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Hayley reaches us.

I pull her into my other arm.

For the first time in eighteen years, I hold both of them.

My daughter.

The woman I have always loved.

Behind us, six Iron Ridge Protectors stand together.

In front of us, federal agents lead Emilio Navarro away in restraints.

The man who believed he owned Sage looks back once.

She doesn’t see him.

She is holding her father.

And I am never letting her go again.

25

SAGE

Iwake at three in the morning.

For once, it isn’t because of a nightmare.

Red Canyon is quiet.

Seven former Delta Special Forces soldiers sleep in rooms throughout the safe house.

Sean and Hayley are across the hall.

Will is in the room beside mine.

Navarro is in a federal hospital with three armed guards outside his door.

Patrick Dalton and Daniel Price are in federal custody.

Deputy Ramirez is facing charges in New Mexico.

The six girls from the truck are safe.

And I don’t know what to do with all the silence.

I pull on a sweatshirt and walk to the kitchen.

The refrigerator is full because Kane went shopping yesterday.

He bought enough food for twenty people.

Then Arthur went shopping because he didn’t like what Kane bought.

Now we have twelve dozen eggs, six kinds of cheese, four gallons of milk, and more bacon than any house should legally contain.

I take out the butter.