“Oh, yeah. So much,” Jack said, his acting nowhere near as convincing as his mom’s.

Katie nodded silently though.

“Do you remember him?” Alexia prodded, looking at Katie who was staring at the floor. “You were so young when he left.”

She nodded again, finally pulling her eyes away from the floor.

“Yes. I was only five when he was sent to the orphanage,” she said softly.

Alexia nodded, her expression sympathetic.

“What did you think about him being sent to the orphanage?”

Katie’s eyes flitted towards her mom as she hesitated.

“I… didn’t like it,” she said eventually.

“That’s alright, Katie. You can say how you really felt,” her mom prompted.

Cas’ hand tightened in mine.

I could feel the anger rolling off him in waves as Katie glanced at the cameras helplessly.

“Go on,” Alexia added.

“I missed him,” Katie said softly. “I didn’t really understand it when he left. I remember… I remember I kept asking when he’d come back.”

Alexia lifted a hand to her chest, her expression a mask of heartbreak.

“That is so sad. How long did it take you to understand he’d never come back?” she asked.

Cas let out a soft, furious breath.

“Not that long. My dad was… pretty clear about it. He told me Ad—, Cas, had been sent away and that he was never coming back.”

Alexia nodded again.

“That is so sad. What would you say to him today, if he were watching?”

“I would tell him that I miss him and that he should come home,” Jack said smoothly, his expression perfectly sad.

It was too much though. There was something jarring about his performance. Unlike Katie’s, his words felt hollow. I believed that Katie actually missed Cas and wanted him to come home but Jack… He was just like his parents.

“Touching,” Alexia said. “And, what about you, Katie? Do you have anything to say to your brother?”

Katie swallowed visibly, her gaze bouncing from her mom to the camera again.

“I… I want to say I’m sorry. He got in trouble a lot when he was younger because of me. I’m… It feels like it was my fault that he was sent to the orphanage. He used to sneak downstairs to get cookies and snacks for me, not for himself. Dad found out and punished him for it. I think that was the beginning. They hated him for it. I’m… I’m sorry, Cas, if you really are out there watching and thank you,” she said, her voice tight with emotion.

My stomach clenched at her obvious guilt and I just wanted to tell her that it wasn’t her fault. From what Cas had said, Harvey already hated him at that point. It wasn’t that he was stealing food for Katie, it was that he was too curious and unwilling to accept that whatever Harvey was doing was the right thing regardless.

“So sad,” Alexia said, looking away from Katie and staring directly at the camera. “A family ripped apart by greed and anger. It is so hard to see. Hopefully, somewhere out there Cas is watching this and knows that his family miss him and comes home.”

“Actually,” Katie said, interrupting Alexia. “I don’t think he should come home.”

There was a moment of silence and the mask on Haley’s face fell revealing fury.

“You don’t?” Alexia asked, her excitement clear. “Why not?”

Katie very carefully did not look at her mom. She kept her eyes trained on Alexia even as Haley’s face fell into an understanding look.

“She just wants Adam to stay safe,” she said, answering for Katie. “She knows that if he leaves the freedom fighters right now, they might retaliate.”

Alexia nodded but Katie wasn’t done.

“Actually, it’s not. I understand why he’s angry and why he’s fighting. The way the Council acted isn’t right, the way our dad acted isn’t right. Cas, if you’re watching, stay there and keep fighting,” she insisted.

A tear fell down Cas’ face and his hand trembled within mine.

“Powerful words. Unfortunately, that’s all we have time for. Please stick around for a quick word from our sponsors and after the break, we’ll be talking to Dianna who lost her husband in the Council headquarter attack,” Alexia said, smiling brightly at the cameras.

The screen cut to black and the room was silent for a moment. It felt like no one knew quite how to react to what we’d just seen. I didn’t know either.

I wanted to hug Cas, to make sure that he was alright, but I was filled with fury. Worry too. Katie had clearly said the wrong thing and I was scared of their mom’s reaction. She had looked so angry, it was scary. But surely she wouldn’t do anything to punish her? Not now, right?

I wouldn’t put it past her. I hope we find Katie soon and can make sure she’s okay.

“Well, that was certainly interesting,” Fornax said, her tone cautious.

“It was indeed,” Aquila mused softly. “So, she and the family have turned their back on Harvey. It seemed quite rehearsed though which makes me question it. Very interesting that both Harvey and Haley want Cas to come home, I assume that was intentional.”

I heard most people turn back towards Aquila but the rest of my crew and I didn’t move. We were all looking at Cas.

He was still staring at the screen, his face unreadable.

Are you okay? I asked, slightly pointlessly.

It was obvious he wasn’t but still, I needed to ask.

Do you need to leave? Peggy asked.

No, came Cas’ response but I wasn’t sure which of us he was talking to. I just… I didn’t expect to see them again.

I tightened my grip on Cas’ hands despite my fingers feeling numb from how hard he was squeezing them.

I know, I thought softly.

“Cas, do you need to step outside?” Andy asked.

I felt everyone turn to look at him and I almost wanted to shout at them to look away. Protectiveness reared in me violently. He should never have had to watch that with everyone else there. He should have been warned at least.

Cas slowly let go of my hand and turned towards the table. We did the same but I don’t think any of us looked away from him.

“No, I’m alright, thank you,” he replied tightly.

He should have. He should have walked away, even for a moment, rather than fall apart later. I get why he didn’t but feeling him sobbing in my arms later that day broke my heart.

Andy’s face made it clear that he didn’t believe him but I knew that he trusted Cas and didn’t want to push it.

“Alright. First, I think this should be obvious but Crew Seven Six One did not kill Councillor Vierstra,” Andy announced. “They have been diligently working to support those who have been rescued from Nova and the efforts of the fighters, not sneaking about and assassinating people.”

“I think it is very clear who actually murdered the Councillor or did no one else notice the bruises on Harvey’s neck?” Chal said, his tone blithe.

I nodded along with some of the others.

Cas’ hand found mine under the table and he laced his fingers through mine, gripping tightly.

Aquila nodded slightly and typed on the screen before her, bringing up a picture of Harvey during the announcement on the holo-display. The picture zoomed in, focusing on his neck and the faint but unmissable bruises.

“Wonderful. I assume that they were due to either Vierstra or Ortiz. I’ll have Orion see if he can determine whether the bruises fit either of their hand sizes,” Aquila said.

We waited whilst she made a note on her screen and even with Andy’s announcement, people were shooting us looks. It was like they didn’t believe him and were either proud of us or jealous.

I hated it.