Opening his music app, he set the workout playlist that usually helped him get a sustainable pace. He inserted one earbud so that he could hear the music but still be aware of his surroundings, and set off.
The jog from the dorms to the Hickam Gym was warm but invigorating. Felix had a lot on his mind, and far too much energy to set still. It was a beautiful morning, with the colors of Mimosa trees, and the smells of Plumerias. He took the path that bordered the par 3golf course, so he could use the side walk, around the engine test pad towards the main gate. Veering left, he kept to the foot path, and crossed the main base entrance road, past the NCO Housing, and then diagonally across the Exchange/Commissary parking lot. Felix jogged past the clothing shop, and onto Vickers Ave., sprinting the last leg, and up the steps to the Training pool.
At this time of day, everyone would be on duty, and the dependents would be using the family pool further down the road. He was in luck. Only one other, an older service person was putting in some laps in the far lane. Felix stepped into one of the rinsing showers, slipping out of his gym shorts and into his swim trunks, while rinsing the sweat from the run. He set his clothes and backpack in a bundle at the pools edge of his lane, placing his earbud on top of his shoe. Taking a moment to stretch and catch his breath, he set the timer on his watch to 10 minutes. Lowering himself into the cold water, he could feel the tightening in his chest and his limbs tingling from the run. They were consuming the oxygen from his blood. He drew several long, slow breaths, held each for a few seconds. His vision began to sparkle, and his head felt a bit dizzy, but he persisted. His heart pounded loudly in the water, and focusing on breathing, Felix began to consciously slow his heartrate and saturate his blood with vital oxygen.
Once his vision had stabilized and heartrate a slowed to a steady 50BPM, Felix dipped under the water, and pushed off the wall. Staying under the water, he rotated his torso and arms with hands flat and rigid; using the rotation of his hips and corkscrewing his legs to build propulsion. With the speed from kicking off combined with the gliding speed of long powerful stokes, the water rushed past. He reversed his torsion, feeling another powerful surge of acceleration through the water. With one last rotation, he extended his left arm, feeling the far end of the pool come in contact with his hand. Felix tucked into a ball as the momentum of his body rotated his feet towards the wall, landing purposefully. He jumped off hard, starting to feel his lungs burn from the time under water. Straight as an arrow, he slid through the water with speed until surfacing in a blast of air, exhaling and inhaling fully, before his chest and head once again were submerged. Legs went into action like the propellers on a ship, while his torso stretched to reach the maximum water possible. His right hand knifed down with barely a splash, grabbing a full hand of water, and with all his strength, Felix climbed, slamming his hand down along his chest towards his grown before flipping it out past his right buttock. Meanwhile, his left hand was already spearing through the air above to repeat the action.
This went on until: Down and back, down and back, down and back. After 12 full laps, Felix stopped at the wall next to his belongings. A few seconds later, the alarm on his watch chirped.
Felix toweled off and changed back into his gym clothes, reinserted his earbud, and crossed over to the adjoining gym. The smell of machine oil and rubber mats mingled with sweat and tropical smoothies.
“Felix!”, Matt called out, passing a towel across the desk “Long time, no see!”
“You’re still here, Matt? I thought you PCS’ed already…. Luke, was it?” Felix asked.
“You won’t believe it. Services commander approved a term extension here at Hickam if I reenlisted for another 4. I’m not going anywhere. Lani is so happy that we don’t have to leave. We’re getting married next month!” Matt lit up with the news.
“She’s marrying you?!? I mean. uhm. Congratulations!!!” Felix mocked
Matt feigned incredulity, miming a pearl clutching motion, then they both laughed and shook hands.
“So, you’re saying I still have a month to make my move.” Felix winked with smokey eyes at Matt, blowing him a kiss. Matt caught it. Putting it in his pocket.
“If she blows you one back, I’m kicking your ass. You know I’m stronger than you…” Matt jested, catching his accidental phrasing a moment too late.
“You said it, not me”, Felix replied with a sly grin. They both laughed.
“You better Get the fuck out of here.” Matt feigned anger.
“OK! OK!” Felix retreated with a smile; hands raised in surrender. as he pushed through the double glass doors, then turned walking down the few steps and left into the stretching area where the heavy punching bag racks waited.
Felix hit play on his playlist and began weaving the boxing headwraps through each finger before tightening the Velcro around each wrist. Sliding his padded-knuckle gym gloves on. Timer set.
Like clockwork the next song began: “Howling at the Moon” By Phantogram. One earbud in so he could stay aware of the room around him.
Felix found his stance, and began to bounce to the time of the music on the balls of his feet, bringing his hands up and lightly shoving the bag to get it moving with him. He stepping to the side with two quick left hooks, and a crisp right jab, before bouncing back onto his right foot. He lashed out another quick left jab as he switched stances. Right hook. right jab. left jabs. pop pop.
Dancing around the right, the swings and snaps started to take time with the music. About the second verse, Motion caught Felix’s peripheral vision. A woman had taken up position in the stretching area beyond the bag, facing away from him. Sleeveless hoodie, Black yoga pants, a crop of short blond hair slightly visible. Noted.
Felix focused back on the bag. Another tight combination snapped out, as she began shoulder stretches that flowed into a warmup routine.
Focus. His gloves sounded out the rhythm of the music, head nodding in time, the melody lighting his heart with the energy and emotion of flight. He floated in violence, in control of physics and motion. landing each attack with timing and accuracy.
Her motions began to flow at a similar pace, as she transitioned from pull-ups to more stretches, movements fluid and sliding with ebb and flow of the song. When the music moved into and instrumental technical recess before the next vocal crescendo of chorus, her movements seemed to mirror the emotion.
Felix pursed his brows, shaking his head recentering on the bag, striking out with another flurry, but the bag bucked and He glanced a blow. He cursed under his breath. He bared teeth.
‘Don’t Look’ He looked. She was still turned away. Movements now perfectly in tempo with the ending of the song. Felix’s gloves dropped to his side. Confused. The song came to a close, as the women reached up and tapped her ear. His earbud went silent.
The blood drained from Felix’s face as she turned and faced him. Blackwell casually walked over, removing the other earbud from her ear and handing it to Felix. “Why Johnny Ringo, you look like someone just walked over your grave.” Staring emotionless “Interesting music choice.” She said, eyes in studious slits, examining him.
Felix’s mind rushed through a catalogue of emotions: Surprise, Fear, Confusion, Anger, Enlightenment, then settling on ice-cold resolve.
“There he is”, She said as flatly as a hissing snake. “I expect your conversation with the brass went well. Will I be seeing you on the plane?”
Felix’s expression must have betrayed him, because the edge of Blackwell’s mouth twitched into a half smile for a fraction of a second. She had him figured out. Impressive. Infuriating, but impressive.
“Call me Zee, and don’t be late.” Blackwell stated.
Felix finally saw, this whole time she was toying with him. Trying to find his angles, and had succeeded. “I haven’t decided if I’m going anywhere.” He replied.
“Well, that’s just too bad!” She mocked a pouting expression. “Guess we’ll never really get to know each other” She winked wryly. “Don’t be late.” Without another word, she threw her bag over her shoulder and strode out of the room.
Felix snatched up his backpack, frustrated and disappointed in how easily she cut through his self-control. He grabbed the earbud case, opened it to find that both charging ports were empty, and slid the earbuds in. Clinching his jaw, he retrieved the envelope to find that it was unsealed. Felix felt the hot breath of rage through his nose. Withdrawing the mobilization orders from the envelope, he marched out of the gym and made his way towards the flightline.
Atavus Quill 