Chapter Three

The Truck Andrews Recruit Training Facility- the crown jewel of Truck's accomplishments, named for him after he left the city. Situated on the outskirts of the city, trees surrounded it to minimize distractions. New mud pits and clear tanks of water highlighted the freshly maintained confidence course.

I headed straight to the gym to meet the 80 recruits. Two years ago, at age 19, I went through boot camp. No one beat me, including the instructors. I was a submission specialist and no one could defend against them. They even brought in HEAT, the Hybrid Elite Assault Team. Peacekeeper leadership decided no one was better suited to train the new people coming in. I did not mind and actually enjoyed it.

The recruits sat through indoctrination all morning, following uniform issue, bunk assignments, and a quick tour. Captain Max Nicholson, the recruit training leader, introduced himself and started roll-call. I was not paying attention.

I remembered when I began the Police Force. Blake had stolen a toy and my first assignment had been to address the issue. Since that day, I invested most of my time and money to those children. Whatever they needed, and wanted, since they became family to me. My biological family still lived in Knoxville, but my parents kicked me out of the house when I was sixteen and I never looked back. I even changed my name so no one would associate me with them.

"Cut the chatter," Captain Nicholson bellowed. "Ari Bennett."

Wait a minute, is that... My heartbeat sped up.

A young man popped up. "Ari Bennett. Knoxville."

I turned my head toward the group. Standing strong was a grown up Arthur, the boy from my neighborhood growing up. His bright blue eyes gleamed when my eyes met his, but I did not change my expression. My whole body tingled. A shiver of pleasure caused my legs to feel weak.

"You can sit back down," Nicholson said.

He plopped down in his seat. A blush crept across his cheeks as his eyes flitted back and forth to check if anyone noticed.

My heart skipped a beat. I never thought I would run into him here. Wait. Only a couple people in the city knew my real identity. However, there was someone that did and I was excited to see him. A tingling started in my left arm and chest tightened. What was the worst that could happen? Right, he tells the wrong person and I have to leave the city.

Calm down.

I couldn't take any chances. I had to confront him. He definitely recognized me. I shouldn't have looked him in the eyes. I didn't do that to anyone else.

With roll-call finished, Nicholson introduced the other instructors.

"To my right is Lieutenant Hughes and left is Lieutenant Andrews."

A voice shot out from the group. "When do I get to train with her?"

I took a deep breath and exhaled through my nose. Idiot. I should have known there would be a catcall.

"Sounds like we have our first volunteer," I said to Nicholson.

"Who said that?" Nicholson demanded.

The culprit rose from the middle, grinning from ear to ear.

"Lieutenant Andrews will be your physical trainer for the next four months. And you just volunteered to be first in the cage. What's your name recruit?"

The kid's smile waned a little. "Ward." He strolled over to the cage as Nicholson explained the evaluation process. Training revolved around ability level. We both put gloves on and walked in.

"I'll go easy on you," Ward said.

"But I won't go easy on you," I replied. "Let's see what you can do."

I needed to make an example of him after a remark like that. I stepped in and jabbed him in the face. Ward took a couple steps back and then shook his head to regain his composure. He came in swinging wildly. I easily pushed his arm away. He stomped a foot on the mat and clenched his jaw. I smirked. His frustration humored me. He stumbled when he ran towards me and received a hook to the face and a kick to the body. He doubled over, grabbing his stomach. The gym was silent except for his gasping breaths.

"Is that it, Ward?" I asked. "Come on, you were in such a hurry to get started."

He let out a guttural roar and ran toward me again. He tried to block my next punch and grabbed my arm. I twisted my arm and effortlessly broke his grip. In one fluid motion, I grabbed his wrist, bent it and forced his arm behind his back. He called out and fell to his knees.

"OK, that's enough," Nicholson said. "Who's next?"

"How disappointing," I whispered. It was a small stress relief, but far from satisfying. I hoped one of them would put up a good fight, to help me take my mind off things.

After a few volunteers, Nicholson called on everyone else. After seeing what happened to the first one, who could blame them? I sneaked a peek into the remaining recruits. Ari sat in his chair with one leg bouncing up and down, whispering to the recruit next to him. What were they talking about? I averted my gaze when I heard him called up next. He wiped his hands on his shorts and made his way to the cage. 

***

Boot camp was a good time, a quiet time. For the first time in about a year, I looked forward to going to work each day. Ari had immediately become the top recruit in the physical training. But I hadn't talked to him yet because I could never get him alone. I tried to tell myself that I was being unreasonable. 

Training started slow, to minimize injury. A major injury forced a recruit to drop out until the next year. I helped the staff prepare the beginning obstacle course, which only the most physically fit candidates completed. Nicholson and Hughes brought them out an hour after lunch.

During the short warm up, Nicholson barked out commands which I performed with them. Hughes walked around to monitor correctness. Every once in a while, someone would be so far off he would drop down and do it too. The first-week strength building lasted only 45 minutes, followed by the conditioning obstacle course. I ran through the course with everyone watching to learn it.

Nicholson stood on a platform to watch. Occasionally he would yell at someone in a bullhorn for doing something unsafe. The last obstacle was the toughest. They had to climb up an inclined cargo net backward up to a platform, then slide down a pole to the mat below. Since most of them would not make it to the top, a net would catch them and I helped them climb out before the next person ascended. Normally the Peacekeepers' sons performed better since their fathers started their physical training as children. To my surprise, Ari climbed at a breakneck pace, but halfway, his foot tangled in the rope. After a minute, he slowly started back up. Three-quarters of the way, his arms gave out and he fell to the net. My heart dropped when he lost his strength.

