Chapter 14 - The Official Shot
The range remained closed for two days.
Every target was inspected.
Every lane was renumbered.
Fresh ammunition arrived under armed chain-of-custody supervision.
Major Ward offered Avery a choice.
Her qualification could be certified using the recovered evidence.
Or she could repeat the final shot under independent observation.
Miles looked at her.
“You already proved it.”
Avery opened her grandfather’s notebook.
Thomas had written beside his final Blackridge entry:
A clean shot should never fear a second witness.
Avery closed the book.
“I’ll fire again.”
The entire evaluation team assembled.
No Raines.
No private contractor.
No hidden target changes.
Avery lay prone behind the rifle.
Miles read the wind.
“Half value left.”
She adjusted.
Exhaled.
Paused.
Pressed the trigger.
The rifle recoiled firmly into her shoulder.
One second later, steel rang through the canyon.
Center hit.
Ward recorded it on her tablet.
Then she walked to Avery’s position.
“Sergeant Cole, qualification confirmed.”
No one cheered immediately.
The silence carried too much history.
Then Miles began clapping.
May you like
The others followed.
👉 Avery reclaimed her score—but clearing her own name was only the beginning of what the investigation uncovered.
