“I want to serve where I am needed, Admiral,” Nathan said quietly.

“Don’t call her that!” Caroline snapped. “She is Evelyn. She is my older sister who used to cry when she didn’t get her way.”

“Caroline, control yourself,” Mother whispered, though her eyes were wide with anxiety as she looked at me.

“Evelyn, dear, surely there is a compromise,” Mother added.

“We only want what is best for everyone.”

“What is best is that the regulations are followed,” I said.

I looked down at my phone as it buzzed again in my hand.

The screen lit up with a second, more urgent alert.

*RE-ROUTE REQUIRED. SECURE LINE ACCESS INITIATED.*

I knew what that meant.

A situation was developing in the Seventh Fleet’s area of responsibility.

My presence was required at the command post in the city.

“I have to leave,” I said, sliding the phone into my jacket pocket.

Father stood up, his chair scraping the floor even louder than Caroline’s had.

“You will not walk out of this room, Evelyn,” Father said, his voice rising in anger.

“We are not finished.”