They were so small and helpless. One little moment, one tiny decision, and it could all end for them, nothing to be done besides accepting their fate and going quietly. Unless they wished to futilely struggle in their last moments, which would only be a minor amusem—

“Hey there big man! Enjoying the view?”

Gareth jumped out of his skin at the voice of his coworker addressing him. He considered the pristine skyscrapers, high-tech police drones, and the people on the streets looking like bugs about to be stepped on.

Then he straightened his tie and attempted to act like nothing happened as he turned around.

“I just love it when you sneak up on me like that, Jeremy. Truly the highlight of my day.”

Jeremy embarrassedly slumped and scratched his stubble as Gareth looked up at him.

“Hah, my bad. Glad you didn’t go out that window just now. That would’ve been a nasty fall.”

Gareth sighed and turned his gaze back to the city far below.

“If by ‘nasty’ you mean ‘entirely fatal,’ then I suppose you would be correct. But to answer your question, I was not particularly enthralled by the sights of the buildings. I was just deep in thought.”

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The large man straightened back up, his expression brightening at the perfect opportunity for conversation with his notoriously reserved soon-to-be friend.

“Oh yeah, I get what you mean. I love looking out the window and imagining things. Just the other week, there was a mugging in an alley off 17th, just right down there. I’ll look out there and think about how it could’ve gone if I had been there. It usually doesn’t go too well for me, ‘cause I’m just a guy with no weapons or special training and the mugger had a knife. But if I had been there, maybe I could’ve made a difference.”

Gareth eyed Jeremy’s reflection in the window then looked away and shook his head.

“No one got hurt in the mugging. The only thing of consequence you would have accomplished is making two corpses in an alley and the mugger getting away with more money. Bystanders should stay bystanders.

“Besides, you think small. My thoughts were about the city, perhaps even humanity, as a whole. Not a single incident that can never be changed. Not necessarily constructive thoughts, but more useful than thinking of the past.”

Jeremy hung his head.

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe it is pointless.”

He looked back up.

“But I don’t think you are. It’s not about changing the past. It’s about thinking how I could make a difference when something awful is happening in front of me. If everyone else agrees with you, about bystanders staying bystanders, how will the world ever get better? How can you ever trust someone walking down the street if you believe they’d just watch you die and do nothing about it?”

He stopped and looked Gareth’s reflection in the eyes and mentally prepared his speech. He opened his mouth to speak.

“Blevins! I need the notes for the project you’ve been working on now!”

“Oh darn, I forgot I needed to give him those. Let’s talk later, yeah?”

Jeremy turned and marched back to his desk.

I suppose I should at least appear as though I’m performing work as well.

Gareth sighed and headed toward the server room.