Chapter 3
Cole turned back slowly.
“What did you say?”
Kira tapped the inspection log lying open on the desk.
“Your initials are on every weapon.”
Cole stepped toward her.
“You need to be very careful.”
Kira held his stare.
“I am.”
The armory door opened.
Commander Robert Dalton walked in holding a clipboard and a sealed inventory packet.
The room snapped to attention.
Cole straightened so fast his boots scraped the floor.
“Commander,” he said. “We were just getting this civilian tech situated.”
Kira did not look at Cole.
Dalton looked at the table.
Then at the weapons.
Then at the inspection log.
His face changed.
Not much.
But enough.
He turned the clipboard in his hand and looked down at the name on the assignment order.
Blackwell.
For one second, something old moved through his eyes.
Recognition.
Memory.
Pain.
The air froze.
Commander Dalton lifted his gaze.
“Sergeant Cole,” he said, “step away from Lieutenant Blackwell.”
The armory died.
Cole blinked.
“Lieutenant?”
The soldiers behind him went rigid.
Kira closed the tool case halfway.
Slowly.
Cole stared at her name tape like it had betrayed him.
“Kira Blackwell,” Dalton said. “Ordnance officer. Weapons systems specialist. Assigned by Command to inspect this armory after three reported malfunctions and one unexplained range injury.”
The young soldier by the rack swallowed hard.
Cole’s face drained.
Then flushed.
“Sir, with respect, she didn’t identify herself.”
Kira finally spoke.
“You didn’t ask.”
The words landed clean.
A few soldiers looked down.
Dalton stepped closer to the table.
His eyes moved over the parts Kira had separated.
“Lieutenant Blackwell,” he said, “what did you find?”
Kira did not smile.
She did not look proud.
May you like
She looked angry in the way only professionals get angry when someone treats danger like paperwork.
Read Part 4 to find out how Kira connected Rack Seven to the injury Cole tried to blame on a soldier.
