The salesman sighed as if I was wasting his time, then disappeared into the back room. The young people were whispering incessantly, staring at me like a spectacle. In the meantime, I glanced at the riflescopes, my fingers caressing the familiar markings. McMillan, Nightforce. Memories came to the surface: the dusty hills of Helmand, the wind calculations at 1,800 meters, the rescue of a platoon caught under enemy fire.
He came back with the case and placed it heavily on the counter. « The last one. Custom stock, threaded barrel. Do you know how to go about it? »
« I know it’s cold for ballistic tests, » I replied. « Memorized fall charts. No need to go to the shooting range today. »
He raised an eyebrow. « In any case, we’ll close the indoor lanes in ten minutes. But hey, if you buy without having seen… »
The door opened abruptly, with such violence that the windows flew away. Gusts of wind and rain rushed inside.
A man in full dress walked in with a determined step, the water trickling down his uniform. The insignia of colonel shone on his shoulders. Tall, in his forties, with a chiseled but angular face. An icy silence settled.
He quickly scanned my gaze, his eyes resting on me. He approached with a straight step and stopped at a precise meter. He greeted me with a curt gesture.
« Madame! May I speak? »
The salesman was speechless. The young men froze like statues, their smirks disappearing.
I returned the salute – an automatic reflex, an automatism. « Rest, Colonel. Granted. »
He relaxed slightly, but remained formal. « Half of my sniper battalion was formed under you, ma’am. You have completely reviewed our long-distance engagement protocols; you saved my team in this danger zone near Sangin. You extracted us under enemy fire when no one else could. »
The salesman stammered, « I… I didn’t know… »
The colonel ignored her and addressed the assembly: « This woman? His call sign carries more weight than that of most generals. When she speaks, SOCOM listens. The results on the battlefield are clear. »
A silence as heavy as the rain outside. The young men turned pale, their eyes wide. One of them whispered, « Holy shit. »
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