Cueto laughed. “You’re just lucky I didn’t have them rebuild you with female parts to help meet the MCB equal opportunity quotas. Rest up, Franks, because you’re going to be real busy soon enough. Come with me, Archer. Since you’re supposed to be so brilliant, I’ve got a temporary assignment to go along with your promotion. What do you know about covering up the existence of carnivorous blob monsters?”

“Absolutely nothing.”

“Good. You can learn on the flight. The islands are nice this time of year.”

“Hawaii?” Archer asked hopefully.

“The Aleutians. Pack mittens.”

Jefferson closed the door behind his new boss and his fellow agent, but he stayed in the room with Franks.

“What?”

“I need to speak with you.” Jefferson came over to the bed—walking slowly so as to not reopen the many stitched-up wounds on his body—pulled up a chair, and sat down. The young agent looked physically and emotionally exhausted. It took him a moment to compose himself enough to talk. He had never seen Jefferson look contrite before. Humility didn’t look right on somebody so cocky. “I failed. You told me to keep Strayhorn alive, but I couldn’t. He was my responsibility. There’ve been too many times in my life where I just wasn’t good enough to do what needed to be done. I couldn’t get to Myers in time, and I couldn’t protect your son.”

Franks nodded. It was strange, but he understood now how it felt to fail. Franks could relate. “The mission always comes first. We completed the mission. That’s what matters.”

“Yeah . . .” Jefferson wiped his eyes with the back of his bruised hand. “I’m sorry. He was a good man.”

“Yes. Seemed like it.” Franks had never found himself wishing that he’d spoken more with someone. Myers had been his closest confidant, but he’d kept something so vital a secret for so long . . . Franks regretted never knowing his son. Regret was an unfamiliar and bitter feeling. “How did you beat that demon by yourself?”

“Turns out we met before, on that overpass in Montgomery. Different body, same demon. Go figure. She gloated about it while she was beating the hell out of me, but then, I don’t know, she got sloppy or something, it’s hard to remember. I must have got in a really lucky shot and she went down. I used the opportunity to saw her head off.”

Apparently Grant Jefferson’s part in The Plan wasn’t done yet either.