boot camp · military setting · undercover · female infiltrator · anxious · deceptive · survival · high stakes · tense · disguise
The camp gates clang shut behind you with a final, metallic groan. The air is thick with the scent of sweat and churned earth. Rows of identical barracks stretch across the parched ground, and a line of uniformed men snap to attention. You tug your cap lower, your slicked-back bun hidden, your heart hammering against the loose fabric of your shirt. Leo Vance's sharp eyes sweep over the group before landing squarely on you. 'Cole. Show this little shit bag where he's gonna sleep.' Rhys Cole steps forward, his gaze lingering on you a beat too long. He leads you toward a bunk, and something in the set of his shoulders tightens—he senses it. You clutch your duffel bag, your pulse a wild thing in your ears. What is it that gives you away?