"It's TIN, right? Somewhere someone has gotta know something or some way to help your brother, maybe even your dad."
Hobbs went pensive before he looked up at Dex, his big green eyes filled with hope. "Do you really think you could find a cure?"
"I don't know, but I can damn well try. What's the point of having access to one of the most powerful Therian organizations in the world if I can't use it to help the people I care about? TIN has an agenda for recruiting me, so I've made sure I have one too."
"If there was a cure, wouldn't we know about it?"
"Come on, pal. We both know how this world works. It's heartbreaking and infuriating and fucked-up. They don't make money on cures. They make money on long-term treatments. Your family lost their home when your dad ended up in that wheelchair, because he couldn't work and wasn't able to pay the hospital bills. Rafe and Seb barely had a childhood, forced to work before they were legal working age, just to put food on the table and pay your dad's medical bills. Did those bastards give a shit? No. How many more families lost their homes? How many are indebted up to their eyeballs? If I can do something about it, you bet your ass I'm going to. Every mission that brings me in front of one of these corrupt, greedy motherfuckers is a mission I'm going to take pleasure in, because they're going to feel it where it hurts."
Hobbs blinked at him. "Wow."
"Sorry. You know those kinds of assholes get my blood boiling, but that's what I'm talking about. So many of these bastards think they're untouchable. They're not. Yes, there's a lot to TIN that we hate, and I have no doubt they do a lot of fucked-up shit, but they also do a lot of good. Sloane and I want to be part of that good."
"And when you're asked to cross the line?"
"Then we'll have to ask ourselves what we're crossing the line for. Would you cross the line for Cal? For Seb? Your mom? What would have to be at stake for you to cross that line? I won't lie, the morality of it all scares the shit out of me. None of us know what we're capable of until we're pushed to the edge. All we can do is trust that when the time comes, we do what's right."
They were quiet for several heartbeats before Hobbs spoke up. "Can I still text you while you're at work?"
"I'll be disappointed if you don't. I mean, it can't all be dodging bullets and saving the world. Besides, we'll still be around HQ." He bumped Hobbs's shoulder playfully. "I mean, how else am I going to meet my monthly quota for annoying the hell out of Ash?"
Hobbs laughed, and Dex stood. He turned to face him and held out his arms. "Bring it here, big guy."
"We're next to the bathroom." Hobbs scrunched up his nose but walked into Dex's arms regardless.
"There's never a wrong time for a hug." Dex gave Hobbs a squeeze.
"I'm going to disagree, but okay."
"Mm, that's nice."
"You're making it weird."
"Just go with it."
"I'm going to leave now."
"Okay." Dex chuckled as Hobbs walked off. He sat down with a wince. Man, his ribs were sore. His everything was sore, actually. The door opened and Sloane peeked in.
"You alive in here?"
"Still kicking," Dex teased, receiving a smile.
Sloane took a seat beside him, and Dex leaned into him, his head resting on Sloane's shoulder.
"Crazy week, huh?"
Sloane laughed softly as he wrapped an arm around him and placed a kiss to the top of his head. "You could say that. How did it go with Hobbs?"
"I told him about what I wanted to do for Rafe and their dad."
"Dex, I don't know if you should get his hopes up like that."
Dex straightened with a groan. He met Sloane's gaze. "I didn't lie to him. I'm going to use every resource available to us, for as long as it takes, until I find something."
"And if you don't find anything?"
"Then at least I tried. Even if I can't find a cure, maybe I can find something that will help slow it down or relieve some of the symptoms. Hell, anything is better than nothing."