After my third deployment, my wife filed for divorce. «I’ve met someone better,» she said …

He’s conflicted. His choice. Lily definitely not coming this month.

The reply came quickly. I understand. Thank you for not turning them against me completely.

You could have. Roy didn’t respond. The truth was more complicated than Bridget would ever understand.

He’d never tried to turn the children against her, despite the pain she’d caused. Not because he’d forgiven her, he hadn’t and doubted he ever would, but because the children needed to process their own feelings without his influence. Dad, come play.

Lily called from the yard, waving excitedly. Roy pocketed his phone and joined his children, pushing thoughts of Reznik, Bridget, and national security to the back of his mind for a few precious hours. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new threats to neutralize.

But tonight belonged to Max and Lily.

Broken Trust Two years after the courtroom revelation, life had settled into what Roy’s therapist called the new normal. The children were thriving academically.

The nightmares had largely subsided. Roy’s work with the MFSU had expanded to training programs for military families, helping them recognize and avoid targeting by foreign operatives. Bridget had served three years of her eight-year sentence, with potential early release for continued cooperation.

Her monthly visits with the children had become more comfortable, though Roy still maintained his distance, coordinating through prison officials and occasionally Mrs. Harding, who would transport the children when Roy’s work required travel. The Norfolk Operation Reznik had revealed led to five arrests and prevented significant intelligence losses. Subsequent information he provided proved equally valuable, leading to reluctant approval of his request for monitored correspondence with Bridget.

Roy had been informed but not consulted about this decision, which he accepted professionally while personally finding it disturbing. On a crisp October morning, Roy was reviewing security protocols for an upcoming military family retreat when his secure line rang. It was Walsh, her voice tense.

We need you at headquarters immediately. Problem with Reznik. What kind of problem? The kind better discussed in person.

It involves Bridget and the children. Roy’s blood ran cold. I’m on my way.

At headquarters, he found not only Walsh but General Barrett, the prison warden from Bridget’s facility, and two FBI cybersecurity specialists. What’s happened? Roy demanded. Walsh nodded to one of the specialists, who pulled up a series of communications on the main screen.

These are supposedly the approved, monitored letters between Reznik and your ex-wife over the past eight months. Roy scanned them. Seemingly innocent reminiscences, expressions of regret, discussions of literature, and prison conditions.

Nothing overtly concerning. And these, the specialist continued, pulling up another set, are the actual communications we’ve just discovered they’ve been exchanging through a sophisticated covert channel embedded in the approved text. The decoded messages revealed something far more sinister.

Reznik and Bridget had been communicating in an elaborate code, discussing not just their personal relationship, but Roy’s current work, his schedule, and most alarmingly, details about the children. How is this possible? Roy asked, struggling to maintain his composure. Every communication is supposed to be screened.

The warden looked deeply uncomfortable. The coding method was extremely sophisticated, steganographic techniques embedded in seemingly innocent phrasing, triggered by specific word patterns. Our regular screening protocols missed it.

We only caught it because of an AI pattern recognition system recently implemented. Reznik was intelligence-trained, Walsh added, and it appears he taught Bridget the coding method through the approved letters, building the system gradually under our noses. Roy’s focus zeroed in on one particular decoded message from Bridget.

Max mentioned ours new girlfriend works in nuclear program. Need name and access level. She’s been using the visitations to gather intelligence from the children, Roy realized, his voice dangerously quiet.

About me. About my work. No one contradicted him.

The evidence was clear. General Barrett cleared his throat. We’re revoking all communication privileges for both of them effective immediately.

Bridget is being transferred to a higher security facility with no contact provisions except legal counsel. Reznik is losing all privileges he earned through cooperation. And the children? Roy asked.

That’s partly why we called you in. Walsh said gently. The content suggests Bridget has been systematically questioning them during visits, particularly Max, about your personal life and work details.

Given your position, this represents a significant security breach potential. The implications hit Roy like a physical blow. The monthly visits he’d facilitated, believing they were important for the children’s emotional healing, had been weaponized.

Bridget hadn’t changed at all. She’d merely adapted her methods. We need to interview the children, one of the FBI agents said.

Determine exactly what information may have been compromised. No, Roy stated firmly. They’ve been traumatized enough…