Chapter 16
Ada eventually became part of the new advisory rotation.
Her choice.
She waited eighteen months.
When she joined, one older captain objected.
“She’s Ronan’s sister.”
Ada answered before I could.
“That means I recuse when it concerns him personally.”
The captain blinked.
Apparently conflict rules were more shocking than nepotism.
She did well.
Not because trauma made her wise.
I hate that idea.
Suffering does not automatically improve people.
She did well because she listened.
Questioned.
Refused to treat cruelty as toughness.
One afternoon she challenged me publicly over a warehouse closure.
I hated her argument.
She was right.
Afterward I told her:
“This is annoying.”
She smiled.
“Mom said you confront too late.”
I regretted ever showing her the notebook.
Then she became serious.
“Do you ever think about the camera?”
“Yes.”
“Me too.”
The feed had been deleted after the investigation inside the family.
No copies kept.
No footage used as warning.
Ada demanded that.
She did not want her fear becoming educational material for men.
Correct.
The only surviving object was the empty tripod clamp.
Rafe found it years later in storage.
He asked what to do.
Ada threw it away.
No speech.
No symbolism.
May you like
Trash.
Good.
