Her husband.
He looked exhausted.
His shirt was wrinkled.
His face was pale.
He had clearly been awake for hours.
“Naomi.”
She stood.
“Don't.”
Daniel stopped.
“I need to explain.”
“No.”
“I can explain.”
“You should have explained six years ago.”
He closed his eyes.
“You know.”
“I know enough.”
“What did Mercer tell you?”
“That you were Northstar's intermediary.”
Daniel looked at Atlas.
Then back at her.
“That's not what happened.”
“Then tell me what happened.”
He didn't answer.
Naomi's voice became quiet.
“That silence is becoming an answer.”
Daniel walked closer.
Chapter 11
“I didn't betray you.”
“You contacted Mercer.”
“Yes.”
“You gave him information about me.”
“I gave him information that I thought would protect you.”
“You gave him my name.”
“I was trying to stop them.”
“By helping them?”
“I had no choice.”
Naomi laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“That's what everyone says.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Who?”
“Everyone who hurts you.”
He flinched.
She continued.
“They always have a reason.”
Daniel looked down.
“I knew they were watching you.”
“How long?”
“Six years.”
Naomi stared.
“Six years.”
“Yes.”
“And you never told me.”
“You asked me not to.”
“No.”
Daniel looked up.
“You did.”
“When?”
“In Baltimore.”
Naomi's face tightened.
“I don't remember.”
“I know.”
“Tell me.”
Daniel hesitated.
“You recruited me.”
The words landed harder than she expected.
Naomi stared at him.
“Recruitment for what?”
“Northstar.”
Atlas moved between them.
Daniel stopped.
“He remembers.”
Naomi looked down at the dog.
Daniel continued.
“Northstar wasn't a criminal organization.”
“Then what was it?”
“A covert investigative network.”
“Investigating what?”
“Corruption inside federal contracting.”
Naomi's eyes narrowed.
“And Victor Harlan?”
“He was one of the contractors you were investigating.”
“And you?”
“I was technical support.”
“You were my husband.”
“I became your husband afterward.”
She stared.
“What do you mean?”
Daniel looked at her.
“You didn't know me when we met.”
Naomi's stomach tightened.
“I met you in Baltimore.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Yes.”
“No.”
“You were already injured.”
Her voice dropped.
“Where?”
“Warehouse on Mercer Street.”
The room seemed to tilt.
Blue door.
Concrete.
Rain.
A gunshot.
Atlas barking.
A man's hand.
Daniel shouting.
Naomi touched her temple.
“Stop.”
Daniel immediately stopped.
She breathed slowly.
“Who shot me?”
“We never identified him.”
“Victor?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Daniel shook his head.
“We believed it was someone inside Northstar.”
Naomi looked at him.
“You said I recruited you.”
“Yes.”
“Why would I recruit you if I didn't trust you?”
“Because you didn't trust anyone.”
“Then why trust you?”
Daniel's eyes became wet.
Chapter 12
“Because I saved your life.”
Naomi stared.
“When?”
“That night.”
“What happened?”
“You were shot.”
“I know.”
“You fell.”
“I know.”
“Atlas attacked the shooter.”
Naomi looked down.
Atlas's ears moved.
Daniel's voice cracked.
“You told me to take Atlas and run.”
“And you?”
“I stayed.”
“Why?”
“Because you couldn't walk.”
Naomi closed her eyes.
“What happened after?”
“You lost consciousness.”
“Then?”
“I got you out.”
“Where?”
“A safe house.”
“Then?”
“You woke up three days later.”
Naomi's breathing changed.
“And?”
“You looked at me.”
Daniel wiped his face.
“You didn't remember me.”
She stared.
“I asked who you were.”
“Yes.”
“What did you tell me?”
“That I was Daniel.”
“Your real name?”
He hesitated.
“Yes.”
“What was my name?”
“You couldn't remember.”
Naomi shook her head.
“But I knew my own name.”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“You didn't.”
“I don't remember that.”
“I know.”
Daniel looked at Atlas.
“You remembered him.”
The dog stared back.
“You knew Atlas.”
Naomi knelt beside him.
Her hands moved through his fur.
Something inside her chest loosened.
A memory surfaced.
A younger Atlas.
A blue door.
Her hand on his collar.
A voice saying, “Stay.”
Then gunfire.
She stood abruptly.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Naomi—”
“Don't touch me.”
He stopped.
She looked at him.
“You said I asked for my memory to be erased.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you believed Northstar had been compromised.”
“By whom?”
Daniel swallowed.
“You.”
Naomi stared.
“What?”
“You thought you were the leak.”
Silence.
Daniel continued.
“You believed someone had accessed your memories, your contacts, your operational knowledge.”
“And you agreed to erase it?”
“I didn't make the decision.”
“Who did?”
“Vance.”
Naomi froze.
“Thomas Vance?”
Daniel nodded.
“He was your handler.”
“My handler?”
“Yes.”
She stepped back.
“And he told me what?”
“That you had to forget.”
“Why?”
“Because you knew too much.”
Naomi looked toward the window.
The sky was still bright.
The world outside remained ordinary.
Chapter 13
Cars passed.
People walked.
Someone laughed in the parking lot.
Inside the room, her entire history had become uncertain.
“Daniel.”
“Yes?”
“Did you love me before I forgot?”
He closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
“Did you love me after?”
“Yes.”
“Did you marry me because I couldn't remember?”
His silence was enough.
Naomi looked at him.
“You did.”
“I married you because I loved you.”
“But you also knew I was missing pieces of my life.”
“Yes.”
“You knew I had a past.”
“Yes.”
“And you kept it from me.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You were deciding for me.”
Daniel looked broken.
“Yes.”
Naomi turned away.
For a long moment, neither spoke.
Then Atlas walked to the door.
He stared into the hallway.
His ears rose.
Naomi noticed.
“What is it?”
Atlas began to growl.
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
The growl deepened.
A shadow moved beneath the door.
Naomi's expression changed.
“Daniel.”
“I see it.”
The handle turned.
The door opened.
A man stood outside.
Thomas Vance.
He wore a dark suit.
No federal insignia.