"I have never seen an agent pick himself up so fast after so many incidents. I've got..." She trailed off, looking at her monitor. "Six different times you've been shot in the line of duty, and that's just on this page. The problem is that you're good. You are damned good, and the Bureau really does not want to lose a sniper with your skillset."
"There are many better snipers in the military," he reminded her.
"Who are perfectly happy to stay there," she countered. "By the time they come to us, they're no longer at the top of their game. Oh, they're still good, but they're no longer perfect. You, however, are. The hostage situation at UNY-N? Zero friendly casualties. Now this cyber case? I'm hard-pressed to say that you don't deserve to have your leash loosened, but I want you to think about one thing."
"Certainly, ma'am," he agreed.
Alex pushed a group of papers over to him. "Where would these people be right now if you were making video games?"
Jason's eyes dropped to the list and he recognized a few of the names. These were the victims he'd saved. It was a good tactic, and it would've worked in most other situations. The problem for her was that he had an answer.
"They would be just fine after the current sniper handled the situation. I believe in the capability of the Bureau, ma'am. Now, let me counter that. The twelve year old boy being bullied for his red hair, the lesbian struggling to make it through the ninth grade now that people know she kisses girls, the transgender teen stuck holding it all day because they can't use any bathroom. When they get home and log into a game instead of taking those pills, cutting their wrists, or picking up their parent's gun - who is out there for them?"
"Deviant Games springs to mind," she told him. "You see, I have faith in the ability of private companies."
"That's where you're wrong," he said. "Deviant Games is the one and only company who puts the safety of their clients over their profits. Why? Because they're all flawed, and they call that their superpower. Most companies are managed by larger companies, whose decisions are made by the board of directors. They want money. These kids, though? They need an escape. I can help because I've been there. Hell, I'm still there most days."
"If I could get you out of your agreement with the Bureau," Alex countered, "how can you assure the Director that you would not become a problem that we have to deal with later?"
"I want to stop the problems," Jason explained. "Even when I was a kid, I was just trying to get someone to listen to us. I felt like I was invisible, and I knew how to be seen. I was also a kid, Alex. A young, dumb boy who wanted to be cool more than anything. But I'm not a little kid anymore. I'm getting married in a couple months. I want to take care of my wife, have a few kids, and plan cookouts with my partner."
"So you'd consent to having Bradley look in on you?" she asked.
Jason nodded. "He's a friend. I intend to keep it that way, regardless of where either of us works."
She grabbed the papers before him, scooped them into a pile with the others, and then stood. "Let me see what I can do, gentlemen. I'm promising nothing, but I don't think you're a threat. I think you're a hero, Mr. Raige. And you, Bradley, are clearly a saint. I'm sure he's not the easiest partner in the world."
"The best ones never are," Bradley admitted. "I also know that I can trust Jason with my life, and at the end of the day, that's all that matters to me."
"I'd like to make a counter offer, Jason, but I'll also work to remove that restriction. Even if you stay with us, you should do it because you want to help others, not because you don't have any other choice. You're too good of a man for that." Then she looked at Bradley. "And you need to think about what you'll do if I can get you a promotion but not him. I asked you both here as a head's up. You need time to think about your options, because there will be some reward for everything you've done. If I had to guess, it will come down right