The Battle Ground Series: Books 1-3 by Rachel Churcher

Author:Rachel Churcher [Churcher, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taller Books
Published: 2019-10-09T05:00:00+00:00

Amy

The process of sending the recruits out goes smoothly. The first team calls in when they reach the end of the driveway and turn back, then the second, and the third. They’re walking at a suitable pace, keeping other patrols within sight, and staying out of the way of the soldiers. So far, so good.

Jackson and Lee are confirming the radio protocols for the day, and we have an emergency procedure set up and ready to use. Taylor is rising to the occasion, sitting up straight, clipboard in hand, waiting for the brigadier to finish speaking. Brown and I find ourselves with nothing urgent to do.

Time to start a conversation.

I pick the table furthest away from the radio equipment, in the far corner of the tent. I make sure my radio is clipped to my belt and switched on, and then walk over and sit down. Brown, clipboard of rotas and information in her hand, follows me. We sit down at the table, both on the same side – I’m not in a hurry to recreate the atmosphere of the interrogation room. She puts the clipboard on the table and waits for me to speak.

This is not my comfort zone, Bracken. I need shouting and fear, and Jackson for backup. Not this.

“So, Amy. How are you getting on?” Inside, I’m cringing. I sound like the worst school counsellor. I sound fake and brittle.

She shrugs. “OK.”

I shake my head, hiding my frustration. “I don’t mean today. I mean at camp. Generally.”

“Oh.” She looks down. I think she’s blushing, but it’s hard to tell in the low light of the marquee.

“You’ve found some new friends.”

“Yeah.”

“You seem to get on with them. Are they helping you to move on?”

She looks up at me, coldly. “Move on from what?”

I could do without this, Bracken.

I want to roll my eyes and say something sarcastic, but that’s not what I’ve been asked to do. Instead, I look her in the eye. This feels aggressive. This is something I understand.

“It must be a shock, having to find your way at camp without Bex and Dan. And then there’s Saunders. You must miss them.” My words are gentle, but the sustained eye contact is not.

I cannot believe that I’m here, playing Good Cop to my own Bad Cop routine – and that her interrogation was only three weeks ago. She’s definitely blushing now, but this is anger, not embarrassment.

So much for Good Cop, Ketty.

“So. Is there anything you want to talk about? How you’re doing a great job of getting on with stuff? What you hope to achieve, long term? What we can do to help?”

She keeps staring at me. She’s gritting her teeth, and I’m guessing she doesn’t trust herself to speak. She’s furious.

“Amy,” I keep my voice gentle, “we’re really impressed with how you’ve put your head down and carried on with your training. Commander Bracken and I – both of us. You’ve set an incredible example for Jake,” I glance over my shoulder to the group at the radio table, “and you’re proving that you’re stronger than we thought you were.

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