Chapter 7
The silence became unbearable.
Cole looked at the paper.
Then at the MPs.
Then at the soldiers.
Every escape route was closing.
“You don’t understand,” he said. “Blackwell was old school. He slowed everything down. We had training schedules. Deadlines. Command pressure.”
Kira’s voice shook now.
“You sent unsafe weapons to the range.”
Cole snapped, “I kept this unit moving.”
“You got my father killed.”
Cole’s mouth opened.
No sound came out.
Dalton’s face was full of controlled anger.
“The investigation into Master Sergeant Blackwell’s death is being reopened.”
Cole stepped back.
“Commander, I followed procedure.”
Kira picked up one of the damaged parts from Rack Seven.
“No,” she said. “You followed ambition.”
That was when Private Ellis appeared in the doorway.
His left hand was bandaged.
Two fingers gone beneath the white gauze.
A medic stood beside him.
He looked pale.
But he stood.
Everyone turned.
Ellis looked at Cole first.
Then at Kira.
“I told him,” Ellis said. “I told him the rifle felt wrong.”
Cole shook his head.
“Private, you’re confused.”
Ellis lifted his bandaged hand.
“Don’t you dare.”
The room went still.
Ellis’s voice broke, but he kept speaking.
“You made me sign the statement. You said if I didn’t, you’d say I was reckless. You said no one would believe me over you.”
Kira’s eyes filled.
She blinked once and held it back.
Her father had not been able to speak after the accident.
Ellis could.
May you like
And this time, someone was listening.
Read Part 8 to find out what Kira said when Cole tried to walk out with one final cruel sentence.
