“Right place, right time.”

President White’s deep blue eyes fixed on him. “Right man.”

The words swept in, settled.

“In fact, before we get started, I wanted to ask if you’d do me a favor.”

Before they got started with what? “Anything, sir.”

“I’d like you to join my Caleb Group. It’s a small, covert team, on special assignment to track down the Petrovs’ activities around the globe, as well as other threats. But you’d be working with Pete and Roy and Logan and a few others.”

Colt had nothing. He glanced at Tae again. She gave him a wan smile.

He sighed. “Sir, I’d be honored. But I’m not sure I’m the right fit.”

“You’re exactly the man we need, Colt.”

“Thank you. But . . . you see, I’ve got some healing to do.”

President White chuckled. “Don’t we all?”

“Actually, sir, I think I need to—”

“Rest. I know. And that’s why I’d like your first assignment to be here, in Florida.” He turned to Tae. “Helping Tae set up and run her lab.”

“My lab?” she asked.

He nodded. “With all the possible biological threats out there, I can’t think of anyone I’d more depend on to protect us. It would be under the Caleb Group, so you’d report directly to me, Taylor, but you’d be in charge. Run it how you want.”

Colt raised an eyebrow.

“And you, Colt, would be our liaison, and—”

“Chief babysitter?”

The president laughed. “Let’s say head of security. Pete says you’re pretty good at keeping people alive.”

Huh. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. Because I just went to all the effort to tow Taylor’s houseboat into the nearby marina, and I was hoping I didn’t make a huge mistake.”

“You towed my houseboat here?” Tae said.

“Shipped it, actually,” Pete said. “We did our best to repair it, and since the lab in Seattle was destroyed, we hope you’ll stay on here. If not, we can ship it back—”

“No. This is . . . amazing. Thank you.”

“No, thank you, Tae. Your father would be very proud of you.”

She blinked. Frowned. “What?”

“Pete and I served together, and he filled me in. I knew your father, Taylor. Dr. Aaron Price. Good guy. A real hero. Made the world a better place.”

She nodded. “Yes, he did.”

“Like father, like daughter,” White said.

Tae looked away, but Colt had spotted tears filming her eyes.

White turned back to Colt. “Okay, ready to get started?”

“With what?”

“With the ceremony,” said a voice, and he turned to see Logan walking out of the house.

But more, behind him walked—

“Dad?”

“So, this is where you escaped to,” his father said. He looked better, still walking slowly, but not as stiff. He too wore a suit, a tie, and was minus his usual gimme cap.

“What are you doing here?”