Elena flew home three days later, exhausted but unable to rest, forensic data from the reactivated facility spread across her laptop screen for the entire flight. Marcus met her at the airport, pulling her into a tight hug the moment she cleared the gate.
"You look terrible," he said, studying the dark circles under her eyes.
"Feels about right," Elena said. "Six people died, Dad. Six people who were alive a week ago."
"You saved thirty-seven others," Marcus said gently. "That matters too."
"I know," Elena said. "Doesn't make the six easier to sit with."
They drove to Elena's apartment in comfortable silence, Marcus recognizing she needed space to process rather than immediate conversation. Once inside, Elena set her laptop on the kitchen table, pulling up the activation logs again.
