Page 33 of Throne of Secrets

Ethan frowned, sitting up straighter. “Whydo you say that?”

“Simple,” Jason replied. “Because Max wouldn’t have asked for help. Max would’ve hacked into whatever system he wanted, found the information he needed, and then moved forward. No calls. No priority messages. No outreach.”

Ethan arched a brow. “Is that what youwantme to do?”

Silence stretched across the line for several seconds before Jason spoke again.

“Yes,” he said, voice firm. “I want you to be just as invisible, inquisitive, and rogue as Max. He never leaves tracks. He retrieves the intel, executes sanctioned action when necessary, cleans up the mess, and ensures no trails lead back to Guardian. Then—and only then—did he report to me.”

Ethan leaned forward, elbows on the desk. His brain was already shifting gears, calculating the next steps. “Max works alone.”

“And you don’t?” Jason challenged.

Ethan exhaled. “Fair point.”

Jason’s voice softened slightly. “You've been trained by Lycos. Are your skills equal to his?”

Ethan's jaw tightened as he pondered the question. “Hand-to-hand? If it came down to it … yeah, I could take him. But only because I know his patterns so well. No one else would stand a chance. His … special talents?” Ethan hesitated. “I've studied his methods for years.”

Jason made a sound of agreement. “He taught you to mimic his profile as an assassin, didn't he?”

Ethan’s spine stiffened. He hadn’t shared that detail with anyone. Not even Max. He sat back and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Correct.”

“Accidents happen to random people all the time,” Jason murmured.

Ethan’s heart skipped a beat. That exact phrase was one of Lycos's training mantras. “Who told you that?”

“When Max first mentioned you as a candidate for his successor, I brought Lycos in,” Jason said. “I needed to know what you were capable of. Whether you could withstand the pressure of the position.”

The pieces clicked into place. Of course, his father and Jason had spoken. Lycos had always been meticulous about Ethan's training. Knowing Guardian leadership was aware of those conversations added a new layer to the puzzle that seemed to be clicking into focus.

Jason's voice softened. “So, can you hold up to the pressure, Ethan?”

The question landed like a punch to the gut. Was there any question? Ethan leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head, staring at the ceiling as his mind processed the gravity of what Jason was asking.

He could execute commands that brought down systems with a keystroke—that had become second nature to him. He’d disrupted entire criminal organizations with nothing more than a well-timed virus. But Jason wasn't discussing digital warfare. He was referring to the real world and the decisions he’d have to make without Max there to oversee him. He was contemplating the bloodshed and consequences of what he would solely be responsible for when Max walked away.

He closed his eyes. “Yes.” His voice was low but resolute. “I can and will make the hard calls. Nothing is more important than my Guardian family. Whatever it takes.”

“Absolutely, for as long as it takes,” Jason confirmed, his tone leaving no room for ambiguity. “We need an independent computer operator protecting Guardian. You’re our first and last line of defense. Your value lies behind that keyboard. Your world is Guardian, and you will be the lifeblood of every person who works for us and all the other systems that Guardian now protects and monitors.”

Ethan sat up again, his jaw tight. Jason was speaking to his reality, and he was listening.

Jason continued. “You have a license to carry a firearm. You’ve received training from some of the best in the world. But you also have a cover to maintain. That cover protectsyou, and it protectsus. If you leave behind any digital breadcrumbs—or worse, physical evidence—that ties a sanctioned action to Guardian, you’ll compromise yourself and the entire organization.”

“I won’t.” He was damn good and very careful. It was something Max had taught him well.

“And one more thing,” Jason said. “I can’t stress this enough: If you have the facts, doing what you know needs to be done immediately from behind that keyboard is always approved.”

Ethan nodded to himself. “Of course.” That was a no-brainer.

“Max has had that authority for over thirty years,” Jason continued.

Ethan blew out a breath, feeling the weight of Jason’s words settle on his shoulders like a lead vest. He looked around the workspace—the monitors, the blinking indicators, the encrypted feeds. All his life, he'd lived in the world of digital secrets. Now, Guardian was permitting him to cross into a world where consequences were permanent, irreversible, and utterly his responsibility.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. “So, for clarification, you're giving me permission to …?”

Jason’s voice was calm, steady.“As far as I’m concerned, Max is no longer your mentor. He’s your equal. Do what needs to be done, Ethan; the training wheels are off. Protect Star. Stop the threat. Keep Guardian safe.”

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