"And I would prefer that Staff Sergeant Ward not be told the purpose of my visit."
Cross hesitated.
"Sir, if she's being evaluated by your office, shouldn't she be informed?"
"She knows she's being evaluated. She does not need to know every question we're trying to answer."
Mercer opened the folder.
"One more thing. I want to review the reports from the industrial settlement operation."
"That file remains restricted."
"I'm aware of that."
"With respect, sir, I requested authorization and was denied."
Mercer looked up.
"By me."
"Yes, sir."
"Then you understand why you don't have access."
Cross maintained eye contact.
"Sir, I understand the restriction. I don't understand how we're expected to assess a soldier's judgment without understanding the circumstances that shaped it."
"That's a reasonable concern."
Cross waited.
Mercer walked to the window overlooking the training grounds.
"Two years ago, Staff Sergeant Ward was part of a team assigned to support an operation that deteriorated rapidly. The intelligence was incomplete. Communications were unreliable. Several decisions had to be made before the full situation could be understood."
Cross remained silent.
"Captain Nathan Cole was the team leader," Mercer continued. "He died during the operation."
"I saw the reference to his death in the personnel record."
"Did you see the recommendation attached to Ward's file?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then you know her former commanding officer considered her an exceptional soldier."
"I do."
Mercer turned.
"Do you know why she was transferred here?"
"No, sir."
"Because I wanted to see whether she could return to a team environment without allowing the past to determine every decision she makes."
Cross considered the explanation.
"Has she been struggling?"
"That isn't a question I can answer from a distance."
Mercer returned to the table.
"That's why we're here."
Elena stood near Bennett, reviewing the equipment checklist.
Neither noticed Mercer entering the observation room behind the glass.
Cross began the briefing.
"Today's scenario involves an emergency at a fictional transportation facility. Your objective is to assess the available information, coordinate with your assigned team, and respond to changing conditions. You will be evaluated on judgment, communication, and your ability to adapt."
"Your initial report indicates that the facility has been evacuated. However, the evacuation has not been independently confirmed. You will receive additional information as the scenario develops."
Elena's attention sharpened.
Cross noticed.
"Staff Sergeant Ward, do you have a question?"
"Yes, Sergeant Major. Who verified the evacuation report?"
"The initial report came from facility management."
"Has facility management confirmed that every department received the order?"
"Not yet."
"Then we should treat the building as potentially occupied."
Cross nodded.
"That is one of the considerations the scenario is designed to test."
Rourke glanced toward her.
Elena distributed responsibilities, established a reporting structure, and instructed her team to distinguish confirmed information from assumptions. When a new report contradicted the initial evacuation notice, she paused the team's planned movement long enough to clarify the discrepancy.
Cross stood beside him.
"She's more cautious than she was in her previous evaluations," Cross said.
"Do you consider that a weakness?"
"Not necessarily."
"Why not?"
"Because she's not avoiding decisions. She's making them with a clearer understanding of what remains unknown."
Mercer nodded.
She asked for the last confirmed status.
Then she checked the time of the report.
Cross watched Mercer carefully.
"She still does it," Mercer murmured.
"Does what, sir?"
"She counts."
Cross looked back at the screen.
Elena had not spoken aloud, but her lips moved briefly as she reviewed the timeline.
Mercer closed his eyes for a moment.
"How did she perform during Friday's incident?" he asked.
"She disengaged safely after Rourke failed to follow the instructor's command."
"Did she escalate?"
"No."
"Did she attempt to punish him?"
"No."
"Then she did what we needed her to do."
Cross turned toward him.
"Sir, what exactly are you testing?"
Then he opened his folder and removed a photograph.
Elena Ward stood in the middle.
Captain Nathan Cole stood beside her.
Cross recognized the image from the personnel record.
"Two years ago, I authorized a review of the operation that killed Captain Cole. The investigation concluded that several failures had contributed to the outcome, including incomplete intelligence, delayed communication, and a command decision that should have been reassessed."
Cross studied the photograph.
"Was Ward responsible for that decision?"
"No."
"Then why does she carry the weight of it?"
"Because she was there. Because she survived. Because the person who died was someone she trusted."
Mercer looked through the glass toward the training floor.
"And because she believes that if she examines every detail carefully enough, she can prevent another loss."
Cross considered that.
"Can she?"
"No one can prevent every loss."
Mercer's voice was quiet.
"That is the lesson she has yet to accept."
Mercer closed the folder.
"Arrange a meeting with Ward."
"Today, sir?"
"Today."
Cross hesitated.
"Should I inform her of the purpose?"
"No. I'll explain it myself."
"Sergeant Major, whatever you think you know about Staff Sergeant Ward, remember this: she isn't here because she lacks ability."