Cross looked at the vest in Elena's hands.
"What did you find?"
"A compromised repair on the left load-bearing strap. The original seam has separated beneath the replacement stitching."
Cross examined it carefully.
"How did you notice?"
"The repair uses a different thread. The tension is uneven, and the seam pulls away when the strap is loaded."
Cross's expression changed.
"Who inspected this vest last week?"
Rourke shifted his weight.
"I don't remember the name, Sergeant Major."
"Convenient."
"Sergeant Major, I checked the equipment. The damage wasn't obvious."
"That's why we inspect equipment, Corporal. To discover what isn't obvious."
Rourke stared at the vest.
Elena returned to the table and continued checking the remaining items.
When he was gone, Rourke leaned toward her.
"You could have told me privately."
"I did tell you."
"You made me look incompetent in front of the entire unit."
"I pointed out a damaged strap."
"You knew what that would do."
Elena finally met his eyes.
"Would you rather I had ignored it?"
Rourke watched her write.
"You think you're better than everyone here."
"No."
"Then why act like you know everything?"
"I don't."
"Could've fooled me."
Elena capped her pen.
"The difference between us is that I'm comfortable admitting what I don't know."
"Listen carefully, Ward. Blackridge doesn't care where you came from. You can have whatever mysterious past you want. Around here, your reputation is earned."
"Good."
"Good?"
"Then we'll have nothing to argue about."
Rourke walked away before he said something that might cost him his position.
Rourke finished near the front.
He made sure everyone noticed.
"Still comfortable admitting what you don't know?"
Elena adjusted the strap of her pack.
"Very."
She continued running.
When the final whistle sounded, she crossed the finish line several places behind Rourke.
"Not bad," he said. "For someone who apparently has so much experience."
"Thank you."
Later, as the candidates collected water bottles, Lieutenant Hale approached Cross beside the observation platform.
"Her physical numbers are solid," Hale said.
"Solid isn't the same as exceptional."
"No. But her movement is unusual."
Cross glanced at him.
"How?"
"She doesn't waste energy. Doesn't react to the people around her. Even when Rourke passed her, she didn't change pace."
"Perhaps she isn't competitive."
"Or perhaps she's learned that finishing first isn't always the same as winning."
Cross followed his gaze.
Not yet.
At 0600 the following morning, Elena Ward was already awake.
Elena dressed quietly and stepped outside.
"You're up early."
Elena turned.
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked.
"I slept."
"Then why are you out here?"
"Because I wanted to train."
Hale looked at the empty field.
"Most candidates spend their first week trying to recover from yesterday."
"Recovery matters."
"Yet here you are."
"Recovery doesn't require doing nothing."
Hale smiled slightly.
"You always answer questions like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like you're trying to make me reconsider asking them."
Elena returned to her starting position.
"Only when the questions are complicated."
"And you think mine are?"
"I think you want to know something you haven't asked yet."
The lieutenant studied her.
Elena belonged to the second category.
"Your file is incomplete," he said.
"I know."
"Several assignments are listed without descriptions. Your previous commanding officer submitted a recommendation, but the details are restricted."
"That happens."
"Not usually to someone transferring into a training program."
Elena remained silent.
"Did something happen in your last unit?"
"Yes."
"What?"
"Something I couldn't prevent."
"Was anyone hurt?"
"Yes."
"Was it your fault?"
Elena looked toward the far end of the field.
"That depends on which report you read."
"Staff Sergeant, I don't care about gossip. I care about whether I can trust you to make decisions when people are depending on you."
"You can evaluate that from my work."
"And if your past affects your work?"
"Then you'll see it."
He suspected Elena was the latter.
"All right," he said. "Physical assessments begin at seven. Don't exhaust yourself before they start."
"I won't."
Elena resumed her exercises.
She completed three more repetitions before the image returned.
Elena stopped.
Cross stood beside a digital display showing the week's schedule. Hale sat at the end of the table, while two instructors distributed assessment sheets.
"Today's exercise focuses on controlled confrontation," Cross announced. "You will work in pairs. One participant will attempt to establish control. The other must respond according to the rules provided."
"This is a training environment. There are no points for aggression, no rewards for ignoring instructions, and absolutely no justification for injuring another candidate."
His gaze settled briefly on Rourke.
"Is that understood?"
"Yes, Sergeant Major," the room answered.
Cross displayed the pairing list.
Rourke was assigned to Bennett.
"Looks like we're together."
"So it seems."
"I've heard you know what you're doing."
Elena adjusted the cuffs of her training uniform.
"Who told you that?"
"Bennett."
"What did he say?"
"That you found a damaged strap everyone else missed."
"That doesn't make me an expert."
"Good. I was worried you'd be unbearable."
Elena performed well without attracting much attention.