She turned her head slowly. The faintest ghost of a bitter smile touched her lips. “Peace is a lie they tell children so they sleep through the night. I tried to live it, Rock-san. I cooked. I cleaned. I watched Garcia grow into a fine young man. I sat in the sun. And the sun burned.”
“Ochoa took my future. He took my chance to be anything other than a weapon. And now, he will give me my past. In killing him, I will finally complete the mission I started thirty years ago. And then… the weapon will be empty.”
“You didn’t think I’d come alone, did you?” Ochoa chuckled, then coughed violently. “I taught you better than that. You always did let your heart get in the way. A good soldier has no heart.”
She tapped the photograph. “Roanapur.”