AARON Movement near the entrance pulled my focus. Two men walked in. One wore an army uniform. The other wore a stained polo shirt and dirty khaki pants. They looked out of place and fully aware of it. The soldier stepped forward and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Ladies and gentlemen, sorry to interrupt your meal,” he said. “My associate and I were hoping to speak with each of you before you leave. We believe you may have information about the surrounding area that would help us do our jobs better.” While the soldier spoke, the man in the polo scanned the room. His eyes never stopped moving. His legs stayed angled, ready to move fast if needed. Recognition stirred in my chest. That posture was familiar. Training.Experience. Survival habits that never fade. Shared history, maybe, even if the details were different. Nathan laughed softly. Seraphina joined him. “They have no idea,” she said. My gaze moved over the group. “Want to skip the line and get this over with?” I asked. Everyone nodded. Standing up drew the attention of both men. I waved them over. The soldier nodded, touched the polo man on the shoulder, and pointed toward us. The man in the polo met my eyes as he walked closer. For a brief moment, we locked gazes. Depth stared back at me. Loss. Distance. The kind that settles in when too much is taken in too little time.That look stayed with me. Hope rose that I would never see it reflected in my own eyes. They reached the table and sat down beside each other. “Thank you for taking the time to speak with us,” the soldier said. His name patch read Victor. A single stitched bar sat on the center of his chest. “Happy to help, Captain,” I said. “Lieutenant,” Nathan corrected calmly. Confusion flickered across my face. “I thought a bar meant captain.” Nathan shook his head. Victor did not correct him. A nod ended it. “Sorry about that.” “No worries,” Victor said. A wide, easy smile followed. It felt real. Infectious. Under different circumstances, with enough time, this man could win people over fast. Politics crossed my mind. When this mess settled. When, not if.“This is my associate, Mr. Ronan Ashcroft,” Victor said. Ronan gave a short nod. No smile. No visible emotion. Victor leaned forward slightly. “We were hoping you could tell us about your journey here. Your experiences will help us understand what’s happening in this region.” Heads nodded around the table. “Excellent,” Victor said. Questions followed. Where we came from. What forced us to leave. When we reached the Transit Hall near the Tri City region. Seraphina answered most of them. Ronan stayed quiet, watching everyone closely. Details began to stand out. Ronan never looked at Lucas. Elena received only quick glances. No idea why that mattered, but it did. When the story reached Westhaven, Seraphina paused. Fear rushed back into her voice.Adrenaline surfaced as she spoke. The memory hit hard. Victor listened without interrupting, nodding slowly. Ronan leaned forward, eyes fixed on her. Elena and I took over. Words spilled out about the Haven Assembly Hall. About the drone. About watching a woman die right in front of us. One machine. One moment. No warning. The weight of that act filled the air. The Outer Vehicle Court had been packed beyond reason, spilling into the street. Nowhere to run. Ronan stood suddenly. His chair scraped back. Too fast. Victor stared at him, confused. Ronan turned away and took a few steps. No words. Victor resumed his questions. Nathan spoke last. He told them about Andrews Air Force Base. How close he came to dying. How he believed the President had been killed in the attack. Victor straightened at that. Focus sharpened.When Nathan finished, Victor asked him to speak directly with the army commander to share the story again. Nathan agreed. He stood and placed a hand on Seraphina’s shoulder before leaving. Victor stepped closer to Ronan and whispered something. Ronan nodded once and waved him off. Elena released my hand and reached for her water bottle. The moment she drank, coughing took over. Water sprayed across her blouse and onto the table. “Eww, Mommy!” Lucas shouted. A sharp look from me stopped him cold. “Get your mother a napkin.” His head dipped. He obeyed. Elena took the napkin, face red, still coughing. Somewhere in the middle of that moment, Ronan sat back down. No sound. No warning. He had collected himself completely. His eyes rested on the three of us. “What can I help you with, Mr. Ashcroft?” I asked. “You said you didn’t enter your church?” Nathan asked quietly. Ronan’s gaze dropped to the table. Pain carved deep lines into his face. “Assembly Hall,” I corrected. “And no.” The correction slipped out without thought. A glance passed between Elena and me. Unease followed it. Whatever direction this conversation was heading, it felt heavy. Anticipation tightened my chest.