Their sister? “But—”
“She’s not as stupid as she looks,” Josh said.
“She looks like she’s sharp,” Bruce answered. “A sharpshooter, a sharp observer, and a really sharp Army nurse. They run the hospitals over there, you know.”
Again, Josh rolled his eyes. “I know. That’s what I said. She’s smarter than she looks, and she looks like she’s on the ball.” He took a deep breath. “And she told me things about what Dad did to you. She knows about the vasectomy.”
Bruce’s head snapped up. “What? I never told her.”
“You never told anyone, but she knew. And she said I was an idiot for not looking closer, but that I was forgiven because I’m the youngest and really not that bright.”
Bruce snorted. That was Ivy for you, smarter than them both. So smart she’d apparently escaped their toxic home life unscathed. Or at least, less scathed.
But none of that excused all the shit he’d done to Josh over the years. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “Really damn sorry.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. And I’m sorry I blamed you all those years for my own inability to get off my ass and get on with my life.” Josh looked at Nero, and then his gaze swept wide to include all of them. “I’ve got a purpose now. And I’ve got a new family—a family I love.” He looked back to Bruce. “And we’d be thrilled if you could join us. You and my new nephew.”
“I’d like that,” Bruce said. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Great!” Josh said as he hauled Bruce into a hug. Bruce returned it, suddenly blinking back tears. Josh seemed to be doing the same thing, because when they separated, they both ducked their heads as if something had flown into their eyes.
“And speaking of my new nephew,” Josh said when they started back to the house. “Where exactly is he?”
“Wulfric’s got him,” the director whispered. When Bruce looked at him in surprise, he snorted. “Don’t think that anything goes on with my people that I don’t know about. And that includes my people’s new baby boy.” Then he looked at both Bruce and Laddin. “Now listen up. You both are going to take housing near the mansion in Michigan. It’s right next to the state park and is an easy run to work.” He pointed at Laddin. “You’re on duty with Captain M until I say different. She’s been getting five times the work done since you were recruited, and I know that’s you. So no more talk about going back to Hollywood. We need you, and now you have a magic baby that we need to protect.”
Laddin tilted his head. “Tell me about this housing. Are we talking an apartment or—”
“They’re townhomes.”
“Two stories,” Laddin exclaimed as he made a fist of joy. “Yes!”
Then the director turned back to Bruce. “I’d like you to stay on as our medic. You can rotate through the combat packs and pick the one you want. But if Nero okays it, I’d like you to stay on with him. The pack is based in the mansion, and that would allow you to go home to see the kid. We’re completely understaffed, and we need advice on exactly what and how to get new people in.”
Josh piped up. “We’re revamping the recruitment policy because—”
“Yes, Josh, I heard you the first hundred times. And now you get to help your brother do that. If there’s a better way to recruit new people, then find it and do it, because this little dance in Wisconsin doesn’t feel like the end. It seems more like a shift from the beginning to the middle. There’s more weird stuff coming, and we need to be prepared to deal with it.” He paused a moment to look at them both. “Agreed?”
Josh snapped an “Agreed” like it was “Yes, sir!”
Bruce was slower as he watched his brother. When Josh looked back, Bruce said the words aloud. “I’d like that,” he said. “Us working together.”
“Then say ‘agreed,’ you idiot.”
Bruce turned back to the director. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
“Finally,” the director said with a grin. “Someone who knows how to respond properly!” And then he didn’t say anything at all, and no one else did either. Because walking slowly toward them were Wulfric and his mother… as well as an adorable bundle held tightly in Wulfric’s arms.
Bruce looked at Laddin, whose face was split into a huge grin. A moment later they ran together toward their son.
Within minutes, Aaron—the real Aaron—was tucked safely into Bruce’s arms. Laddin was fussing with the kid’s clothing, making sure he was bundled up tight in the chilly morning air. And Uncle Josh came up beside them and started talking about all the chemistry-inspired practical jokes he was going to teach the boy.
Great. One parent teaching him explosives and an uncle teaching him chemistry. Good thing Bruce was a medic. He had the feeling they were going to need one at their house.
Their house. The idea was so wonderful that he had to share it. So he looked to Laddin. There were so many things he wanted to say, so many astonishing thoughts crowded into his brain, but none of them came through. All he could manage to utter were three little words, words Laddin spoke as well.
“I love you.”
Epilogue
FAIRY FAIRYLAND IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE
“THE TEMPERATURE in the dragon cages has been lowered five degrees. Is there any other way that I may serve you?”
Emma Davis (code name Mother) looked at the vaguely human-shaped fluff of light that had spoken to her and shook her head. “Nothing, minion. Thank you for your help.” She knew that the sparkly lights were more like drones than real people, but she couldn’t help treating them as living creatures.
“It is my pleasure to serve the Dragon Mother,” the fluff said before it zipped away.
Emma considered calling it back. She was dying for someone to talk to, but conversing with a
