Page 28 of ForeverMN

“Well, based on the changes in pattern and technique, we think it’s safe to say our new Surgeon is a female.” Mila and Reed finish at the same time.

“Actually it was Saylor who came to that conclusion,” Mila adds softly.

This time my heart soars and plummets for entirely different reasons. Saylor is getting involved in Rogue stuff. I’ve been putting off involving her in this. After Nash’s threat about seeing her if she came to New York, I’d been making it impossible for us to need her here. She does well in Minnesota. For so long she’s only put attention into her own practice, not that what she does isn’t equally important. She’s the first person our targets see when they arrive home with us. She is the first person to ease their fears and anxieties. I would often argue she is the most important key when taking in new targets.

“She might be onto something,” I finally get my words out, my voice thick with pride and a sadness I can’t shake. “I’ll pass this along to GO.”

“I think you should wait,” Reed sighs. “The Chemist was around when Aimsworth’s family was at their peak. He’s being watched whether he knows it or not. I’m running a reconnect right now, and going through all our hardware first to makesure nothing has been compromised. So far, only one error has popped up.”

“What does that mean?” I ask him, and start walking back to the car. The urgency to get back to the city crawls up my spine like a million spiders.

“If there are two more it means they’re compromised.” Reed replies, his voice calm like always even while I’m starting to spiral into defense mode.

“And there was number two.”

“So what do we do?” I ask him, sliding into the car and starting it up.

“I already sent them a warning. Everything we do have is backed up, but everyone should get out of the city,” Mila adds. “Drop this call Ciaran and get back to Silas and Kai.”

I drop the phone and drive to where our bunker is. Reed and Mila have already sent an alert text to our business phones with coordinates on where to meet up. We’re being attacked. It’s a virtual attack, but the power move is understood. Our enemies know they’re being watched, and now they’re watching us too. Rogue needs to lay low so our operation isn’t blown. It will be best if Ollie, Nash, and Miles can close down GO until Reed can reestablish things. The last thing we need is their system hacked and for their link to us to be compromised as well.

Saylor

The lot at Rogue still looks empty when I drive past after work. Ciaran hadn’t been joking when he said how messy their next case was going to be. Off and on, different members of my family, and our Rogue family, have been sent to the outskirts of New York City. Always under the cover of nightfall, and always without anyone knowing. There have been attacks made against them at their posts, a cyber war against our security that took Reed by surprise. It was unexpected, and in the end, it gave us more information than we had previously. At least there have not been any physical attacks where fatalities could happen.

Whoever we were up against, they knew enough about Rogue to be dangerous. I chose not to know more, but rather spend my time building confidence in the targets here. I was proud of Ciaran, my brother, and Kai for their work, and the fight that Rogue was showing. For the first time in months I didn’t have the strangling feeling of despair wrapped around my neck. I just wish I had found this peace before things with Ciaran went so horribly wrong. In the face of the danger we were up against, I finally found the courage to continue fighting for myself, Ciaran, and our future. Because a future without him was something I couldn’t imagine.

I pulled my car in front of Matt’s home. He was still with my dad while they worked on the back end of things for Rogue here. But the little blue car in the driveway was the guest I had beenmeaning to talk to. Molly, Ciaran’s mom, was home after being gone almost a year. She had reached out when she heard the news about mine and Ciaran’s break up, and when I heard she was home I asked if we could talk.

Before I’m even out of my car, she’s bustling down the front steps, tears in her eyes, a small smile, and her arms open. I’m instantly reminded of the first time I ever saw her. The night I first came to Rogue, Molly and Matt arrived to help my mom, Mila and me. I remember watching her try to fix and help my mom after the condition she was left in by the men who broke into our home.

Wrapping my arms around Molly, I take a moment to breathe, and give her an extra squeeze for her son who is far away.

“You look beautiful as ever,” She tells me, pulling back and framing my face with her hands. “And glowing? Have you been tanning?”

My shoulders shrug. “I, ah, I took up hiking, actually. There’s a really nice area more on the north-east side of town. It helps clear my head from everything.”

She smiles at me knowingly, silently nodding when I can’t continue, or I know I’ll think about him and then the water works will start.

“Thank you for inviting me over,” my voice cracks with emotion.

Molly shakes her head, and takes my hand in hers while we walk to the house. “You know you’re always welcome here.”

I do know that. Even though Ciaran has moved out now, I can’t help but still think of this as his home. I’ve been scared to hurt him more by stepping into his space, and haven’t been back since the day he packed up. He needed to move and take steps forward. I’m happy for him even though my heart aches for the two kids we were when we fell in love here, under the same roof.

We settle in the kitchen and Molly pours us each a glass of wine before grabbing a tray of snacks from the fridge.

“He moved out,” She finally says, and her eyes fill with tears again. “It’s not the same being home when he’s not here.”

“I was here the day before he left. He’d been wanting to leave for a while. I don’t think it’s just about you and me, but about Matt having the space for his family as well,” I share with her, hoping it makes her feel somewhat better.

Molly sighs and sips from her wine. “I let this place become his home instead of trying to provide him a place of our own. It was my fault. Matt always provided him the stability I just couldn’t.”

“Is that because of Ciaran’s dad?” I ask. “I don’t want to pry. I’m just trying to understand him. I let him down. I told him I was scared, and it destroyed us.”

“Oh honey,” Molly breathes out, shaking her head. “It isn’t you. I was a mess when Ciaran’s dad left us. He wasn’t sure about Rogue, but he wanted to try. I wasn’t around as much, and he floundered. We didn’t communicate for him to share his worries, or for me to understand why he was resentful of my time away. Then, when he left, I didn’t handle it well. I felt responsible, but too prideful to beg him to stay. Eventually, I was too ashamed to be here where my relationship failed.”

“Why was he unsure about Rogue?” I ask, my hand reaching across the island and squeezing hers.

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