d Maria' s quiet, competent help. Jessica was a rock, handli

he new

ivia being rescued.

ssy in that South American country. He was alive, but cri

rted ringing

s mother. Her voice w

! Ethan! Have you heard?

, my voice even. Emily

our contacts! Get him evacuated! We ne

ftware company. I didn' t have high-level government con

a choice to go th

? He was on a business trip

Olivia. I told him if he

can you be so cruel? Your husb

n the line. His tone was more

arital squabbles you' re having. Your duty

ing like ash. "My duty was to our chi

vague friends, all echoing the same sent

l, called. A perfuncto

now if there' s, you know, anything official

ng it," I said, which meant I wa

o crumble, to rush to save the man who hadn' t tho

' t know

resolve that had been forged in the fi

y mother. I woul

focus was here, in my arms. Not thousands o