The wind had quieted down. The heat was even worse now. It hurt to look at the ocean. The water reflected and amplified the sunlight. Even the seagulls were in hiding now.

For a brief moment Louise thought of Icarus, flying too close to the sun. Was she foolhardy too? She put one foot in front of the other. Every step was a victory. Her shirt, soaked with sweat, stuck to her lower back.

The notification sound of an incoming call had always been just one of many buzzes and bleeps in a digital world. Now, to Louise, it sounded like a blaring alarm. Danger, danger.

“Fuck, it’s a video call,” she stammered after peering at the screen.

El rolled up the sleeves of her blouse. “That’s okay. You look great.” She winked.

Louise just gaped at El.

“You can do this,” El added. She placed a quick kiss on Louise’s lips. “We can do this.”

She stepped away to get out of the camera’s sight. “I’m right here.”

Louise straightened up. It wasn’t easy with the pain in her chest and shoulder. The rough cotton of her pants clung to her thighs. “Ugh, I wish I could have showered first,” she thought.

Finally, she tapped the button to accept the call. She clenched her jaw and squinted at the screen. Her hair fell in front of her eyes.

After another second, an image of Michelle popped up. She was in full uniform, looking pristine and composed. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a tight bun.

“First Lieutenant,” she said, her tone icy.

A shudder ran down Louise’s back. She wished she was immune to Michelle’s disapproving gaze, but she wasn’t. Her chest ached, her pulse picked up.

“Major,” she replied as calmly as she could.

Louise recognized the space Michelle was in. She was sitting at the table in the large meeting room where Louise had first met El. Had that only been last week?

“Are you alone?” Michelle asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Yes,” Louise lied. It wouldn’t be her only lie today.