"You're not wrong." Bile rises, twisting uselessly in different directions, with no outlet. For some reason, he wants to run.

"It isn't an issue of sentiment," he adds, more smoothly. "If he's removed from the team, he may do anything. He might well alert Amada at once, getting himself killed again, or worse. He might get all of us killed. I just—"

He breaks off. What's wrong with him tonight?