Still haunted by the condescension she experienced at the Nigerian hospital and by PTSD flashbacks of the kidnapping, Zelu lies awake in Chicago, unable to sleep. She recalls passing a converted warehouse that turned out to be a black-owned gun range run by a woman named Mona. On impulse, she books a private lesson under the alias 'Nicole Simmons' and finally falls into a peaceful sleep.

Zelu travels through a snowstorm to arrive promptly at 7:30 a.m. Mona walks her through gun safety and the parts of a Glock 42 in her office. The only other patron is Odell Martin, a top Chicago lawyer who fires a tactical rifle every weekday morning. When Odell fires his rifle, the sound triggers a violent flashback to the bushes of Imo State, and Zelu nearly collapses.

Mona leads Zelu off the range and reveals she recognized her despite the alias, promising discretion and assuring her the range is sacred and safe. Zelu breaks down crying, releases the trauma, and then steadies herself to try again. After hesitating, she squeezes the trigger and hits the center of the target on her first shot, firing forty rounds within the bullseye by the lesson's end.

Shooting becomes a regular practice. Zelu becomes a member, graduates from pistol to shotgun to tactical rifle, and her PTSD flashbacks gradually diminish. The sense of control and capability counteracts the world's perception of her as fragile. Refreshed after each session, she begins writing again — small private vignettes with no goals or expectations, including reflections on the space mission she declined and her parents' Nigerian house renovation. She keeps this new hobby secret from Msizi, who hates guns.