It was late.
The small gym echoed with the sounds of one woman aggressively attacking the punching bag. Her movements, although far above average, weren't as streamlined or fluid as they could be.
She worked intensely on making them so.
To her, it felt like she'd never make any progress; that she had merely plateaued to the extent of what she was physically able to do, but she continued to push herself, every day, just one more hit, one more punch. Perseverance had to count for something, right?
Her breaths of exertions, dry-throated grunts as she hurled her leg against the training aide, filled her ears and drown out the sounds of the door opening and the subsequent footsteps as someone else entered the room. They stopped, and still she didn't notice.
As in any of her sessions with the punching bag, she was pretending it was someone, something she wanted very much to beat into a bloody pulp, and the longer she went, the more real it seemed to become to her, until she was attacking it with a primal fury. She yelled as she meted out the final blow, completely exhausting her energy. She stood, tense and slightly shaking, breathing heavily, as the punching bag wobbled and swayed in the aftermath.
Behind her, the lone spectator started a slow applause. She jumped, hardly enough breath to gasp, and pivoted sharply to immediately set a fighting stance – only to drop it a moment later and shift her weight to one foot, looking at the intruder with combined wariness and awe.
"You've got quite a left hook, there."
"I've been working on it."
He nodded. "I heard this was a good place to find you, I'm glad I was not disappointed."
"Well, you know, just trying to make my right hook as good as my left." She chuckled, but it was tight. As much as she admired and respected and would follow this man to the ends of the universe, he scared the ever loving piss out of her. She stood her ground as he took a few steps towards her, and started a slow circle around her. She shifted her weight and tilted her head at him, but didn't turn and interrupt his inspection.
"I would like to make a proposition. I hear you've been wanting to come into our circle for a while now … ?"
She froze. She'd been making inroads, passing her name around to those who knew people, but she never would have imagined it would ever catch his attention for anything specific. She'd been happy just to be in his extended employ, but to be sought out like this ..."
"Yes. Absolutely."
"I may have something for you, but I need to know I can trust you."
She nodded immediately, choking her words back if just not to seem too overeager. "You can trust me implicitly."
"We'll find that out." He turned and took a seat on bench and regarded her carefully. She didn't dare move. "Are you familiar with Project Freelancer?"
"... Freelancer? Yes, I've … heard rumors of it, but – "
"My people have been tracking their movements, as much as they can. They're coming a little close to some of my more … delicate operations. I need someone on the inside to let us know just how close."
"I'll do whatever you need me to."
"Good girl! I knew I could count on you." He pushes off and approaches the punching bag to give it a couple light taps with his fist. "Continue as if we never spoke; I'll be sending you in as a recruit."
She couldn't help it, she snapped her head at him, eyes widening. "A recruit, sir?"
He nodded. "I've seen you in action; you've proven yourself capable."
"The rumors I've heard -"
"Are now going to include you. I'll send word when we're ready for you."
He turned and walked out, leaving her to stand and watch, confused and a little frightened. She'd thought he'd have her be one of the soldiers, or background technicians or something, but … an agent? Did he think she was that good?
She snatched up a water bottle and gulped down a couple swallows while she thought for a moment. The rumors she'd heard surrounding Project Freelancer usually centered on how strict and dangerous a program it was. She'd heard one of those stories from someone's sister's room-mate's cousin from Utah getting into the program and never coming out. Then again, there were the other rumors, on how they were nearly unbeatable. Like living heroes, almost.
He thought she was capable enough to be one?
She snapped the cap down on her bottle, tossed it aside, and then reset her stance in front of the punching bag.
She wasn't about to let him down.