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Jacob’s Point Of View
Life was good, but business was less fun. We’d played fast and loose for weeks, grappling with a massive corporate expansion, incurring Kate’s pregnancy risk, and discovering what amounted to a full-blown surveillance op crawling over every facet of our lives.
I woke when an alarm on my phone rang, left Kate to her own devices, and took time during a morning run to check in on my daughter.
“You’ll turn eleven in just over a week, Alicia.”
“I’m looking forward to a snowball party at our lodge.”
“It’s your lodge, sweetheart.”
“You and Mom don’t see things as owned by one or the other. I want to be like that.”
We pounded the fresh snow wrapped up warm to defeat a chilly bite in the air. I loved seasons changing, loathing the time I’d spent in the rainforests of Southeast Asia during jungle warfare training because it was only ever hot and sticky.
From time to time, over weeks, Alicia had probed me about my military service, mainly focusing on Afghanistan. I described my time there, leaving out gory details, mentioning Ella’s service and the connection between our countries as allies, trading partners, and friends.
As we turned a tight corner on double tracks at the top of a wooded trail, I saw Alicia’s anxiety rippling across her face.
“What’s the matter, sweetheart?”
“Dad… something is going on, and I know it is a secret, but I am curious.”
“There are only secrets to protect you and Mom.”
“But are you safe?”
“Safety is a perception you have about your life generally, and specifically in a moment. I’m cautious, but yeah… we’re all safe.”
“I meant you, Dad. Are you safe?”
“Yes.”
Her question was relevant because Alicia sensed that we had entered a high-risk period in all our lives. Acquiring the new aviation arm of Global Dynamics had been a step into the darkness, and we still hadn’t found the light switch.