My heart pounded in my ears. We had a chance to protect the people of that town. Someone out there was begging us for our help. Why would we pass that up?

“Send it to tech if you’re concerned,” Grey ordered.

“We need to look at this one,” I insisted.

“Beck, I am telling you to drop it. You want to fix the past? This isn’t how you do it. This won’t bring her back. It won’t make up for the months you lost.”

“I’m not trying-”

“Just drop it,” he said, turning back to his laptop. “It isn’t worth it.”

Not worth it? How could lives not be worth our time and resources? We had the ability to stop another potential death someday, and he refused.

I groaned, clenching my fists.

“Send a team up there,” I tried one last time.

“Drop it,” he snapped.

I didn’t speak after that. I just turned, walking back into the hall, and shut the door behind me. I walked across to the bare wall and leaned against it, letting my head drop back. A few analysts in the hall paused but then quickly hurried along, deciding not to bother me.

I let out a sigh.

Why couldn’t I just let it go? Why did I care?

I didn’t know these people, but I knew there was more that could be done. Already, my mind was spinning with the little information I had, building a profile, making a list of leads to check.

I was sick of watching the world crumble around me, sick of letting innocents be preyed on.

It was our job to protect them, to serve them. A job I had failed before.

I pushed off the wall and walked through the building, making my way to the small apartment on campus. I had a trailer in Virginia, but on days I lectured, it was more convenient to stay in town, so the academy offered me an apartment.

My place wasn’t far from the offices, and I walked through the brutal heat at a brisk pace.

I should drop it.

Like Grey said, this wouldn’t atone for my past.

My career was done. There was nothing here for me, and still, I’d allowed myself to be pulled back in.

The sun was already close to setting, and I could feel the breeze picking up.

I made it back in only a few minutes. I unlocked the door and slipped inside, tossing my bag to the side.

The apartment was a studio, furnished, with a kitchen and a simple, full-sized bed.

I searched through the kitchen for any remnants of food.

When was the last time I remembered to buy groceries? Eight days ago, to be precise. Had I been that caught up in lectures this week?