Where did you get this? The courtyard went still again. Naomi lowered her hands only after the security officer gave a small nod. Master Sergeant Daniel Reeves gave it to me. Mitchell stared.
Rain gathered on her shoulders. Daniel Reeves? Yes. You knew him. Naomi's eyes did not leave hers.
He trained me. Mitchell took one step closer. What was your name? Trevor gave a quiet laugh. She's Nia's sister.
Mitchell ignored him. She asked again. Your full name? Naomi hesitated. Naomi Brooks.
Mitchell's expression sharpened. For the first time, Sloan looked uncertain. Naomi Brooks? The way Mitchell said it made Trevor stop smiling. Naomi nodded once.
Mitchell looked down at the coin again. Then back at her. I know that name. Ryan shifted. Madison lowered her phone slightly.
Ashley stared at Naomi. Sloan stepped forward. Rebecca, whatever connection you're thinking of, we still need to deal with what happened here. Mitchell turned toward him. What happened here?
Sloan pointed toward Naomi. She physically intervened with students. Nia stepped forward. They were surrounding me. Sloan raised a hand.
Nia, not now. Mitchell looked at him. No. Now. Sloan went quiet. Nia swallowed.
Trevor grabbed my wrist. Ryan took my folder. Derek blocked the exit. Madison was filming. Naomi came because I was trapped.
Trevor laughed without humor. That's not what happened. Mitchell looked at him. Then we'll review the footage. Madison's face changed.
Tiny, but visible. Sloan noticed. So did Naomi. Mitchell turned back to Naomi. You were with Reeves' combatives program?
Naomi nodded for several years. As a trainee? No. Mitchell waited. Naomi did not seem interested in helping her complete the thought. Finally, she said, I became a senior instructor.
Ryan's mouth opened slightly. Trevor stared at her. Naomi continued. I later helped adapt parts of the de-escalation framework for civilian emergency response programs. Mitchell exhaled slowly.
I knew it. Sloan frowned. Knew what? Mitchell looked toward the athletic center behind them. The safety framework Wellington licensed three years ago.
Silence. Mitchell's eyes returned to Naomi. Your name was in the development credits. Naomi's expression did not change. Trevor looked from Mitchell to Naomi confused.
Madison lowered the phone another inch. Mitchell spoke more clearly now. Naomi Brooks helped develop portions of the de-escalation and controlled intervention standards this institution uses in its athletic response training. The words seemed to travel across the courtyard differently than ordinary speech. They landed on Trevor, on Sloan, on the silent witnesses, on the security officers who had ordered Naomi to put her hands behind her back.
The same woman they had judged by faded EMT pants and worn sneakers had helped shape the very rules governing how conflict was supposed to be handled here. Nia looked at her sister. She already knew pieces of the truth, but hearing someone else say it publicly was different. Trevor tried to laugh. So what?
That means she can do whatever she wants? Naomi finally looked at him. No. Her voice was quiet. It means I knew exactly how much force not to use. Ryan looked away.