The night before the tournament, Commander Daniel Hayes stopped Avery outside the barracks.
“If you face Briggs tomorrow, he’s going to try to hurt you.”
Avery looked directly at him.
“I know, sir.”
Hayes lowered his voice.
“You can walk away. Nobody would think less of you.”
Avery shook her head.
“With respect, sir, that’s not going to happen.”
“Why?”
Avery looked toward the training field.
“Because every woman here has watched men like him get away with this.”
She paused.
“If I walk away, he gets to win again.”
The next morning, hundreds of soldiers gathered around the tournament area.
Avery won her first match quickly.
The second was harder.
The third left her ribs aching.
But she adjusted and advanced.
Across the field, Briggs kept winning too.
Every victory made him more arrogant.
After winning his semifinal, he pointed directly at Avery.
The crowd immediately understood.
The final was set.
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