The Director frowned. “I do.”
“We have to assume the KC’s know where you are. Your mole is giving them intel. Check the weapon daily, keep it on you, use it daily make sure it works and have a couple of backups that no one knows about, they came for your daughter, were going to nuke us and used her to get to us, you’re an easy target and if they get to you….”
The Director nodded. “Agreed. Good advice.” The Director looked over at her and her uncles. Then back at her father. She knew something was coming. “I have the feeling this runs deep. Probably a lot of people here are compromised. I need help. I could do with an outside team. A team I can trust until I know who it is here. My people need the training Moon had. I know it went tits up on our first try but if they came here, it might work better.”
“And be a target too.” Her father shook his head. “I can’t sanction that but if you are willing to work with me on setting up a neutral training ground, just us on the need to know, we can do that.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll pick a place, and I’ll give you a time to be there.” Her father told him.
The Director looked at Sarah and smiled softly at her. Moon knew he indulged his daughter and loved her. “This was not your fault. It was our weakness to stay in touch. But we are both at fault and I should have declined your request.”
“Ben said it would be a good idea and I should ask you. I didn’t know this would happen or was even possible.” She pouted.
“Ben? Chief of security Ben?” The Director asked.
Sarah frowned. “Well, err yes.” Moon gritted her teeth. Mr Ass spikes again.
“Sounds like you have more problems than just your inner circle Director.” RW told him.
The Director looked about to lynch someone.
“And he’d have had access to all your people and those vehicles Moon was in, plus all coming and going itineraries.” Marcus added.
“Jesus Christ!” The Director exploded. “I need someone who can dig out these traitors.” He looked at Marcus. “You were with my daughter on that video, you gave us the location.” Moon tried not to flinch.
Just hearing it….
“You took from her son. I’m aware it saved her life, but facts are facts. We all need this alliance to work if we are going to survive what’s coming. There is too much distrust on both sides and not enough constructive building blocks. There are a lot of other silo’s out there, working or not and they’re looking. What we need is a good old-fashioned connection we can all believe in. Links that bind us that we can trust as one people and build on, that will help put to bed any mistrust. I’m suggesting an old-fashioned betrothal, to strengthen a bond between you and us. You’re their Prime and she’s my daughter it seems a perfect opportunity to do just that and you can lead the training here.” The entire room held its breath.
Moon blinked slowly.
Was he seriously proposing that?
Her father was never going to go for it. She felt sure no one would. Only….. no one was talking.
She couldn’t look at Marcus. Would he do it? Her chest constricted.
“I believe,” Marcus said at last looking directly at the screen. “That your daughter would now prefer someone else.”
“No I wouldn’t.” Sarah blurted defiantly.
Marcus looked across the table at her. “You need me to say it again? Here in front of everyone?” Sarah didn’t say anything. Just stubbornly stared at him. “I do not care for you. Never did. I acted to save your life, not because of who you are but because you were human, because you were the charge of Moon who put her life in jeopardy for a damn month, to keep you alive and you didn’t deserve that kind of death.”
“You saved it, you own it.” Sarah bit out.
Marcus laughed incredibly turning back to the Director coldly. “Yeah and that is never going to happen.”
The Director looked confused at his daughter, clearly, he had different information, then looked back at her. He now looked to be chewing a rock. “Moon, I understand you got on well with Jackson my cousin’s stepson, would you consider a betrothal to him for this alliance?”
A little shocked she stood there staring at him but didn’t give anything away. She did like Jackson, he wasn’t pretentious and seemed genuine and honest. He was good people. Worked hard and took his job seriously. He was head of their military teams and had earnt his place with hard work regardless of who he was connected to. She looked at her father unable to look at Marcus whose face was still closed down. He gave her the slightest of nods. He thought it a good idea regardless of Marcus sitting right next to him.
She looked up at the Director. “Jacksons good people. He will make a fine leader one day. He runs your security well, when he’s allowed to by Ben and is a fair man. I would need to speak with him first before I agreed to anything, but if it would make this work, in principle I have no objection.”
“Good. No pressure but the sooner both our sides are more joined, the easier this will be going forward.” The Director told them. “I’ll talk to him privately and send him to you, give me a location for pick up.” She nodded. The Director looked back at her father. “At the same time, my daughter should come home, she has her own wedding to sort out.” Sarah protested. Moon knew she was engaged to a nice guy, she’d met him several times in the year she’d been with the FHA and thought he could do better quite frankly. Sarah wasn’t loyal, but he seemed to love her and was the son of one of her father’s senators. Politically it was a good match and probably had a lot to do with it on his side. But what he needed in her opinion and she’d told him more than once, was to find his balls and put Sarah firmly in her place. She didn’t really want him, and sadly she thought he knew that. What Sarah did want was Jackson or had before all this and he’d kept blowing her off for the spoilt bitch she was. Now she wanted Marcus. Sarah was fickle like that. Her father ignored her protests. “You will do your duty, like Moon just did without further complaint!” The Director roared.
Sarah sat shocked in her chair. Moon had never heard him raise his voice to her before. She wondered what she’d told him about Marcus for him to believe he’d be interested.