Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
AIR FORCE ACADEMY – THREE WEEKS LATER
The wind off the Rockies was sharp and dry. Her breath caught in her chest as she stepped out of the van. The Academy hadn’t changed. But she had.
She stood a moment at the foot of the dorm stairs, duffel over one shoulder, uniform trim but looser than she remembered. Her limbs still ached when she woke up. Her lungs felt like they were always catching up. But she was back.
That mattered more than how fast she could run.
The reentry briefing was short. Chase Security negotiated her return on clean terms. There would be no mention of disciplinary records, no behavioral flagging. The Academy didn’t want a lawsuit, and they definitely didn’t want press.
Dante waited outside the gym for her first evaluation. His uniform was pressed. A clipboard rested under one arm. His only greeting was, “You’re five minutes early.”
She lifted her chin. “You’re surprised?”
“No,” he said. “Just confirming the baseline.”
She followed him inside without another word. He didn’t ask how she was feeling. He didn’t mention the ravine. He didn’t soften anything.
She finished the warm-up circuit, slow but steady. Her heart rate was elevated and her breathing tight. But there was no shaking or gaps.
He watched her quietly, taking notes but not pushing. After the final stretch, he checked her form. “You’ll need four weeks of work. Then we test out.”
She nodded.
“You ready to earn it?”
Her answer was dry. “Are you ready to be ignored?”
Dante almost smiled. “Haven’t stopped being ignored since June.”
She stepped off the mat, towel in hand, then met his eyes. “Thank you.”
He nodded. “You're not done yet.”