Then he stood and turned back to the recruits—who suddenly looked very, very young.

“You three think you’re tough because she’s sitting and you’re standing?” His tone didn’t rise, but the disappointment in it burned deeper than anger. “You think strength comes from mocking someone who’s already fought harder battles than any of you have seen?”

They swallowed hard.

Hale nodded toward Emily. “That woman has more courage in her left hand than you have between the three of you.”

The tall recruit tried to stammer out an excuse. “We were just—just joking around, sir—”

“It wasn’t funny,” Hale said. “And it wasn’t harmless.”

He stepped closer.

“You scared her service dog—an animal trained to keep her safe. That crosses a line you do not want to cross.”

The recruits stared at the ground.

Hale continued, “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to apologize. Then you’re going to walk into that admin building and turn yourselves in for disciplinary review. And if you don’t?”

His eyes hardened into something unmistakably lethal.

“Then I will handle it personally.”

Their voices trembled as they apologized.

Emily accepted quietly—not because they deserved it, but because she refused to let them take any more of her energy.

The recruits hurried away toward the building, practically tripping over themselves to get there first.

Hale waited until they were out of earshot before turning back to her.