"Following your orders would not be something I can be proud of if I saw you covered with wounds or dying. I'd rather be punished, fired, or get angry from you for disobeying your orders than to leave you in danger," said Mike. It can be seen how loyal this man is to his boss, unlimited loyalty that is very expensive.
"Mike, there are times when my happiness isn't just about my safety and getting what I want," said James. He touched Mike's shoulder and whispered to Mike. "Protect my wife and children, they are more valuable than my life, Mike. Are you willing to fulfill my request? I can't live if I see their bodies lying in front of me."
Mike was stunned, he knew which were orders and which were requests. If it's like that, it means James has been begging and pleading for something that James really cares about with his life.