On a Cloudy Day by Cordova Jason & Ikenberry Kevin

Author:Cordova, Jason & Ikenberry, Kevin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Seventh Seal Press
Published: 2023-01-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Tennessee

“It’s not too late, Bulldog,” her father called from the door of the small kitchen in the maintenance sheds. She’d volunteered to clean up the dishes while the crews finished offloading the CASPers and Tara prepared to take Raley out for her first range experience in a real, combat-ready CASPer. “I still have a desk for you.”

Jessica smiled and shook her head. “You know I can’t, Dad.”

“I know,” he said as he came over to stand next to her at the sink. “I’ll dry if you finish washing.”

“Deal.”

For a moment, they washed and dried the dishes in silence. Jessica knew what was on his mind. He didn’t care for her plan any more than Hak-Chet did, but he was also blood. And he was her father.

“Look…” He paused, and Jessica saw his hands had stopped moving. He was clutching a towel hard enough that his knuckles were white. “I know I wasn’t there for you, Jessica. I believed it was too dangerous for you and your mother for me to stay in plain sight with what I saw happening.”

“You did what you thought was right, Dad.” Jessica looked at him. “That’s what I’m trying to do.”

“But there’s so much risk, honey.”

“And there wasn’t any risk for you?” She tilted her chin and narrowed her eyes at him. “You always said the risks you took were yours and yours alone.”

“They were. But I already had a family. I’d already lived a good, prosperous life. You’re setting up a mission to burn down your own damned guild, Jessica. This is a mission you might not walk away from.”

Jessica nodded. “And I could go for a swim this afternoon and get struck by lightning or run over by a drunk in a boat, Dad. The risk here is mine.”

His face contorted with a flurry of emotion. “I lost… I lost my family for years. I regret that choice, Jessica. I don’t want the same for you. I want you to live a long life. Be happy. Raise some young’uns of your own.”

“That might not be for me, Dad.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “What is for me, right now, is to do what’s right. That means I have to burn down the guild. At least the leadership and the Crusaders. We have to stop them before they institute widespread martial law and take even more from the cultures and citizens they’re supposed to be protecting. I have to do this.”

“I know.” Tears fell from his eyes as he squeezed them shut. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Jessica felt a lump in her throat steal her voice. She stepped into her father’s arms and squeezed herself tight against his chest. The scent of Old Spice wrapped around her like a security blanket. As they embraced, her mind raced through all the things she could be doing differently. Walking away. Working with the Haulers. Raising a family. All those thoughts faded against doing what was right.

I have to do this.

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