Chapter 3 - THAT BENNETT
After training, Maya found her evaluation sheet clipped to the board outside the gym office.
Connor Briggs: 91.
Maya Bennett: 0.
She read it twice.
Tessa Brooks, a medic from her platoon, came up beside her. “That a joke?”
“No.”
“You submitted him twice.”
“Apparently zero is the new passing score.”
Tessa pulled the page closer. “Look at the time stamp.”
Maya did.
The form had been entered at 0612.
Their sparring session started at 0800.
Her failure had been recorded almost two hours before she stepped onto the mat.
Maya took a photo with her phone.
“Don’t,” Tessa whispered.
“Don’t what?”
“Make it obvious you noticed.”
Maya looked at her.
Tessa lowered her voice. “Rourke decides who gets into the Rapid Response Course. Six seats. Everybody knows he already picked his people.”
“Then why hold evaluations?”
“To make it look legal.”
Maya stared through the office window. Rourke was inside talking to Connor.
Connor looked angry.
Rourke looked pleased.
Maya pushed open the door.
Rourke stopped talking.
“Problem, Bennett?”
She placed the evaluation sheet on his desk.
“You failed me before I tested.”
Rourke leaned back.
“Administrative error.”
“Then fix it.”
His smile was small.
“You’re very comfortable telling senior people how to do their jobs.”
There it was.
Maya kept her voice even. “I’m comfortable asking for an accurate record.”
Rourke opened a drawer and removed a thin folder.
Her name was printed on the tab.
He set it between them.
“I know exactly what kind of soldier you are.”
Maya felt the room get colder.
Rourke tapped the folder once.
“Your last unit sent over more than your medical records.”
Maya looked at Connor.
He wouldn’t meet her eyes.
Rourke leaned forward.
May you like
“People who make trouble always call it integrity.”
Maya knew then this was personal. Rourke had been waiting for her.
