“Not by much,” she says. “These are designed to challenge you.”
I nod and take a deep breath, glad the pain in my leg is gone. Riley gives me one more smile before we head back to the medical facility.
Very little is said as we board the helicopter and fly back over the city. The three doctors all focus on their tablets, quickly analyzing data from our mission. My thigh is still a little sore from where I was hit, but otherwise, I feel great.
We return to the field outside the medical center and gather in the middle. Captain Mills and the other men in officers’ uniforms are all there, looking at their own tablets.
“Let’s debrief,” Captain Mills says. “Overall, well done. Mission accomplished, but there are a few things we need to improve.”
One of the uniformed officers steps up to the lectern and presents an overview of the entire exercise. Riley and the other doctors listen closely, taking notes. I focus on Riley and stay silent. I remember every second of the mission and have no need for a recap.
“Timing was four minutes, twelve seconds over the estimate, which is within established parameters. Forty-two and seventy-two both took hits, which is an unacceptable percentage.”
Riley taps on her tablet. Two of the knuckles on her left hand turn white as she grips the machine. She’s not happy though I’m unsure whether it is the words of the officer or data on her display that displeases her.
The formal debriefing ends, and Captain Mills approaches our group.
“Not bad for a first test,” she says.
“Too much going off the standard practice,” McCall says. “That’s obviously your influence there, Riley. If this hadn’t been a training exercise, they could have been surrounded during the third encounter.”
“I’d calculated for that possibility,” I tell her. Instead of easing her mind, as I’d intended, the information annoys her.
“There’s a reason for standards,” she says as she scowls at me. “I don’t expect you to understand that, given your programmer.”
My skin tingles as my muscles tense.
“Sten.” Riley’s voice is soft as she reaches out and rubs my arm with her hand. “We’ll make the final data analysis once were back in the lab. If adjustments need to be made, we’ll make them at that time.”
“There was a lot of improvising,” Dr. Rahul says. “Though it was successful, it is not best practice.”
“One of the soldiers suffered a dislocated shoulder,” McCall says. “That isn’t supposed to happen though I’m not surprised. Considering Dr. Grace’s methods, I’d recommend not putting specimen seventy-two in the command position again. He’s unpredictable.”
“Those two were warned about engaging in hand-to-hand during this exercise,” Captain Mills says. “They were all informed of that potential risk.”
“Was he expecting to end up in the hospital?” McCall asks. “Because that’s where he is. Dr. Grace’s methods need to be reexamined.”
“Dr. Grace’s methods are not your concern,” Captain Mills tells her. “I’ll want detailed reports of all your comparative data, especially any differentiations. If I see what I expect to see, we’ll start the other specimens on the altered formula immediately.”
Dr. McCall’s eyes widen. She lowers her tablet to her side and takes a step toward Mills.
“I highly discourage that course of action,” McCall says. “He injured an officer during a training session—a good one, I might add. One specimen is not a sound trial. We’ve already lost thirty-two of them.”
“How are those losses relevant?” Riley asks. “None of those specimens were using my formula.”
“We can’t risk losing more based on the sloppy research of one suspect doctor and her single specimen.” Dr. McCall sneers at Riley before turning back to address Captain Mills. “That’s not how we should proceed. It isn’t even good science. If anything, this demonstrates the need to remove Dr. Grace and her specimen from this project altogether.”
A single flash in my mind tenses my body, and I am instantly on high alert. My stomach quivers, and my skin feels hot.
Riley is in danger.
I step in front of Riley, my hands instinctively balled into fists. A quarter second later, Pike is face to face with me. I glare into his eyes. The fact that I have to look up to meet his harsh gaze doesn’t concern me. No one is going to speak to Riley that way, and if I have to kill one of the other specimens to protect her, I have no problem with that.
My comrade had instantly become my enemy.