RAGNAR #5
"You won’t believe it. Yet another cousin of yours! Sun Nolan. How bizarre!"
A small twitch on his face tells me it got through to him. But to my surprise… he still says nothing.
"I probably shouldn't tell you this, since I don't have his permission—"
"Then why are you telling me?" Hunter snaps, and the sudden intensity in his voice nearly knocks me back.
He feels like a porcupine, bristling with defensive energy, and I can tell he’s barely holding himself back from throwing me out.
"Anyway. I’m working on a plan to extract Summer from the fortress. But to pull it off, I need to make sure my parents are safe. When we talked on the phone, you said you’d look into the details. Your contact in witness protection, Zachary, remember? Did you talk to him?"
Hunter’s jaw tightens until it’s just a sharp line.
"I tried calling. He didn’t pick up. I haven’t spoken to Zachary in years. I can’t help you, Ragnar. Hiding from the mafia is damn near impossible. They’ve got people in the police, in all kinds of institutions. It’s—"
"Don’t tell me this bullshit, Hunter! Witness protection pulled it off before. You guys hid people from the mafia all the time—"
"Weren’t you listening? I haven’t talked to Zachary in two years. I haven’t worked there in nine. I joined the army, remember? I don’t know how I could help you. I’ve got my own shit to deal with, no strength left to take on anyone else’s."
I clench my jaw.
"My brothers and my parents are the only family I have. Can you blame me for trying to protect them, Hunter? I think you understand what it means to worry about someone you love," I say it coldly and stand up, realizing this is going nowhere.
Hunter seems completely lost to the world. Olaf’s death broke him. And sure as hell, I can’t repair him.
I turn toward the door, but then I hear it.
"Wait."
Reluctantly, I stop.
Hunter slowly stands and walks over, though he still won’t meet my eyes. I sense some guilt in him.
"Do you even understand how witness protection works, Ragnar? They don’t just take people off the street.
The program’s for people actively testifying against criminal organizations.
With vital information. It needs court or prosecutor approval.
It’s an entire operation, new identities, financial support… "
"I get that, Hunter! But there have to be some workarounds. Even just changing their personal data—"
Hunter sighs and looks off to the side. Silence stretches.
"I’ll try calling him again. Maybe he’ll answer. I’ll see if there’s anything he can do, at least for your parents. But… have you even talked to them about this? They run a gardening business, Ragnar. They’d have to leave their whole life behind…"
"They know. They understand the risks. If I manage to get Summer out, the mafia will come for them. They’re ready to move. They’ve been planning to shut the business down anyway, being retirement age. They can live off their pensions."
Hunter lets out a dry breath of disbelief.
"That’s exactly how the mafia tracks people down, bank activity. It’s not that simple: just disappearing and living a quiet retirement. If it were, we wouldn’t need witness protection. That’s why I need to talk to Zachary first. I’ll do that for you, if I can reach him."
"Thank you, Hunter," I say quietly.
He hesitates, then asks, in a softer voice, "What about Sun? Do you know what he’s even doing there?"
"He’s Anzo’s boyfriend. To use a diplomatic word. But I know getting him out is way more complicated than with Summer. Your family’s too big, we can’t put all of you into witness protection."
"Nathaniel told me Sun’s a troublemaker," Hunter mutters. "And it looks like he was right. Maybe it’s better to hope Anzo gets bored of him and lets him go. Trying to pull him out by force won’t end well. The Ferros are notoriously vindictive."
A wave of discomfort washes over me. "You say that so casually. He’s your cousin. His parents took your brother in after the accident."
Hunter lets out an irritated hiss and walks away, dropping back onto the couch.
"I said I’d help with this one situation. Don’t expect me to save everyone. Sometimes people have to deal with the consequences of their own choices."
I stare at him in disbelief. Grief has changed him so much.
There’s bitterness in him now, and anger, and something like indifference.
His face, so still and lifeless, is almost eerie.
Is he completely consumed by the pain of losing Olaf?
Maybe… he just doesn't care about other people's loved ones anymore.
So I don’t say anything, aware that getting Summer out is hard enough. Sun is a whole different problem.
"Let me know what Zachary says, okay? And take care of yourself, Hunter. Don’t let this drag you down too far," I mutter.
"I know, I know. The sun will rise again, right?" he says in a mocking tone.
"If not the sun , maybe at least a tiny star ."
"Poetic. And sappy. I’m not buying it."
"Cool," I mutter, giving up. His bitterness is solid steel.
"We’ll be in touch." Then I turn and leave.
This visit definitely didn’t improve my mood. As I walk to the car, I wonder why the hell did I even tell him about Sun?
Did I start to think that Sun could be saved as well, like for real ?
Did a part of me start plotting how to save that pretty kid…? Just adding another mission, and upping the odds of failing the one I already have?