Cassian gave no notice to the loyalty his assistant had shown. His expression stayed stormy as he strode into the house. The sound of his heavy steps filled the quiet air until he dropped onto the couch with a dull crash. The shotgun that had clung to him like a shadow for days still sat on the cushions. Cassian snatched it up, his knuckles pale with tension, then hurled it across the room. His voice came out clipped and cold. "It's fine. You can go." Roderick bowed with stiff respect. "Yes, sir." He had only just stepped past the door when his boss's harsh voice cut through the silence. "Come back!" Roderick spun around so fast his shoes scraped against the floor, then hurried back inside. His timing was exact. He saw Cassian bend, scoop up the very shotgun he had just thrown away, and cradle it in his arms like something too precious to let go. Roderick's eyes widened. Did some of his screws loosen up? Cassian's brow twisted, his voice low and tight. "Does your wife have an ex-boyfriend?" Roderick stiffened, blinking hard. What kind of question is that? Still, he answered with honesty. "Yes." After a pause, he added carefully, "Sir, everyone has a past. Every adult has a few exes." Cassian's frown held. His voice grew heavier. "When you were pursuing her, did she ever turn you away because of one of them?"Roderick blinked in confusion. "Of course not." Cassian's stare bore into him without a flicker. Roderick felt forced to go on. "None of them were unforgettable. She had no reason to refuse me because of them." Cassian muttered to himself, his tone dark. "Unforgettable?" His teeth clenched until his jaw twitched. "Very well." He threw the shotgun aside again, the crash echoing across the room. Roderick looked at the poor weapon lying there and wondered why his boss treated it like a target for his temper. Cassian sank into silence, his frown locked in place, his thoughts miles away. Then his eyes darted up. "Why are you still here?" Roderick almost choked. He had just been ordered to stay. Still, his voice stayed polite. "If you have nothing further, sir, I'll take my leave now." Cassian waved him off without looking, distracted and cold. Roderick left, muttering silently inside his head. No paycheck in this world ever came easy. He had only gone a short way before something struck him hard. He stopped in his tracks, slapped his own forehead, and took off running for home. The instant he burst through his door, his voice rang through the house with excitement. "Honey! I've got news that'll shake the ground!" Nadia hurried forward, her eyes wide. "What? Tell me, what news?" Ever since the apocalypse hit, her days had been the same: tending vegetables, caring for the kids, and waiting for time to crawl by. She had not heard real gossip in forever. They leaned close together, their voices low and quick. Roderick whispered with flair, "Mr. Holland is in love." Nadia's eyes flew wide with shock. "What?" The words struck her like a thunderclap. She clapped her hand over her mouth, her voice muffled. "So even a guy like that can find love?" Roderick nodded quickly, his eyes gleaming. "Do you remember how I told you Mr. Holland carried that old beat-up shotgun everywhere like it was his child?" He lowered his voice to a whisper. "And now I think I know why. A lady gave it to him." Nadia nodded in thought. That theory sounded possible. Roderick spilled out the story of the day, every detail. Then his voice dropped. "I've worked for Mr. Holland for years, and I've never seen him lose it like that. He rushed out in nothing but pajamas. And when he came back, he took it all out on that shotgun." Nadia's lips curved, and a laugh broke free. "Then it's true. He has a girl he likes." It was plain as day. He was a man caught in the storm of love. Roderick bobbed his head. "But it's only one-sided." Nadia gasped, her face stunned. "No. That can't be true." Cassian was as close to flawless as any man could be. Women fell over each other trying to get near him. How could someone like him love a woman who didn't return it? Roderick leaned closer, his voice dropping into gossip. "She's hung up on her ex. That's why she turned him away."Nadia pulled out a packet of macadamia nuts, cracked one open, and asked, "What kind of ex holds that kind of power?" Roderick shook his head. "I don't know. But Mr. Holland looked mad enough to lose it. That was pure jealousy if I've ever seen it." Nadia tilted her head, her curiosity rising. "And who's this woman?" Roderick spread his hands wide. "I don't know. I've always been beside him, and I've never seen anything." He froze, his mind flashing back, and his face lit with sudden fire. He sprang to his feet. "I know who it is!" He remembered clearly. The moment he had said the city lost too many lives, Cassian had bolted out the door. That woman had to live in Northlorn. And that shotgun? He only started carrying it after coming back from Cassiland Base. He had gone to Cassiland Base with Natalie Ashford. Roderick's pulse quickened as he recalled that trip to Greenwood Complex. Cassian kept switching between hurry and wait, telling him to drive fast, then slow, then stop altogether so Natalie could ride with them. Roderick's voice shook with triumph. "I've solved it!" Nadia leaned forward, eager. "Tell me! Who is it?" Roderick turned toward her with bright eyes. "Ms. Ashford." Her lips parted. "Natalie?" He nodded quickly. "The very same. The one I told you about saved my life."