I stood in front of my father's desk and stared him down.

"What?" He asked.

"This whole retirement story is bullshit isn't it?" I asked him, and he leaned back in his chair and looked up at me without saying a word.

"You're on assignment here at home aren't you? That's why Rob Lattire was in this house the other day, now the old man is dead? Spill it."

He drew in a deep breath and leaned forward. "Son, have a seat." He stood up and walked over to make sure the door was shut and locked.

He walked back over and looked down at me.

"I've worked with Rob now for a few years. The old man never produced his wife, even after Joey did what she was expected." He said.

"Don't say her name." My stomach turned, and he just rolled his eyes at me.

"Do you want the truth or not?" He asked.

"Yes, as long as it doesn't involve..her." I said.

"Damn, you can't even say her name? Well, sorry if you don't want to hear her name, there's no story." He said.

"Whatever"

"Fine, Joey was taken to Europe by a man named Jackson Beaumont. They were married, and had a few kids. She's still married to him now, and he is our real target, but he is untouchable in Europe." He said.

"I'm asking about your retirement." I reminded him.

"I'll get to it. I was given orders to deal with Robertson Lattire." He said.

"You mean to assassinate him." I corrected my father.

"Call it what you want, but Rob got me into the house. The plan was to lure Joey home. Rob says Beaumont won't let her out of his sights for long, so we are waiting for his arrival." He said.

"So, you'll risk her life? You were like a father to her, Dad." I asked.

"A father that failed her years ago. Dammit, Hudson. I found out a week after she left that her mother is dead. If she would have waited a little while longer, she never would have left." He said.

"You never told me!" I stood up to face him.

"She had already done it, and by the time I found her location, she was pregnant. She was just as untouchable, but I had Rob. It wasn't an official assignment until about a year ago, when the big wigs started getting blackmailed by both Lattire and Beaumont. They wanted immunity, so Beaumont could return home with his family. They were involved with some illegal arms trades with the middle east." He said.

"Dad, did you have something to do with my leave of absence? You've insisted for weeks I come home." I asked.

"I didn't intend for you to bring Jake." He said.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now? You brought your work home, and you're screwing mom over? She thinks you're retired." I'm pissed.

"My retirement starts when the Beaumont's are brought to justice." He said.

"Does Rob know about his mother?" I asked.

"Yes, but he doesn't have the heart to tell his sister." He said.

"If anything happens to her or my son, I'm holding you responsible. I should have been told everything from the beginning." I said.

"Son, you were at war and married. How could you expect me to tell you anything? Plus, this is some highly classified shit." He said.

"I've got dinner plans, is there anything else I should know?" I asked.

He sighed. "She never loved him. The only reason she had children was because he beat and raped her. He likes to make people, including her, think he's a changed man that's in love, but if she goes back to Europe, she's in danger." He said.

"What the fuck?" I yelled.

"Keep your voice down! I only told you because you're FBI. Let Jake finish his visit, then take him home to Hannah, come back, and help me finish this, do it for Joey." He said.

"I told you not to say her name!" I yelled at him.

"Go have your dinner, and we will regroup tomorrow." He said, and walked over to his chair and took a seat.

"You are one crazy old man, why would I get involved? She made her choice years ago." I asked.

"Did she, Hudson? Have you ever thought she might have tried to protect you?" He asked.

"Screw this, I'm going out and seeing old friends. Maybe drink a whole bottle of whiskey while I'm there." I threatened.

I went to storm out, but he had one more thing to say.

"You're not the victim here, Hudson. The love of your life is suffering. You might think the war was bad, but you have no idea what that girl has been through. Rob says she has scars to prove the man's torture." He said.

I got a chill up my spine.