All Chapters of They Benched the Wrong Guy: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

Cole's POV"Cole Chadwick! Look what you did!"The second I stepped inside, Dana Poole, my newly-wedded wife, rushed me, phone clutched tight, eyes glossy.On the screen—a shot from the scene. Me ripping open the hostage's clothes. Cropped just right. Twisted."My friends keep asking how my husband could strip a girl in front of everyone. What am I supposed to say? You embarrassed me."Her voice shook, full of blame.I shrugged off my jacket, stiff with soot and sweat. "It wasn't a normal bomb. Wires and pressure sensors covered her whole body. If I didn't remove her clothes, I couldn't do my job.""Then why not at least leave her underwear on?" Dana broke down. "I get you were saving her, but what about her dignity? There were cameras everywhere. How is she supposed to live with that? You could've covered her. You were so rough—no care at all."I looked at her, exhaustion hitting hard.I didn't say anything else. No point arguing.The next day, I got back to base. Something

Chapter 2

Ryan's first move as acting lead? Straight to my station.He tapped my desk, chin tipped up. "Lieutenant Chadwick, per regs, all specialized gear in your locker gets turned in during your suspension. Here's the key. Empty it. Now."No effort to hide the contempt.I said nothing. Opened the locker. Set out my tweaked tweezers, custom cutters, mini scope—one by one.He looked pleased. "From now on, we stick to standard procedures. Those 'homemade' toys? Obsolete."I looked up. "Quick question. You hit a bomb—epoxy packed with steel beads, strapped to an artery. The manual says use solvent. That solvent burns skin, causes secondary damage. What do you do?"Ryan's face locked up. He stumbled. "Then... w-we follow the manual. Strictly. It's been verified over and over. It's the most scientific approach."No flexibility. Just parroting regs.I flashed back—years ago. My mentor, Clark Wayne, the Army's 'Master Defuser'. He'd clapped my shoulder. "Kid, rules are dead. People are alive.

Chapter 3

Jobs that used to be easy? Now they were borderline disasters.I knew what they were waiting for—a real crisis to prove themselves.I dropped a long-overdue leave request on Jacob's desk.Thirty days. Full.The second he saw it, his face darkened. "Cole Chadwick, what is this?"He snapped the paper at my face. It clipped my cheek—sharp sting."The unit's short on manpower. You're asking for this much time off—what, trying to defy me?"His voice dropped, sharp with threat. "You're not fooling anyone. This is a tantrum. You think this pressures the unit?"He leaned in. "Let me be real clear—the world doesn't stop for you."I said nothing. Just pulled a document from my pocket—the unit-approved Post–High-Risk Operation Psychological Evaluation Report.I laid it out in front of him, tapped the last line. "Captain, it recommends rest and counseling. This leave request's fully compliant."Jacob's face went tight, color draining. He shot me a look—but had nothing to say.Finally,

Chapter 4

"Hey—don't panic. Slow down. What happened?""It's her birthday. We were supposed to have dinner there! Then they rushed in and took her! Cole, you have to save her! Aren't you the best bomb tech?"Sirens screamed through the line. People yelling in the background.***Third-Person POVAt the temporary command post downtown, the pressure in the air felt crushing.Jacob stared at the bomb schematic on the screen, his face drained.He'd never seen anything like it—some twisted, linked explosive. The red timer kept ticking, cold and steady.Ryan stood next to him, gripping a tablet, sweat dripping down his forehead. His "standard procedures" were a total joke now.Trying to dodge the blame, Jacob angled toward the commander."This setup's way off-book. Lieutenant Cole Chadwick's handled weird devices before. Maybe... Though, he works solo, keeps things to himself, doesn't exactly file reports—"He didn't get to finish.An urgent report cut him off."Commander Rowan! A second

