Page 41 of Unmade

He nodded once too. “We’re gonna get you and the other recruits back to Hillcroft, all right? I’ll be there in a moment. In the meantime, Coach will come talk to you.”

“Okay.”

With another firm nod, he took a step back and looked down at the shooter. More than that, he bent over and straightened the guy’s hoodie, as if to see where I’d shot him.

A beat later, he straightened and smirked faintly at me. “You’re one hell of a shot, kid. You just provided us with someone to interrogate.”

I smiled involuntarily. I couldn’t help it, but that felt really good to hear.

* * *

They were expecting me to freak out, right? In the last hour, I’d been left alone for a single bathroom break, and that was all. The other recruits were being babysat by Operator Payne in a break room somewhere, while Coach and Operator Rose were with me in the sea of vending machines. The way they looked at me, gauging my mood, pushing too gently for answers… It just didn’t sit right with me. I was fine.

After I was done relaying everything that’d happened, second by second, Coach left to go talk to someone, but not before making sure Operator Rose stayed.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Rose assured.

I reached for the bag of chips on the table. A pair of sweats, a hoodie, and vending machine snacks had been waiting for me upon my arrival, and I was kind of hungry. I was sort of itching to wear my own clothes too, but I hadn’t been allowed to touch anything in the apartment, except grab a pair of shoes in the entryway. Operator Billings, or whatever his name was, had also given me my phone and my ID card.

Rose eyed me from the other side of the table.

I felt the need to break the ice a little. “So…some soldiers know how to work a boomstick.”

His mouth twitched, and he picked up his coffee cup. He’d been guzzling it since he and his hubby had come in.

“I’m not gonna flip my shit,” I felt the need to say. “I didn’t kill him or anything.”

Last I’d heard, the shooter was being questioned in the med bay on the third floor.

How PMC agencies kept the authorities away was a mystery to me. It wasn’t like Hillcroft had their own jurisdiction, right?

“You don’t have to kill someone to find a situation traumatic, son,” Rose replied.

Maybe not, but… “Considering he left two bullet holes in Beckett’s pillow, he should be glad I didn’t aim for his head.” Which finally gave me a good opening to ask some questions of my own. “On that note, is Beckett in danger? Is this related to his brother’s murder?”

Beckett hadn’t told me a whole lot, but Tanner had heard rumors from his big brother, who was a junior operator here.

Operator Rose cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat. “It doesn’t take a genius to deduce that Beckett was the target. What this means is not my story to share. But it’s possible Beckett will. You’re kind of involved now.”

I hoped he did share. I wanted to know. I wanted to…fuck it, I didn’t know, maybe help in some way? Or was that laughable? After all, I was just a recruit at the very beginning of my training.

I opened my mouth to press for more answers, but the door opened again, and Beckett finally showed up.

Man, he looked tired. And grim. And still hot as fuck.

“How’re you holdin’ up, kid?” he asked.

“I’m okay.” I threw a couple chips into my mouth. “I kinda regret not picking up German in Germany, though. I would’ve been able to help out more since the fucker was on the phone when he entered.”

“Don’t worry about it. You’ve given us plenty,” he said. “Your choice now. Do you wanna get some sleep or talk to a counselor? Doc’s not available, but we have?—”

“I wanna sleep.” I sure as fuck didn’t wanna talk to a shrink at…whatever time it was. Somewhere between four and five. “Or order pizza. Or both. Also, I’m not a kid, you know.”

He let out a chuckle through his nose and nodded at the door. “Fair enough, pup. Come with me. We can get you a pizza on the way. You’ve earned it.”

Pup? I guessed that was…an improvement?

“Adrenaline makes me hungry.” I crammed a few more chips into my mouth before I stood up. “What’s open at this hour, old mutt?”

---