathan didn’t touch it. He knew what it was, what it represented.

“This is everything we have on Freedom’s Echo. Everything,” Frank said. “It’s an exact duplicate.”

Frank kept saying we. Understandable, the man had spent over forty years with the bureau.

“I’m coming with you,” Greg said.

“Out of the question.”

“He’s my son.”

“Out of the question.”

Greg stood and squared off with Nathan. “Listen, you son of a bitch, I don’t care who or what you used to be. He’s my son.”

Nathan got up and pivoted toward the door.

“Damn it, Greg,” Frank said. “McBride, wait. Please.”

Nathan stopped but didn’t turn around.

“We’re all under a lot of stress. Please, sit back down.”

Nathan didn’t move.

Please,” Frank said again.

“I need some air,” Nathan said and left the room.

* * *

Harvey stood and lowered his voice. “Damn it, Greg. What the hell was that all about?”

“McBride’s a smug asshole, that’s what.”

“Hey, I’ve known the man through life and death. He has a lot of faults, but being smug isn’t one of them.”

“Sounded like it to me.”

“Well, you heard him wrong. He’s not smug. He’s confident. You can’t see it because you’re too close to this. You’re asking us to risk our lives and if the situation warrants it, you’re asking us to kill. And we’ve said yes. But we can’t have the father of the missing agent involved, much less someone who’s never worked in the field. You’ve never killed anyone, Greg. Trust me, there’s nothing glamorous or exciting about it. This isn’t some half-baked Hollywood movie. We’re talking real bullets and real death. There’s no place for you in this mission.”

Greg looked down but didn’t respond.

“Now when he comes back,” Harvey continued, “don’t apologize. It won’t be necessary. Nathan doesn’t hold grudges and he knows you’re wound-up tight. We all are. When he offers to shake your hand, you take it, understood?”

No response.

“Am I getting through?”

“Yes.”

* * *

Nathan found Diane Ortega in the kitchen, emptying the dishwasher. “May I trouble you for a glass of water, please?”