Chapter 26
Contains spoilersOverview
Wren excels during desert sniper training, publicly proving elite marksmanship, but Captain Cross Redden suppresses her scores to block advancement. Over the following week, Cross and the instructors continue to lowball Wren’s results across multiple disciplines despite strong performances. Realizing her path to Silver Elite is being sabotaged, Wren coordinates with Declan for schematics to the officers’ quarters, planning a risky move to counter Cross’s obstruction.
Summary
The recruits fly by jet to a desert camp for sniper exercises. During the flight, Wren banters with Lyddie De Velde and Kaine, who flirts and alludes to their prior intimate encounter; Wren keeps it private and ambivalent. At the range, Wren is paired with Ivy Darlington as spotter. Embracing her true skills, Wren calmly compensates for wind and distance, hitting consecutive bull’s-eyes on long-range targets.
Captain Cross Redden arrives on a motorcycle and observes with Lieutenant Xavier Ford. Seeking recognition, Wren escalates by puncturing Ford’s canteen from roughly twelve hundred yards, demonstrating extreme precision. Cross responds over comms with a sardonic warning, “Nobody likes a show-off,” rather than praise.
Back at the mess hall, Wren’s day score is listed as 65%, far below her demonstrated performance. Ford states that Cross scored her, deflecting responsibility. Over the next week, Wren continues to receive suppressed marks: 70 in Combat after she dominates Ivy, 72 in Moving Targets despite near-perfection, 65 in Archery (accepted as fair), and an unjust 62 in Knife Throwing despite flawless hits.
In shielding class, Amira commends Wren as having the strongest shield among recruits, which Wren attributes to training under Julian Ash. Wren considers whether Amira might be network, but when she queries Declan telepathically, Declan repeats a noncommittal policy line—“We cannot divulge the identities of our operatives”—for Amira, Lyddie, and Bryce alike, revealing nothing.
During a timed mock op with Bryce, Wren and Bryce flawlessly execute scaling, planting, and extraction. Bryce receives 100, while Wren is given 80 for the same result, confirming the pattern of Cross’s targeted suppression. Kaine, initially skeptical, concedes the bias looks real.
Pressed by the Program’s one-month timeline and Adrienne’s demand that she make Silver Elite, Wren contacts Declan again, warning she will not make Silver Block or Elite because Cross hates her. Declan notes Adrienne will not be pleased. Wren requests and receives mental projections of the officers’ quarters schematics from Declan, memorizes them, and prepares to enact a plan to counter Cross’s obstruction.
Who Appears
- Wren (Recruit 56)
Modified telepath protagonist; delivers elite sniper performance, is deliberately low-scored by Cross, coordinates with Declan for officer quarters schematics to counter sabotage.
- Lyddie De Velde
Fellow recruit; supportive, urges optimism, unaware of Wren and Kaine’s prior intimacy.
- Kaine
Fellow recruit; flirts with Wren and later acknowledges bias in her scores.
- Ivy Darlington
Fellow recruit; serves as Wren’s spotter, initially skeptical then shocked by Wren’s accuracy; later loses to Wren in Combat.
- Xavier Ford
Lieutenant instructor; oversees desert exercise with Cross; jokes on comms; deflects responsibility for Wren’s score to Cross; victim of Wren’s canteen shot.
- Captain Cross Redden
Program commander; observes exercises, chastises Wren for showing off, and suppresses her scores across activities.
- Amira
Instructor; praises Wren’s shielding as strongest; possible network status remains unconfirmed.
- Bryce
Fellow recruit; pairs with Wren to flawlessly complete a mock op and scores 100 while Wren is given 80.
- Declan
Telepathic contact/handler; maintains operational secrecy, warns Adrienne won’t be pleased, and provides mental schematics of the officers’ quarters to Wren.
- Adrienne
Network leader; not present but invoked as pressuring Wren to make Silver Elite.