Daisy | Simon Riley

|4|

She walked slowly to the track, having left the barracks earlier than usual for PT.

Her night was long, having only gotten spurts of sleep for reasons she didn't want to focus on. But just because she didn't want to didn't mean could. A discovery from her work in the intelligence department pointed to a human trafficking ring, and her thoughts would be damned if she could get it off her mind.

Identifying trafficking rings was always a deeply uncomfortable moment. One where a pit would form in her stomach, as if helplessness was overtaking her body. Where she imagined herself in the position of those stolen from their lives. Of their fear.

In the next, she would force herself to rebuild her mental wall, allowing her to get back to work.

Collect.

Report.

Research.

Without that wall, she wouldn't be able to do her job. Without that wall, she wouldn't be able to be a soldier.

Sometimes people had to distance themselves from their morality to protect humanity. Or maybe that was an excuse she told herself. Something indoctrinated into her psyche by a society who justified war in the name of peace.

Her mind buzzed as her eyes fell on the empty track, and without second thought, she moved onto it.

She didn't push herself past a jog, but it was enough to get her mind off her previous thoughts, thinking instead of the day's training.

That morning the squad would rotate, meaning she'd meet the second half of Ghost's platoon. Their schedule had them on four weeks of supervised PT then four weeks of independent PT which gave troops a bit of a break from boot-camp like exercises, but also made them responsible for their own physical training.

They would be sparring for the next few sessions, something Drew was excited to get to. Even though she wouldn't be participating, she found it extremely helpful for her own skills to analyse others fighting. Knowing how fellow soldiers fought meant she could work better with them-but it also trained her to pick up on habits, to see from the outside why or why not something was working, and even offer insight she wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed a few troops approaching, their voices travelled towards her, but their words were lost to the wind. She turned her head toward them, noticing that only two spoke; the other watched, arms crossed over his chest.

As she rounded the track and neared them, she didn't slow. "Let's go. If you're here you should be moving," she barked.

They snapped to attention, likely only realizing then who she was.

"Yes, Lieutenant," the three of them answered before moving to the track.

Slowly, the rest of the troops trickled in-all on time-and all not hesitating to begin. They greeted her as they saw her before falling in line.

Eventually she caught sight of Ghost, arms crossed and face covered as usual. When she neared him, she slowed, moving off the track and coming to a stop beside him.

"Should have worn your PT uniform if you wanted to participate in PT," he grumbled.

"Good morning, Ghost," she said ignoring his comment.

"You usually train with your troops?"

"Builds morale, you know?" she hummed sarcastically, "Besides, I got here early; just wanted a jog."

"Ain't your PT in the evening?" he grunted.

She bristled. "Does everything I do annoy you?"

"Yes."