Chapter 16 - THE SECOND FIGHT
Major Stephen Vance was ordered to report for questioning at 0700.
At 0615, Maya found him waiting outside the empty combatives gym.
He wore no smile.
“You enjoy this?” he asked.
Maya stopped six feet away.
“Enjoy what?”
“Destroying people.”
“I didn’t put you in that room with Eli.”
Vance stepped closer.
“You weren’t there.”
“No. But Eli was.”
“He was weak.”
The word came out too quickly.
Maya’s jaw tightened.
“That’s what you told yourself?”
Vance looked toward the dark gym.
“Rourke was supposed to scare you off. Instead, you turned a selection course into an investigation.”
Maya’s phone was in her jacket pocket, recording.
She kept her hands visible.
“You altered the old report.”
Vance’s eyes narrowed.
“Careful.”
“You moved me into Rourke’s battalion.”
“You needed to learn when to stop.”
There it was.
Then Vance reached for her arm.
Maya stepped back.
“Don’t touch me.”
He grabbed again.
She trapped his wrist, turned out of the grip, and guided him against the padded wall without striking him.
Vance exploded with anger.
He swung.
Maya ducked.
His fist hit padding.
She took his balance and put him on the mat with the same controlled throw she had used on Connor.
“Stay down,” she said.
Vance tried to rise.
The gym doors opened.
Two MPs entered with Investigator Park.
Vance froze.
Park looked at Maya.
“Recording?”
Maya pulled out her phone.
“Every word.”
Vance’s face changed.
For the first time, the man who had manipulated records, assignments, and careers had no one lower-ranking to hide behind.
Then Park’s phone rang.
She listened for ten seconds.
Her expression tightened.
When she hung up, she looked at Maya.
“They found the original incident report.”
Maya stood very still.
“And?”
May you like
Park answered, “It has four names on it.”
One of those names belonged to someone Maya still trusted.
