Control Point Read Online Free PDF

normally, and I don’t need to tell you how hard burns are to treat.”
    He turned to go, but Britton held his sleeve. “Thanks, sir.”
    The Hydromancer nodded and shook his arm free. “Let me get back in there, Lieutenant. Might be there’s more I can do for him after all.”
    Britton turned back to his team, but Harlequin, back from dropping off the girl’s corpse, strode in front of them, blocking his view.
    “How’s your boy?” the Aeromancer asked.
    “He’ll be okay, sir.” Britton bit off the words, not trusting himself to speak.
    “He’ll be better than okay, Lieutenant. He’s got a SOC burn-trauma expert on the case. He’s very lucky. Just like you were very lucky to have an Aeromancer between you and that elemental back there.”
    Britton felt his temper rise, but his men were watching; it wouldn’t do any good to teach them to be proud. Harlequin was arrogant, but he was also right. The issue of the murder would be for a court-martial to decide.
    “Yes, sir,” he said, trying not to sound bitter. “It’s much appreciated.”
    “You can show your appreciation by writing the after-action report,” Harlequin said, handing him a packet of papers. “I’ve got to get with public affairs to deal with the press.”
    It was too much. “Where do I fill in the information about you killing a helpless captive?”
    Harlequin’s smile went vulpine. “Anywhere you damn well please. I can counter with a report of a Probe dealt withaccording to authorized ROE. I can also put you down for assaulting a superior officer and conduct unbecoming.”
    Britton took a step forward, his chest touching Harlequin’s. “Go right ahead. Nothing will make me happier than to tell a court-martial the truth. You better put the rest of my men down while you’re at it, because they saw everything, too.”
    “Not too bright, are you? You’ll get your day in court. But there isn’t one in all five armed services who is going to rule against a SOC officer for killing a Probe. You might as well campaign for cockroach rights, you damned idiot. She resisted. If she’d turned herself in, she’d still be alive.”
    “As a Probe?”
    Harlequin sighed and slammed the paperwork into Britton’s chest. “Just don’t forget; two Selfers employing Black Magic during a lawful SOC assault. They were given ample opportunity to surrender.”
    “They were given thirty seconds. And I saw one Elementalist and one Pyromancer. Heck, you just told the TOC that only one was a confirmed Probe, and you only took one corpse.”
    “It’s all Black Magic when they run, Lieutenant. You write that report any way you want, but I guarantee you that public affairs will have a different perspective.”
    “I’ll make copies. People will know what happened up there.”
    “Yes, Lieutenant, they will. They also won’t give a damn. That’s because they, unlike you, know who the good guys are.”
    Britton watched Harlequin’s departing back, biting back a retort. He turned to his team. “Dan, take the guys in there and get everyone checked out. I’ll report to the TOC and get started on this damned report. I’m going to write it as I saw it, no matter what that asshole says. I want to get everyone’s signature. No pressure, you only sign it if you agree.”
    Cheatham nodded. “He’s right, sir. It won’t mean a damn thing, you know that.”
    Britton shut his eyes and gritted his teeth. “Yes, Dan. I know that.”
    “Dawes’ll be okay,” Cheatham said. “Hightide is the best burn-trauma specialist I’ve ever seen. He was out at our field cash in Baghdad before the pullout.”
    “We both know Hightide’s only here in case one of their own gets zapped.”
    Cheatham shrugged. “Same difference, sir.”
    “If the SOC really wanted to help, they’d send a Physiomancer to fix his face. That’s going to be tough on him.”
    “No doubt, but Physiomancers are a rare breed, sir. I haven’t seen a Healer on detail to the 158th in a