Rodriguez laughed. Then became serious.
“I still think about that night.”
“So do I.”
“I had the cuffs out.”
“You also paused.”
“Because of your tone.”
Marcus shook his head.
“Next person might not have my tone.”
Rodriguez nodded.
“That’s why I changed the training.”
They shook hands. For Marcus, that mattered as much as any statute. Rules could force minimum behavior. Culture changed when people carried a lesson into the next decision.
On the fifth anniversary of B12, the Department communications office suggested a retrospective event. Marcus refused.
“No anniversary special.”
Sarah, now preparing to leave government for a university policy institute, looked disappointed only because she enjoyed making him say no.
“Not even a panel?”
“No.”
“A tasteful panel.”
“That is an oxymoron.”
“A short video?”
“No.”
“Podcast?”
“Sarah.”
She laughed.
“Fine. What do you want to do?”
Marcus looked at his calendar.
“Visit B12.”
That surprised her.
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“Press?”
“No.”
“Security?”
“Whatever normal protocol requires.”
“Why?”
Marcus looked at the framed passport reproduction.
“I want to see whether it still feels like the place where it happened.”
Five years after Sandra tore the passport, Marcus returned to the airport as an ordinary scheduled passenger. No announcement. No cameras. He wore another modest black suit.