She closed her eyes, the home videos playing in her thoughts. These were happy images of shared exploits, battlefield victories, and tender moments crying on each other's shoulders as their world grew uglier. They touched her, and she smiled.
"Sofia," Damian said in a warning tone.
She opened her eyes to find all three gazing at her with similar guarded looks. She crossed her arms, agitated.
"Damian, Dustin, Jule, I'm an Oracle. Get used to it."
And she went to the library, their pride be damned.
*****
"Damn Oracles," Damian said under his breath, watching her.
He wasn't sure if he should be angry at her defiant insubordination or amused by it. She was harmless to him, like a trash-talking flower. Then again, most men had some level of respect for him and his position. He shook his head, returning his attention to Dusty and Jule. Dusty's gaze was on the ground, his smile partially hidden while Jule's amusement was less discreet. He grinned.
"Look on the bright side," Jule said. "She's accepting her role."
"Exactly," Dusty agreed.
Damian glared at both of them, suddenly aware they were laughing at him.
"You'll get your turn," he assured them both. "And I'll be there to laugh at you when you do. C'mon."
He strode down the hallway to his office, his two adopted brothers following. Han had laid out a few maps on the table near his desk. Damian flipped the lights on, and the three of them gathered at the table.
"Our evac plan was to take everyone here," Dusty said, indicating a point in the Utah desert. "But we don't know how much information Claire had access to and what she passed to Czerno."
"I didn't stop to ask her," Damian said in a cold voice. Dusty and Jule knew better than to pry what happened when he confronted Claire. He'd done as he promised Jule and eliminated the threat.
"We'll evac elsewhere."
"Wouldn't recommend Europe," Jule said with a snort. "You still coming to help me clean up?"
"Wouldn't miss it. Dusty, can you run the evac and clean-up ops for Arizona?"
"Gladly."
"How 'bout Australia for the next HQ site?" Jule asked.
"Come to Florida," Dusty suggested. "We can be neighbors. I'll help you keep your woman in line."
"I'll be left out again," Jule complained.
"I'm going back to Europe with you, aren't I?" Damian asked, amused. "And I'll stay until the issue is fixed."
"Even if your Oracle remains in Florida?" Dusty challenged.
"I trust you to take care of her," Damian assured him.
"See how that works, Dusty?" Jule said with a laugh. "I think you just picked up Oracle babysitting duty."