The secluded room was shrouded completely in darkness, and there were no windows inside. When Nora opened the door, the sensor-operated lights switched on, lighting up the room with a dim yellow light and allowing Brenda to take a good look at the interior.
The walls were filled with black and white headshots.
Nora entered the room. Brenda followed after her and looked at the photographs one by one.
Underneath the black and white portraits were not even names but just serial codes. It was as though they were afraid of having their identities discovered even when they were in the special department.
Though Brenda had worked here before, she had never stepped into this room before because she knew very well that this was where those who had died in the line of duty were.
Nora said, “I don’t know what it’s like in Interpol, but here in America, these people are honored for their sacrifice. These brave soldiers sacrificed themselves for the country and for the people, but they have never demanded anything in return. Even after their deaths, they refuse to leave behind even their names, for fear that they may implicate their family.
“Brenda, when you joined this line of work, have you ever thought that you would die in the line of duty? Would you cower in fear and be hesitant to take action while carrying out missions because you’re afraid that you would die?
“Would you want your teammates to live the rest of their lives in atonement after you die in the line of duty, unable to ever escape from the curse? There is no problem with looking after a deceased teammate’s family, but is there a need for you to do it in such a lowly manner?
“Marcus may have died and sacrificed his life while trying to save you, but before he died, I’m sure he wouldn’t have wanted you to become his wife after his death to take care of his aging mother!
“The two of you are comrades! The two of you are brothers-in-arms! The frontline is no place for romance! At the bottom of it all, Marcus didn’t die for your sake; he died in the line of duty while trying to catch Barbarian! He died for the greater good; for Barbarian’s future victims, and for the ones whom he had already killed!
“But what are you doing now? You’ve cheapened Marcus’ sacrifice!
“Take a good look at these people… After their deaths, their comrades will certainly become their brothers and help them to take care of their families, but they will never sacrifice themselves to do so! Neither will they allow themselves to become their wives!”
Nora rarely spoke this much. If it wasn’t because she wanted to give Brenda a wake-up call, she couldn’t even be bothered to talk to her.
The woman had forced herself into a dead end, and her actions had sullied Marcus’ sacrifice.
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