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“Will the brass be okay with that?”

A smile crossed her face. “Well, there’s something else I need to tell you. I’ve been nominated for the directorship. So, if all goes as expected, the answer to your question is, the brass is okay with that.”

“Well, congratulations, Madam Director.” She heard genuine happiness in his voice. His approval meant a lot to her. “I can’t think of a better candidate for the job. You have my full support.”

“Thank you, Slash. I won’t forget what you did for me. What you’ve done for this organization and our nation.”

“I’m glad I could help.”

“Well, you have. And in the meantime, I’ll be keeping an eye on one exceptionally talented, redheaded teenager and her impressive band of operatives.”

“I bet you will.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “You’re going to have your hands full at UTOP.”

“We already do.” She laughed softly. “Slash, be sure to stop by my office when you’re back. We have a lot to talk about in terms of the direction of the agency. I highly value your input.”

“Of course. The first stop upon my return to the NSA will be your office.”

“Good. I’m looking forward to seeing you.”

“Likewise.” He fell quiet for a moment. “You’ll be good for the agency, Candace. We both know the winds of change are blowing at the NSA and, in fact, have been blowing for some time. It all starts with a new generation and a new direction. At this point, it’s more like we’re going along for the ride.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Candace agreed. “If we’re successful, the future of this agency will be in good hands for generations to come.”

“We’ll be successful,” he said assuredly. “We can’t always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.”

She thought for a moment. “Franklin Delano Roosevelt, right?”

“Right.”

She leaned back in her chair, her grin widening. Her mind, and instincts, were still as sharp as ever. “See you soon, Slash. Safe travels.”

She hung up, FDR’s words still ringing in her ears. Tomorrow was another day, but for now, the world was safe thanks to the courage and perseverance of youth.

In her world, that was a solid win.

Chapter Forty-Nine

ANGEL SINCLAIR

“Hands positioned at ten o’clock and two o’clock on the steering wheel. Check. Seat and mirrors correctly adjusted. Check. Safety helmet on and chinstrap tightened. Check.”

I took a deep breath and pushed my nervousness aside. “Okay, Dad, I think I’m ready to go.”

“You definitely look ready to me.” He patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Angel. You’ve got this.”

I didn’t think I did, but I appreciated his vote of confidence. I just hoped he didn’t notice my shaking hands. “Thanks for helping me prepare for my driving class. I’m a lot more anxious about it than I let on.”

“I am not only glad to do it, I’m honored.” My dad rubbed his hands together, clearly more excited about this than I was. “After all, this is one of the first dad things I get to do with you. By the way, your mom tells me I have a lot of catching up to do on the dad front. She even threatened to send me to a class on making dad puns and jokes. I assured her I didn’t need a class since a-parent-ly, all dads come equipped with that awesome skill.”

I grimaced. “Oh, Dad, that was awful.”

He chuckled, clearly happy with my reaction. “See, we have nothing to worry about. So, now that I have my official dad card, I’m going to give you the first, and best, driving lesson of your life.”

I squeezed the wheel tighter. “Thanks. I’ve been really worried that I’m going to make a mess of things in driving class, and I don’t want to disappoint my friends or embarrass myself. By the way, how were you able to get permission for us to use one of UTOP’s cars for my driving lesson?”

Dad tapped a finger on the dashboard. “Hmm. Did I mention that one of your driving instructors, Ardus Grange, is an old friend of mine?”

“Get out! You know Professor Grange?”