I nodded. That was a careful calculation; honestly Sovereign could jump the rails at any time, could go hold someone like J.J. hostage in his apartment, but I simply did not have the resources to try and protect every employee in the Agency. “Just like old times, huh?” I asked Ariadne with a weak smile.
“You mean like just before the last time our campus was utterly destroyed?” She was completely devoid of humor. “As I recall, the aftermath of that one left us with quite the prodigious body count as well.”
“You should get out while you can,” I said gently, staring at her. “Just ... go, run.”
“To Bora Bora?” She looked like a world of sad had descended on her. “Now more than ever, I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
“Any clue where Reed went?” I asked the room, pretty sure I wasn’t going to get an answer.
“Your mom talked to him,” Scott said. “He’s with her.”
I blinked. “Really? Like ... dead in her trunk?”
Scott let out a low guffaw. “I don’t think so. Pretty sure he’s guarding the metas with her and Karthik.” He gave me a sideways wink. “He’s still pissed at you for picking suicide detail, but he knows he’s got a role to fill, and he’ll fill it.”
I turned my chair sideways so I could look out the window to the dark campus behind me. In the distance I could see the dormitory building, a dark shadow on a dark night. I knew that just beyond it, the science building was still out there, and I could see the faint hints of the girders rising above the woods that circled the campus. “Good for him,” I said. I turned back around and looked at Li, his smartphone in hand. “Mr. Li, I believe it’d be better for your health if you joined our associates at the FBI building for the next week or two.”
He looked at me with something that looked like burning fury, just for a moment, and then I caught a hint of relief. “I’ll think about it.”
“They could use some watchful eyes on them,” I said gently. “And if we fall out here, someone’s going to need to be in place to pick up where we leave off.”
I saw him grit his teeth. “I’m no coward.”
“Not saying you are. This isn’t your fight, though.” He started to argue, and I held up a hand. “Not yet, anyway. If you wanted to delay, you’re certainly welcome to an off-campus assignment.”
“I think I’ll stay here, thanks,” he said tightly. “But if there’s nothing else, I’ve got a few more reports I should be checking on in my office.”
“Sure,” I said with a nod, and he stood, leaving in a smoking big hurry.
Kurt watched him go then looked over at me. “I’m gonna go line up the agents one more time, tell them that as crazy as they are, at least their families will get a nice payout if they buy it.” I started to say something, but he stopped me. “That’s not really what I’m gonna say. I’ll come up with something appropriate.” He licked his lips. “Maybe something from Patton. These kids are young enough they’ve probably never even seen it.” With that, he exited, letting the door shut behind him quietly.
“I suppose I’ll go comb some reports, too,” Ariadne said and stood slowly, like an old woman, weary and aged. She probably wasn’t but a year or two over forty, but she walked like someone who had had all the life taken out of her. I wondered how much of it was my fault and decided to take the balance of the blame on myself.
“Ariadne,” I said, and she stopped at the door. “For what it’s worth—and probably zero, I’m sure—I’m sorry.”
She stiffened, not even turning back, and then walked out, shutting the door behind her.
“That was tense,” Scott said. “It’s like these people think they’re going to die or something.”
“I’m surprised you can find room for a joke in a moment like this.”
“Reminds me of that time when Century was about to shoot us dead,” Scott said with a slight smile. “And you called me an asshole.”
“I did not.” I frowned at him.
“Well, that was the subtext,” he said and shot me a grin.
“You didn’t have to be here for this,” I said and looked at him sadly.
“Last time, I checked out before the big dance with Omega,” he said, “and ... Zack died. I should have been here. Maybe I could have done something, changed things somehow.” His expression turned serious. “I’ll always think I could have done something, even if the truth is that I might have died right along with him.”