Stan was ready to leave, but before he did, he sought out the Vanguard guards one last time.
"I'm heading to the hospital to check on Amelia," he told Emma. "But before I go, I want you to think about something."
The guards waited in silence.
"Apprehending the gang was good for Amelia. I understand the instinct to see it through. But your job was never to assist in a police raid. Your job is to protect Amelia. This operation could have been handled by the police alone. They didn't need you. Meanwhile, your client was lying unconscious in a hospital bed without a single member of her own security detail at her side."
The words landed heavily.
