Chapter 3 - The Complaints Didn’t All Say The Same Thing
His name was Command Sergeant Major Owen Vale.
He did not offer it until I asked.
That annoyed me.
“What does ‘building a person’ mean?”
Vale sat opposite me.
“First complaint says Briggs humiliates trainees.”
“I saw.”
“Second says he pressures injured personnel to stay in training.”
“Did that happen?”
“We're checking.”
“Third?”
He slid it over.
I read.
This one wasn't about Briggs.
It accused Captain Sloan of discouraging written complaints because “high incident numbers threaten the course.”
I looked up.
“She knows about this one?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Four days.”
“And she's still running operations.”
“We investigate before we hang people.”
“Good policy.”
Vale ignored the tone.
The fourth complaint was stranger.
It claimed course withdrawal paperwork had been altered after trainees left.
Not forged signatures.
Not secret criminal files.
Changes in reasons.
“Voluntary withdrawal” replacing “instructor removal.”
“Failure to adapt” replacing “safety concern.”
I read one line twice.
“Whoever wrote this knew internal codes.”
Vale nodded.
“So not some random soldier.”
“Probably not.”
“Why my name?”
“That’s the part I don't have.”
“You thought I wrote them.”
“I thought Rachel Carter wrote them.”
“So when you saw me on the mat…”
“I knew something was wrong.”
He looked toward the door.
“Your complaint says you witnessed Briggs run three-on-one drills.”
“I had been on his mat for thirty seconds.”
“I know.”
I thought about the tower.
“You were watching because of the complaint.”
“Yes.”
“Undercover?”
“No.”
“Hidden?”
“I was observing without announcing myself.”
“Feels hidden.”
He did not care.
“Briggs knew you were there?”
“He knew a command observer might visit this week.”
“Did he know it was you?”
“No.”
That explained some of his reaction.
Not enough.
“Why did he target me immediately?”
Vale looked at the complaint.
“That’s what I want to know.”
A knock.
Sloan returned with my intake roster.
She laid it on the table.
“Something else.”
My name was highlighted in yellow.
Handwritten beside it:
PROBLEM CHILD. WATCH EARLY.
No initials.
I laughed once.
“I haven't even been irritating long enough to earn that.”
Sloan looked uncomfortable.
Vale asked:
“Who prints these?”
“Admin section.”
“Who writes instructor notes?”
“Usually lead instructors.”
“Briggs?”
“Could be.”
I looked at her.
“Could be?”
“There are six instructors.”
Vale examined the page.
“Get me the original copy.”
“This is the original.”
He looked at her.
“No.”
Sloan frowned.
Vale pointed toward the bottom corner.
“Photocopy artifact.”
She stared.
He was right.
A faint black line near the edge.
Someone had copied a copied roster and inserted it into the official working binder.
Vale stood.
“Lock admin storage.”
Sloan left again.
I asked:
“You think someone wanted Briggs to think I was trouble.”
“I think somebody wanted something.”
“Helpful.”
He picked up the complaints.
Then stopped.
“One more question.”
“What?”
“Did Briggs use your first name before anyone introduced you?”
I thought back.
He had grabbed my vest.
“Three of them. Don’t cry.”
No name.
After the fight?
I remembered him shouting when Vale spoke.
“She’s on my roster.”
Not Rachel.
Not Carter.
“No.”
Vale nodded.
Then opened the door.
Mason Briggs was standing in the hallway.
Listening.
Vale looked at him.
“Come in.”
Mason didn't move.
Vale's voice sharpened.
“Now.”
Mason entered.
His eyes went to the complaints.
Then to the highlighted roster.
May you like
And I knew from his face before he spoke.
He had seen both before.
