Jake landed back in New York four hours later.The compound was on maximum alert. Security everywhere. Media camped outside the gates. Asking questions about Toronto. About his father. About Torino.Volkov's plan was working. Creating chaos. Exposing secrets. Destroying Jake's reputation while threatening his family.Derek met Jake at the helicopter pad. "Status report. Media's relentless. Torino's lawyers sent formal demand letter. Two million plus interest. Total: twelve million dollars. Payment due in thirty days or they pursue collection through 'alternative means.'""Alternative means meaning violence.""Presumably. Also, Volkov's people tried another perimeter breach. East wall. We caught them. Three operatives. All refusing to talk. But the pattern's clear. He's probing defenses. Planning major attack.""Where's Sophia?""Safe room. She's been there since you left. Refusing to come out until you're back. She's scared, Jake. Really scared."Jake ran to the residence. Through sec

Jake stood at the nursery window. Looking at Emma. Looking at the threat. Tanaka's question echoed. "Are you ready for that?" Ready to become what he'd fought against? Ready to order deaths? Ready to start a war? Jake opened his mouth to answer. To authorize the violence. To cross the final line. But his phone rang. Interrupting. Valley Hospital. His mother's hospital. He answered. "Hello?" A nurse. The same one who'd called about his mother's heart attack. Carol Bennett. "Mr. Morrison. You need to come. Your mother. She's declining rapidly. The doctors say it's a matter of hours. Maybe less." Jake's stomach dropped. "I'm in New York. That's four hours away." "I know. But if you want to see her before she passes, you need to come now. She's been asking for you." Jake looked at Sophia. At Emma. At the crisis he was in the middle of. Torino's threat. Tanaka's question. The decision about war. But his mother was dying. Really dying this time. And he'd lied to her. Told

The funeral was two days later.Helen Morrison was laid to rest at Valley Memorial Cemetery. Small ceremony. Quiet. Just family and a few friends from her nursing days.Jake stood at the graveside. Sophia beside him. Emma in her arms. Robert on Jake's other side. All mourning the woman who'd held the family together through impossible circumstances.The priest spoke. Generic words about faith and eternal rest. Nothing that captured who Helen really was. The sacrifices she'd made. The lies she'd carried. The strength she'd shown raising Jake alone.After the ceremony, people approached. Offering condolences. Sharing memories. Brief conversations that felt hollow.Jake was going through motions. Present but distant. Thinking about everything. His mother's death. His father's return. Emma's birth. Torino's threat. The compound attack.Everything converging. Everything complicated.Robert stood beside the grave. Longest. Not wanting to leave. Finally saying goodbye to the woman he'd aband

Jake stood frozen. Phone in hand. Tanaka's words echoing."Make peace with your family, Morrison."A death sentence. Delivered calmly. Professionally. Final.Forty-eight hours. Then Yakuza assassins would come. Hunt him. Kill him. Eliminate the liability.He ran to find Agent Chen. She was in the command center. Coordinating. Organizing evidence."Tanaka just ordered hit on me. I warned him about FBI investigation. He's sending killers. Forty-eight hours."Chen's expression didn't change. "You warned him? You obstructed federal investigation?""I tried to be loyal. To protect partnership. It didn't work. He's killing me anyway.""Then you're in violation of immunity agreement. Obstruction of justice. We can arrest you right now.""Go ahead. At least in federal custody I'm alive. Yakuza can't reach me in prison."Chen considered. "Or we use this. You're target now. Yakuza will send professionals. We let them come. Set trap. Catch them in act. Use them to build case against Tanaka.""Yo

Jake's weapon was locked on Marcus Chen.Former Delta Force. Derek's most trusted lieutenant. Hand on earpiece. Signaling someone."Who are you talking to?"Marcus's expression didn't change. Professional. Controlled. "Standard security protocol. Checking perimeter. Making sure we're secure.""We agreed. No comms. No digital. No coordination. Dark protocol. That's what you said, Derek. No communications. But Marcus is communicating. With who?"Derek turned to Marcus. "Is that true? Are you on comms? Who authorized that?"Marcus hesitated. "I thought... I thought it was prudent to have backup. In case situation went bad. Morrison's unstable. Paranoid. We needed contingency.""Who did you call?" Jake demanded. "Who's listening?""Just perimeter team. Three men. Positioned around site. Standard overwatch. Nothing sinister.""Show me. Show me the earpiece. Let me hear who's on the other end."Marcus removed the earpiece slowly. Handed it to Derek. Derek listened. His expression changed. "