Hazen woke up at 5 a.m. and snuck into the training room. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Commander Kyle, bare-chested, doing push-ups.
"Good morning, Commander," Hazen said, walking toward the punching bag. She wrapped her fists with cloth and began her workout.
Commander Kyle watched Hazen, who was focused on the bag, not glancing in his direction.
With a serious expression, Hazen punched the bag. "Me, weak? We'll see about that,"* she thought, directing the thought at Commander Kyle, though she didn't dare voice it aloud.
Seeing Hazen was uninterested in conversation, Commander Kyle left the room, giving her space to move freely. As soon as he shut the door behind him, Hazen let out a sigh.
"Phew, I thought he'd stay here," she muttered with relief, rubbing her aching wrist. The solitude felt like a weight lifting off her shoulders, though her body still throbbed from the earlier training.
