Unprofessional Conduct: The Storme Shield
"Might as well make it count."
Tessa offered a rare, fragile smile. "I've been chasing this story for years, Elias. I never thought I’d actually find it. I’m not turning back now."
Roderick looked at the drive, his hand trembling just a fraction. He knew the cost of this path. He had seen it in the eyes of his comrades who had fallen, and in the faces of the people he had been ordered to silence. But for the first time in years, the crushing weight of his guilt felt lighter, replaced by the sharp, electric clarity of a purpose that wasn't dictated by a superior officer.