Page 218 of Allegiance

He thought about his own children.

“I need answers.”

Yeah, so did she.

The biggest question she had was why did people do shit like this to other people?

So far, with twenty-plus years in the FBI, no one could answer it for her.

“Yes?”

“Did they suffer?” he asked.

She didn’t give him the answer she knew he wanted. Her gut was raw, and she knew no one would believe her lie. There was no way that the children they’d found hadn’t been scared before they died.

Or in pain.

So, she tried her best.

“Let’s just say that the men did suffer, and will continue to. I can promise you that. The Marines did what they’d been sent in to do. Let’s just say they won’t be buying children anymore.”

He stopped her.

“I meant the kids.”

“I know,” she said.

That told them all they needed to know. She wasn’t going to give them the details so they didn’t carry that burden. That was her cross to bear.

“Thank you,” Jinx said.

She nodded somberly.

“I’ll get the rest back. I’ll also ignore that there was an explosion in New Orleans tonight and someone tagged it as a surprise player in the game.”

Merry shrugged.

“That’s funny. We were all right here having a little family get-together. I hope you guys catch that Z fellow. He’s raising plenty of hell. He might be worse than us.”

She laughed.

Oh, and for reasons they weren’t aware of too.

“Yeah, I’m aware. I hope you guys don’t have to deal with him too much,” she said, amused.

“Yeah, us too,” Zayn said.

Elizabeth had a few minutes until she was going to be tucking in her kids. Once she left this office, she was off duty to be a mom.

“Care to update me on that bar?” she asked.

Zayn did.

He shared everything that went down, minus the killing. He told her all about what they’d learned about the men who called that place their ‘office’ of sorts and then about the van leaving the police station.

“I’m sure the Major has it under control,” Elizabeth admitted. “If she needs help, let me know.”

They all knew what that meant.