city! For the world. Oh my god.” I hope she doesn’t start crying, but I’m honestly surprised she was able to speak at all.
“Well, thank you, I appreciate it,” he says kindly, radiating gentlemanly charm. “It’s been my honor to protect this city.” He bows his head, but there’s a twinge of sadness in his eyes. “Here, let’s take a seat, shall we?” He guides us away from the guesthouse, toward a seating area with white Adirondack chairs.
Once we’re settled, I get down to it. “So, let’s talk about this siege. Judging by the crowd of people outside your gate, I don’t think we’ll be the first ones to come to you for help.” He says nothing, a blank canvas. I know he’s generally a man of few words, but I kind of expected at least some sort of response. “Has Warrior Nation contacted you?”
After a beat, he finally says, “We’ve been in touch.”
“Really? That’s great!” Claire and I exchange a hopeful glance.
But he picks up his palm to stop our excitement. “Not in the way you’re thinking, I’m afraid.”
“Why not? They don’t want your help?” Claire asks.
He frowns, gripping the arms of the chair. “That’s not procedure. Bringing in a retiree…it would make them look weak.” He pauses before adding: “Their words.”
That makes no sense at all. “It seems like they’d be bringing in experience and wisdom, but what do I know?”
He brightens, giving me a sad smile. “I always liked you, Bridgette. Why are you getting yourself wrapped up in this anyway? Aren’t you and Matt…?”
“Even if we’re not together, I don’t want anything to happen to him.” My heart pinches as I say the words, feeling their truth in my bones.
“That is admirable,” he offers, “but you should stay out of this. Keep yourself safe.”
“We’re not going to charge into a secret lair or anything. Claire and I just want to get a rescue mission going.”
“I don’t know what they’re doing, but they’re not calling in the other chapters for help, and we don’t understand why.”
He sits back, staring off at the lake, gaze hard. This is a man of action—a warrior—and to see him so still, so contemplative, is bizarre. Sunlight kissing his chiseled profile, he is the picture of heroism yet stuck in some kind of strange stupor. I can’t tell if he’s formulating his own secret plan, or if he’s just exhausted by it all, giving up before he even begins.
“Will you help us?” Claire asks, hands twisting in her lap.
He turns back to us, expression as still as stone. “I’m not sure what I can do.”
“Help us understand,” I say, my urgency building. “You know the inner workings of this organization better than anyone. We—the whole city—need your expertise.”
“This world doesn’t need me anymore,” he admits, not out of want for pity, but as statement of fact. Sad words hang among us, chilling the air, but Claire is not having this resolution.
“That is just not true!” His biggest fan is all fired up, and she won’t go down without a fight. “You can still do great things! You’re…my hero!” I give her an encouraging grin; if I had a cheerleader like Claire, I think even I could save the world. The way she’s looking at him, it’s like he’s the sun and she’s just lucky to be in his orbit. “You probably don’t remember, but you saved my life when I was ten. My mom and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. You inspired me to do something with my life, to help make the world a better place. That’s why I joined Warrior Nation, and that’s why I’m here now.”
Her honest admission breaks him out of his sorrow. “Claire, thank you for sharing that with me,” Charles says quietly. He reaches for her hand, cupping it gently like he’s holding a baby bird. “All I ever wanted to do was help people.”
“And you still can,” I say, leaning forward. “Chicago needs you.”
“I’m…having trouble believing that,” he answers. “I’ve been following all the story updates, trying to piece together what’s going on. But no one will answer my calls; the other heroes don’t want me around. My age makes me a liability, apparently.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Claire shrieks, offended on his behalf. “You’re still just as strong if not stronger than all of them combined!”
“Be that as it may, I can’t force myself into a situation where I’m not wanted. My