Page 111 of Elusive Promise

"Yes. You carried on a mission that you were specifically ordered to stay out of. You made numerous bad decisions—breaking into a consulate, following an FBI agent to a safe house, interfering in a hostage negotiation, and the list goes on."

"You left out the part where he located Isaac Naru," Parisa interjected. She knew it wasn't her business, but she didn't care. "He also saved my life more than once. That might not matter to you, but I personally think he's a hero."

Daphne gave her a cool smile. "I wish I could say you were alone, but you're not."

"What does that mean?" Jared asked. "Why don't you cut to the chase? Am I fired?"

"No. You're probably going to get an award. Quite a few people think you're a hero despite the fact that you disobeyed my orders. However, you'll be reassigned to another division."

"What division is that?"

"I don't know where they'll put you. But you won't be in my chain of command, thank God. You need to report to Langley next Monday at nine a.m. The agency is giving you a few days off to tie up loose ends here."

"What about Naru?" Jared asked.

"He made it through surgery. We haven't had a chance to talk to him yet."

"Will the agency continue to protect him?"

"No. He will pay for everything he's done—including what he did to April."

For the first time, Parisa saw a hint of emotion in Daphne's eyes.

"It wasn't up to me, you know," Daphne said. "The order to leave Naru alone came from above my pay grade."

"I understand."

"And you weren't the only one who mourned April's passing, Jared. I cared about her, too." Daphne cleared her throat. "At any rate, thanks to your work, there are raids going on all over the world tonight: Paris, London, and Bezikstan. We're working with the FBI and Homeland Security and our allies in Europe and the Middle East to take down the Brothers of the Earth. Sara Pillai has been extremely helpful. She has given names and locations."

"What's going to happen to her?" Parisa enquired.

"I have no idea. I'm sure your bureau will have a say in that." Daphne pushed back her chair and stood up. "That's all I have."

"You could have said that on the phone," Jared pointed out, as he rose.

"Well, I was already in the city," she said, as she put on her coat. "And I wanted to give you a chance to thank me in person."

"For saving my job?" he queried.

"And for training you to be the incredible agent that you are. You're one of the best, Jared, and I don't say that lightly. But if I can give you some advice…"

"I'm sure I can't stop you."

"You need to decide if you can continue to put the mission before everyone else, including the people you care about. You need to figure out if the life of a spy is the life you want to lead. I know you disagreed with the agency's decision to protect their asset, but there was a bigger picture, even if you couldn't see it. There's a point where every agent has to choose between staying in the field and being whoever they're needed to be and coming home and finding themselves again. You operate on emotion, Jared. It makes you good, but it also can tear you apart. You're lucky you found someone to pay for April's death. That doesn't always happen. Sometimes you're going to lose. If you make your whole life this job, then what will you have when you lose?" Daphne let that sink in and then turned to Parisa. "It was nice meeting you, Agent Maxwell. Perhaps our paths will cross again one day."

She nodded, letting Jared usher Daphne to the door.

After Daphne left, he turned the dead bolt and walked back to her.

"So that was your boss," she said.

"Yes, for the past seven years."

"She likes you, even though she doesn't really want to."

"She has taught me a lot over the years, but we've also clashed, especially in recent months. Daphne is a rule follower, and I like to improvise. We've been on different sides on more than one occasion. She respects me, but I make her job harder. I'm sure that's why she decided to hand me off."

"Where do you think they'll assign you?"

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