Witness [A First Contact Romance]-COMPLETE

61. An Offer (Part 1)

Earth

2027

It had been several hours since Aeryn had left, and it was time for Jace to go as well. He entered the room where Levi slept, pushed the boy's hair back from his face, and kissed his forehead. His son squinted his eyes open.

"I'll see you soon," Jace said quietly.

Levi reached his arms around Jace's neck like he used to when he was little. "Be safe. We need you."

"Alright, buddy."

When the boy settled back down, Jace knelt down beside him. "I have missions coming up and your mom has work to do. It may be a little while."

"I know."

It had been the two of them for so long that it didn't feel real for Aeryn and Levi to have reunited. When his son was first born, they had done everything together as a family. Then, for ten years, Jace navigated parenthood alone. "I'm sorry that I wasn't always who you needed me to be."

Levi rubbed his eyes and propped himself up. "You're the best dad ever."

He smiled, because his son believed it. "I'll do better. I love you, Levi."

"Love you too. Don't act weird, okay?"

He nodded. "Okay."

Jace had been around Levi's age when he left home for good and never saw his parents or siblings again. This history of family separation stretched on for too long and it had to end. Aeryn was right that they could not give in to Vehru or the federation, but Jace legitimately could not allow anyone to hurt her. It defied the essence of his being.

He left Levi with an old worn picture of Aeryn holding him as a baby with Jace's arms around her from behind, the rapture and fatigue of being new parents glowing in their smiles.

When Jace left, he did not hide from Morfrain that he wanted to meet. All those days when Morfrain had used the neuroweb on Jace had taught him something about the commander that he likely would never have learned otherwise. Jace knew without doubt that the other man would be eager to talk to him, even if only for the entertainment of seeing him betray Vehru.

Jace met with Morfrain in Aeryn's home, away from prying eyes. When he slipped in through the back door, the commander already stood in the basement that had been trashed by the fight with Vehru.

"Looks like you had fun here," Morfrain said, facing the bar with his back turned to Jace.

"We shouldn't waste time. I'm due for a mission in a few hours."

"Yes, one of those humanitarian charades." Morfrain turned to lean against the broken bar. "Rescue the humans before we conquer them."

It was the first time that Jace had looked into the man's eyes again since Vehru kicked him off the planet. His chest tightened at the memory of lying on the ground while Morfrain leaned close and told him he could see that Jace still hadn't accepted how powerless he was against the commanders. The same stoney green eyes stared at him today, promising Jace that victory still was impossible.