Page 391 of Mercy Written in Blood

She considered.

"Time."

Haruki nodded.

"You have it."

Mori began to speak. Haruki raised one hand.

"She has it."

The Commander's jaw tightened. Then eased.

"Forty-eight hours," he said.

"No limit."

"We cannot leave them unprotected indefinitely."

"They will not be unprotected."

"By whom?"

Haruki looked around the table.

"By all of us."

Mina frowned.

"That requires trust."

"No," Haruki said. "It requires witnesses."

The room became quiet. He continued.

"No organisation takes sole custody. No relocation occurs without the mother's consent. Accord provides intelligence on bloodline threats. The Family provides physical security and transportation. The Unveiled verifies that neither organisation removes them without notice."

Mori looked towards Mina.

"You expect us to grant operational visibility to an extremist movement."

"I expect you to grant visibility to people who have learned secrecy can become disappearance."

"And who monitors the Unveiled?"

"The Family."

Mina looked at Haruki.

"And who monitors you?"

Renji answered.

"I do."

The words entered the room simply. Haruki looked towards him. Renji's expression remained composed. No humour. No claim of superiority. Only certainty that partnership included opposition when required.

Haruki felt something loosen inside him. Mori noticed. So did Ken. The shift was small. But leadership, Haruki thought, often changed first through seating arrangements.