Sam decided she had allowed the sparring to go on long enough. With a swift jab of her fist into his stomach, then a high kick to his jaw, she laid Kong on his back. Just like before she sat on his chest, pinning his arms with her knees. Kong looked up at her and saw the smoldering hate in her eyes. Somewhere deep inside himself he regretted that, but to him it was necessary. 

“Did you learn what you needed to learn Lieutenant?” Sam asked. “Or do we need to go another round? I’ll warn you first, if we do this again I won’t just spar with you I’ll take you out completely.” 

Kong drew in a deep breath then looked down at her crotch sitting right in front of him. His body hardened with fierce speed. “We’re cool,” he grumbled, then began to sit up. If he didn’t get her off of him now he would embarrass himself in front of the others. 

Sam jumped to her feet and moved away from him. Kong pulled himself up and adjusted his shirt. Boomer and Ricochet just looked at him with blank faces. Walt scrubbed his face with his hands. 

“If you two are finished with the playground antics I need to fill you in on the last of the details.” When they all turned back to him he continued, “You’ll fly out at twenty-hundred tonight. What you do until then is your own business. Your pickup after you retrieve the hostage is at eighteen-hundred three days from now. Any questions?” 

When they all chorused “No Sir”, Walt continued. “Sam, meet me in my office at the barracks. I want to talk to these guys a moment.” 

“That’s not…” 

“Please,” Walt interrupted. 

Sam gave him a quick glare, then turned and left the tent. She couldn’t believe he was going to lecture them about her. He’d never done that before. She could defend herself. Sam ran with lightning speed back to the barracks, her anger pumping her legs faster. This whole situation was crazy. Hadn’t she proven herself over and over again? Why was she letting this particular man get under her skin? Sam stopped in front of her uncle’s office and bent over to catch her breath. A hot shower, she thought to herself, that’s what she needed. She could use the time to calm herself and think this situation through. 

Back at the tent Kong felt Walt’s eyes bore through him. “Sir, I’d like to explain.” 

“No need,” Walt replied. 

“Yes Sir there is. She’s young, in her twenties as far as I can figure. Surely she hasn’t had the years of training we’ve had and you’re asking us to trust her. I’m sorry Sir, but my trust doesn’t come that easily,” he said, looking at Boomer and Ricochet. 

“Is that so? Tell me Lieutenant just what do you know about her?” Walt asked. 

“That’s the point. I don’t know anything.” Kong was working hard at keeping his tone low-key. 

“Okay, let me enlighten you. She’s twenty-six years old and started her training eighteen years ago.” Walt let that tidbit of information sink in. 

“You tellin’ us she started training when she was eight?” Ricochet asked. 

“Exactly. By the time she was twelve she’d gone through four martial arts masters, each one teaching her everything he knew. When she was thirteen, she started coming here and training with my men. She watched, listened and learned everything she could. One day I put her out there with some of the guys on an exercise. Twenty minutes into the session she took out four men. 

“And if you’re worried about how she’ll handle herself if she’s captured by the Taliban, don’t be. Yesterday she went to Jersey to retrieve a woman who had been kidnapped. Our intelligence told her there were only two men. Imagine her surprise when a third walked in. At this very moment he’s undergoing surgery to repair major damage to his penis and scrotum. Now, she didn’t tell me, but I’m assuming the man thought he’d use her for his entertainment since she had let his intended victim go.” 

The men cringed at the thought of what she could have done to him. Kong smiled to himself, these were the answers he needed. She could fight, no doubt about that, his ribs and face would attest to her fighting skills. But now that he knew how she handled herself when she was outnumbered, some of the tension started to ease from his body.