Elliot closed his eyes. He didn't need Reed to tell him that. He'd seen it in Hale's face right before he'd thrown the punch. The protectiveness. The complete disregard for consequences.
"Barnes is going to report this," Elliot said. "Hale could lose his assignment."
"Maybe. Or maybe Barnes saw what actually happened. Briggs was asking for it."
"That won't matter."
Reed didn’t argue with that.
"You going to be there when he gets out?"
Elliot turned to look at him. Reed's expression was serious.
"I don't know if that's a good idea."
"It isn’t." Reed seemed to weigh his words. "Look, I don't know exactly what's going on. And honestly? I don't need to know. That's between you and Hudson."
The use of Hale's first name caught Elliot off guard.
"But Hudson's a really good guy," Reed continued. "One of the best people I know. And I'd hate to see him get hurt."
Elliot's shoulders tensed with frustration. "I'm not trying to get him in trouble."
"I know you're not. I'm just saying—be careful. For his sake."
Elliot held his gaze.
"Okay, then." Reed nodded. "Glad we’re on the same page."
He left.
Elliot stayed there alone, Reed's words echoing in his head.
For his sake.
Elliot didn't goto Barnes’s office.
Reed was right. Elliot knew waiting outside would onlymake things worse. Hale needed distance from him right now, not more evidence of whatever this was.
So Elliot went back to the barracks instead. He stripped his bunk, refolded everything with precise corners, checked his gear twice. Kept his hands busy.
He was making himself useful by reorganizing his footlocker when the door opened.
Hale’s knuckles were wrapped in white gauze, face set. His eyes swept the empty barracks before landing on Elliot.
"We need to talk."
Elliot's neck prickled. "What happened with Barnes?"
"Written reprimand.” Hale's mouth settled into a hard line. "He said if it happens again, I'm out."
Relief hit fast. Not dismissed. Just a reprimand. It didn’t make sense.
"That's it?"
"Yeah. Barnes saw the whole thing." Hale shrugged, but the movement was tense. "I got lucky."
Lucky. Hale thought he'd gotten lucky when he'd risked his entire assignment because of a stupid insult.