"I thought you were going to finish," I said as I helped him off the net.

He smiled tentatively and turned his head down. "Me too. You made it look so easy. Can I go back to help out the others?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out at first. No one had ever asked that before. Not to mention, he looked exhausted. "Yes, of course, you can."

He jogged off to the starting point. I found myself watching him. My hand still tingled where I touched his hand.

Despite his past, he had such a positive attitude. When he was five years old, his mother left and his father turned into a neglectful alcoholic. When I first left Knoxville, I was filled with anger and hate. I did not want help from anyone, at least not at first. I still would be, if not for Rose.

After a short break, we worked on strikes. Ben, a boot camp friend, helped out when he was not at soccer practice. He was the only one who almost kept up with my speed since we trained together periodically. The recruits paired up with one person to intercept the strikes. I demonstrated the routine: jab, cross, hook, uppercut, kick.

"Show them some at full speed," Ben said to me.

"Are you sure? Don't get too cocky."

He nodded.

"OK." I shrugged. If he wanted to.

I started slow and then increased the speed with every combination. The fourth time Ben could not keep up, however, I could not stop the kick. He stumbled back and grabbed his chest.

"I tried to back off," I said.

"Yep, my fault," Ben replied.

The gym fell silent. Everyone stopped and stared. "Back to work! You think you will be that fast by watching?"

"No," they shouted in unison. "Only if I train like my life depends on it!"

My mouth turned up on one side when I heard the phrase I repeated over and over to them.

"Was that as fast as you can go?" Ben asked.

"No," I said matter-of-factly. "If you kept coming in the morning..."

He smiled smugly with his hand still on his chest. "I know."

No need for further explanation. He had a new group of friends who he went out drinking with every night.

I folded my arms across my chest. "You can stop faking."

His mouth slacked. "I am not faking. You should come hang out later. A bunch of us..."

"Dorm duty tonight. Besides, I do not like drinking or the people that do excessively."

"All you do is work. You need to relax and take some time for yourself."

Since when were you concerned? I shifted my weight to my right and minutely shook my head.

"We haven't hung out lately, but I want to change that. Alain too."

"Yeah, that would be nice. Listen, I am going to walk around if you want to head out," I said.

He shrugged. "The offer is always open. Call me." Then he headed to the locker room.

I stopped and observed Ward, who made good progress since the first day. Ari and his partner worked next to him. His eyes met mine and his mouth turned up in a smile. The little twinkle caused my heartbeat to race. I looked down to hide my grin. Once I regained my composure, I noticed him favoring his rib cage. I was concerned that he did not report an injury. Continuing down, another recruit did not follow through his punches. I glanced at his shirt for his name. Mason. I glanced at the clock. Almost four o'clock.

"Time for the evening run!" My voice echoed in the half empty gym.

They hastily put the equipment away and lined up at the door.

On the way to the door, Brent sat on the desk with a light jacket draped across his lap, chatting with the receptionist.  She giggled uncontrollably. I glared at him but he didn't notice.

"Go out and start. Three miles and then to the dorm to prepare for city history class tonight," I said to the line leader.

"Roger that," he acknowledged.

Brent met me at the doors. Pain crept up the back of my head but I forced a smile.

He smiled from ear to ear. "Miss Andrews, how are you doing? You're looking good."

"Please, I'm all sweaty. I'm a little surprised you made the trip out here."

"I've missed our little conversations in headquarters. Besides, there is some pretty interesting news I figured you'd want to hear."

I crossed my arms tightly across my chest.  "Don't tell me the distillery blew up."

"What? No, nothing like that. I came across some paperwork. You are being put in for another promotion. Next year, we'll be the same rank."

"Promotion for what?"

"I didn't read it all. At least one Captain put in for retirement and you have done a lot for the city since you've been here. Can't think of anyone better than you. Just think, you're on the fast track to becoming a city leader."

City leader? Do I really want that? I bit my bottom lip and stared out of the tempered glass doors.

“It’s hot in here,” he said as he unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up.  "Maybe you’ll be at next city council meeting is in December to learn how things are run."

I raised my eyebrows.  "Are you sure? I'm too young for a leadership position."

"You are the same age I was when I became Captain.  There's an officer's gathering tonight." He gradually moved closer to me. "If you want, I can pick you up."

His cologne made my head swim. "I won't be home until tomorrow."

"What about the last winter soccer league game? I have box seats."

"I already made plans to meet a couple friends there. Unless there is room for two more."

He frowned. "No. One of these days, you're not going to have an excuse and you'll have to go out with me."

The last recruit ran outside onto the track. I offered a smile for his bruised ego. "You just have terrible timing. I need to go, in case the teacher is late.”  I reached out to his left arm.  “Do you have a scar?”

He pushed his sleeves back down and stepped around me.  "It was wonderful to see you."

I opened my mouth to confront him for dodging my question, then decided not to.  In the two years I knew him, Brent never talked about himself.  I turned around and pushed the door open with my back.  "You too." 

The door slammed shut behind me. I wasn't sure what to think. I had been working hard to improve the city for all citizens, but it seemed too good to be true that my efforts were being rewarded so soon.