“You know, after Madison’s parents died, soon after we got married, they left her some farmland in North Carolina. I don’t know why I hung on to it; I’ve had to pay taxes on it ever since. But now, I think I know.”

He looked Jeff in the eye. “Jeff, I think I’m done. Madison and I always talked about turning that land into a working farm and just having a simple life. Back then, we were going to do it when I was done with the Special Forces. And then… things changed. But now it’s time.”

Jeff handed him a fresh glass and asked, “Are you sure? If you are, I’m jealous as hell. I don’t think I’d have the guts to just pull the ripcord like that.”

Nate nodded. “I’ll have my retirement papers on your desk in the morning. It’s been good working with you. I hope you understand.”

With a deep sigh, Jeff leaned back in his chair. “I understand perfectly. Just remember, the world isn’t perfect, and there’ll always be bad people to bring to justice. We need more people like you, Nate.”

“And there will always be folks like me. I’m not worried about that. I think the thing I’ll regret the most is knowing that there are some folks who are never brought to justice.”

He sighed. “That’s what really pisses me off.”

###

Juan felt better than he had in a long time. He’d handed in his FBI contractor’s badge and was walking the halls of AgriMed once again. A civilian. A researcher.

He knocked on the door to Winslow’s office.

“Come in, Juan.”

Juan stepped inside and sat in his usual chair. The same chair he’d first sat in four years ago, when he was worried about losing his job. He couldn’t help but smile as he realized how small those issues were in comparison to what he’d experienced since. It felt like a lifetime ago.

“Juan, I’m wagering you’re glad to be back.”

He laughed. “Frankly, it’s a relief. Although the FBI has some amazing lab techs. I could point you to some folks we’d do well to hire. It’s because of them that what I worked on was a success.”

Winslow smiled. “It takes an effective manager to identify and work through quality people. I’m sure you can now better appreciate that. It isn’t just about saying, ‘Go do this’ and it gets done. It’s all about the team you form and how you manage and grow them.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well,” said Winslow. “I didn’t invite you here just to chit-chat. Juan, I plan on retiring at the end of the year. I’ve already informed the board of directors.”

“Congratulations, sir.” Juan felt genuinely happy for the man who’d hired him for his first job in private industry.