FOUR

Ranger was trying, really trying, to wrap his mind around what Master Chief Sutton was saying—or rather former Master Chief because, you know, he’d died.

They’d given him a military funeral.

Ranger had sat in the back of the church, behind the crowd, and watched Noemi sob. It had shredded his own soul.

And now he had to stand here again and witness Noemi’s pain as Pete told her that his country was more important than telling his daughter that he was alive.

Okay, Ranger got the country over family part. Because in a way, protecting the country was protecting her, but—

“I wanted to tell you, honey,” Pete was saying. “I thought you were better off, safer, if you didn’t know.”

They had taken refuge in Ranger’s father’s office, although the rest of the family had left. Dodge and Echo and his father to the medical center and Colt after Tae, who’d gone down to her cabin.

Probably to sort out just how she’d brought a couple of assassins to the Kingston family’s front door.

Although that wasn’t entirely her fault, given Logan Thorne’s story.

“After you left, the office was bombed and your colleague went on the run.”

Yeah, those words had landed with all the gentleness of a nuclear bomb. Ranger had no doubt Colt was currently doing recon on the fallout.

“How on earth would I be better off, even safer, not knowing?”

Atta girl, Noemi. She wore the same pose as Ranger—her arms folded over her chest, although Ranger leaned his shoulder against the wall.

Noemi had simply planted herself in the middle of the room, squaring off with her father.

“Because I didn’t know if I’d come back. And I didn’t want you worried, or even trying to find me,” Pete said.

Her mouth tightened and she shook her head.

“And, if the world thought I was still alive, then you’d be in danger. They’d take you, to get to me.”

“Which is what happened,” Ranger said quietly. He met Pete’s gaze. “That’s why they didn’t kill Noemi and the others in Nigeria.”

Pete drew in a breath. “I don’t know. We think, at first, they just grabbed them because of what they saw. But when you got away, they feared you letting the word get out. That’s why they came after you in your uncle Efe’s village. And then, later, here in Alaska.”

“You know about Uncle Efe?” Noemi asked.

Ranger leaned away from the wall. “How?”

Pete looked away, made a face.

“How, Dad?” Noemi said, and Ranger walked behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

“Is she chipped?” Ranger said quietly.