Chapter 4

The air went ice-cold.

I stared at Dad One. My throat locked up. The burn behind my eyes finally spilled over.

The past few days—I'd carried it all alone. Kept it buried. Didn't even dare cry out loud. If they found out, they'd come. And that would only drag them into this.

"Dad..."

"Oh, so these are your dads?" Vivian cut in, sharp and nasty.

Her eyes swept over them. Then she laughed. "Wait. Weren't your dads on death row? How are they even here?"

She laughed harder. "Don't tell me they broke out."

Her crew swarmed in, phones up, cameras clicking nonstop.

My chest tightened.

"Stop filming!" I stepped in front of them without thinking.

Then I turned to my dads, voice low. "You need to go. Your identities can't get out!"

Dad One didn't move.

He just set his rough hand on my head, gentle.

"So that's why you didn't tell us." His voice stayed steady. "Silly kid. What we do is classified. Our names aren't on any honors list, but the government knows. And after everything we've done for this country, it won't leave our kid unprotected."

I froze.

Dad Thirty-Two spoke, slow and rough. "How long have you been carrying this alone?"

Dad Sixty-Seven said nothing. His fists were tight.

Dad Ninety-Four just stared at the blood on my forehead, his gaze cold as steel.

So that was it.

I'd been wrong about everything.

"Dad!"

I threw myself into Dad One's arms and broke down. Between sobs, I told them everything—the freezing water dumped down my collar, ink all over my books, the cheating accusation, my name wiped off the top spot, all the humiliation... and today—the meeting, getting shoved and hitting my head, the food scraps.

"I was scared you'd come if you knew. Scared your identities would get out. I didn't want to put you in danger..."

Footsteps came from the other end of the walkway.

"What are you doing?!"

Mr. Todd rushed over with Linda.

Linda looked my dads up and down and sneered. "What now? More hired actors? You brat, don't think you can bully my daughter."

Her hand came up.

I caught her wrist.

I lifted my head and looked her straight in the eye.

Behind me, my dads stood there—silent, solid.

I had nothing left to fear.

"Not this time."

A luxury car screeched to a stop by the gate.

Graham jumped out and grabbed my collar. "You brat. Do you even know who I am? In Northbridge, there's no one I can't crush!"

He kept going—until his eyes landed on Dad One.

His voice cut off.

He stared. His face shifted. Then he glanced at the others, lips shaking. "You... You're..."

Dad One stepped forward. "Twenty years ago, when drug dealers were hunting you, I saved your life."

His eyes dropped to the hand gripping my collar. Calm. Cold. "Twenty years later, you're grabbing my daughter."

He paused, pulled out his phone, dialed, said a few words, and hung up.

Then—

A low roar rolled across the sky.

One helicopter. Two. Ten. Twenty...

Olive-drab choppers swept in from every direction, circling above the school. The windows rattled.

Then came the grind of tracks tearing over asphalt.

One vehicle. Two. Three...

Armored trucks rolled in from the corner, black muzzles aimed at the gate.

One man. Two. Ten. A hundred...

Men poured in from every side, surrounding Graham, surrounding Vivian, locking down the entire entrance.

Graham went pale.

The hand on my collar loosened—slow, shaky.

Dad One stood at the front, gray hair sharp against his old uniform. His eyes dropped to that hand. His voice came slowly.

"In this life, we bled for this country. It gave us honor. And we made one promise."

He stepped forward. "To protect her."

A beat. Then, colder—

"Go on. Didn't you say her dads were a joke?"

Behind him, the other one hundred and seven men moved in sync.

Boots slammed down—one heavy beat. The ground trembled.

"We're right here." Their voices hit all at once. "Touch our girl again—just try it."