Chapter 5

Inside the command post, every eye snapped to Jacob.His face went corpse-pale.Commander Rowan's gaze cut sharp and locked on him. "Captain Todd. Explain."Cold sweat broke across Jacob's forehead. His lips shook, but nothing came out. "I... I...""Where is he?!" Commander Rowan roared.Jacob flinched, scrambling for his phone, hands shaking as he dialed Cole."Sorry, the number you have dialed is powered off."The cold, robotic voice rang in his ears.He tried again.Same result."It's off! His phone's off!" he shouted.Jacob snapped at his men. "Find him! Send a team—whatever it takes, get to the reservoir and drag him back!" His voice sharp, panic slipping through.Outside the mall, Dana stood past the police line, staring at where her mom was trapped. She looked like she might collapse any second.The timer kept dropping—each number hitting like a punch.She called Cole again and again.Same message. Phone dead.Panic took over. She started firing off voice message

Chapter 6

I stood, packed up my rod.Relief hit the team all at once.I grabbed the satellite phone and called Central Command."Commander Rowan, I'll come back. Three conditions.""You have my word.""First, I want the fastest ride you've got. Send a helicopter.""Approved.""Second, I need someone on tools the whole time. I'm naming Lieutenant Ryan Cocke."A brief pause—then firmer. "Approved.""Third, from the second I arrive to the final cut, all body cams stay on. Livestream the entire operation. I want the world watching.""Agreed. All conditions accepted."At the command post, the order came through. Jacob and Ryan went pale.Thirty minutes later, a military chopper hovered over the reservoir, then dropped.Jacob stood at the cabin door, forcing a smile that looked worse than a grimace. "Cole..."I walked right past him and boarded.Headset on, I went straight to Central Command."Send all HD surveillance and the bomb schematics to my tablet. Prep Tool Kits A, C, and F. Br

Chapter 7

Every term I spoke into the mic streamed back to command.Stuff Ryan had spent hours staring at on his tablet—and still didn't get.Now he came sprinting back with my toolbox, drenched in sweat, gasping.I didn't turn. Spoke calmly over the public channel—to command and everyone watching the livestream."This trigger chain's built on fake separation. Multiple points look independent, but they're all linked. Touch one, the system reads it as forced entry and speeds up the countdown."I glanced at Ryan. "Like Lieutenant Cocke's earlier move on the signal. Didn't help—just tripped a trap and shaved three minutes off the clock. Textbook amateur mistake."That was basically a public humiliation.Ryan's face went red, like he wanted the ground to swallow him."Hand me insulation barriers A3 and A5."He scrambled through the toolbox and shoved them over, hands shaking."Now take the insulated pliers. Cut the third red dummy wire on the left. Then hit that thermal sensor with the liq

Chapter 8

Medics rushed in, lifting Haisley onto a stretcher.She found a bit of strength, grabbed my hand, tears running down her face."Cole... you saved us... you saved our family..."Dana stood beside her, crying hard. She looked at me, guilt all over her face.I just nodded, pulled my hand free.Then I turned away and quietly started sorting my tools.The whole time, I never looked at Dana again. Like we were just strangers who used to know each other.Commander Rowan strode over, took off his cap, and gave a sharp salute.Then he grabbed my hand and faced the cameras."I hereby reinstate Lieutenant Cole Chadwick, effective immediately, and award him a Special Class Merit Citation! A full investigation will be launched into the injustice done to him—and his name will be cleared!"Ryan stumbled over, face white as paper. "L-Lieutenant Chadwick... I..."I didn't even look at him. Handed him the toolbox."Clean it up."No emotion.Not far off, two disciplinary officers had Jacob

Chapter 9

A few days later, the task force dropped its report, laying out the whole mess.It didn't hold back. Ryan's jealousy—driven by his lack of skill. Jacob abusing his power to chase credit. And Dana, kicking it all off with that misleading video and false claims.Those were the triggers behind the backlash.Jacob and Ryan were kicked out of the unit.Both faced prosecution for gross negligence.Dana? No charges—but her reputation was wrecked.Coworkers whispered behind her back. The same "besties" who hyped her up while she trashed Cole? Now they laughed, calling her out for throwing away a real hero.Out on the street, the looks followed her. Cold. Weird. Unavoidable.She burned through every option before finally getting a rough address for Cole's new unit from some distant relative.The place was locked down even tighter.She ignored the guards trying to chase her off and stayed at the main gate. Days. Sun beating down, wind cutting through her—she didn't move.All for one s

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