Faithful

What goes up must come down

FRANKLIN HEIDELBERG came from Los Angeles, California; he was a typical urban boy who knew the behavior of people. His mother died of cancer several years ago. Frank only lived with a father who wanted him to study at a local university. He has started to import and export business in recent years and has succeeded quite a bit. His father dreamed that Frank would be doing business with him after school.

But Frank has already decided as a little boy to become a soldier because the army still has a future and its popularity has risen sharply in the public. However, nobody respected his wish.

Frank had been persuaded to study at the University of California. Learning was not difficult for him. But he spent time cutting out pictures and newspaper articles about the Marine Corps. Instead of school, he devoted himself more to his hobby.

His classmates often attacked him for that. The quarrels and stormy fighting in the school corridors were exhausting.

Everyone laughed at him that he had a green brain. Heidelberg successfully completed the first semester and then finished. He celebrated his nineteenth birthday, but his father was terrified, he could not forget the cowardly escape from the school bench. His father did not accept the idea that Frank, the only son, would become a marine. He tried to explain to him the severity of his stupid decision.

Frank worked as a fast-food helper at a nearby restaurant for a while, and then he packed his bag and left one sunny morning to follow his dream…

JOSHUA TRUXTON celebrated his twentieth third birthday, graduated from high school, and a doctorate in medicine with honors.

He lived in Saint Louis, Missouri. His parents were active soldiers, the father of a military pilot serving on Lambert Field ground at Saint Louis, mother in the Marines, an older brother a naval aviator studying at the Air Force Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

His parents did not force him to maintain a family tradition. But Joshua could not get the job of his education.

So he traveled to San Diego, longing for Christmas without snow, endless sandy beaches, and beautiful girls who usually walk very soberly dressed all year round. His parents understood it and let him go.

NORMAN TYLER TIMPSON was born in Chicago, where he was a high school student, and as a teenager joined the unnamed gang. There they for the first time denigrated his name and started calling him Tyler. Soon, everyone became accustomed to this nickname, even Norman himself.

His mother was a heavy addict, father unknown. Tyler’s life was full of mistakes and twists. Eventually, he was dropped out of school in the last year because he took the knife to a classmate and a teacher.

Tyler wore camouflage clothes, dog tags, and military high boots and loved sharp knives since he was little. He met the firearms in the gang and learned to manipulate them very well. Nothing was a problem.

When he was almost twenty years old, he was nothing at all, and he spent many years with his friends on the street.

Several times he came into a bad fight with the local police department. Then he fell in love with some Serenade from New Orleans.

In the same year, however, he argued with her. Serenade packed and went back to New Orleans. Tyler tried to catch her and bought the ticket for the next day.

He, however, arrived late at the airport, confused the terminals, and boarded the plane, thinking he was going to Louisiana. But this flight was heading for Los Angeles.

When Tyler discovered it was too late. In Los Angeles, he drank in one prettily bar. Here Sergeant Barwick came across him.

He convinced him of several whiskeys to sign service in the army. The following day, Tyler was forced to join the Marine Corps, he decided for a military career, but he was not completely sober. Just another mistake.

ROD LIBERTY lived with his parents in Washington D.C.

His father worked as a politician for many years, and his mother worked as an assistant to some important ministers.

Rod’s younger sister, Olivia, became an actress on Broadway.

Rod was silent; often became the target of ridicule, fun, and bullying of his peers. He studied at Yale University, but he also encountered bullying there. The classmates beat him and he could not defend himself. He was small, no muscle on his body, and was the opponent of any violence and non-humanism.

One summer day has been a major breakthrough in this direction. Rod went home with his girlfriend Marion, and a couple of boys from the university jumped out of the bushes and began to beat the girl. Rod was really upset, but the fighter in front struck him with his fist to the ground.

Rod has wanted to become a good guy ever since. After graduating from university, his father proposed him to enter the Marine Corps.

Rod, to visibly avenge him, entered the infantry in South Carolina.

But there were a lot of candidates; they took a certain limit of people, so they recommended him to go to California, where he immediately left without thinking.

PETER McKITTRICK was born and grew up in Los Angeles as well as Heidelberg. After high school, he began to travel a lot to Canada and Mexico, visited large cities, enjoyed Hawaii and the Bahamas and occasionally earned money. He spent several months with relatives in Puerto Rico.

Peter often met soldiers on his journeys, passed thousands of bases, and honored the Arizona memorial in Pearl Harbor, where his great-grandfather died.

Peter’s father had been a trucker for a lifetime and often took his son with him. My mother sold at a local supermarket. Younger sister Susan had a talent for singing and performed in restaurants.

Peter wanted to become a truck driver like a dad or a soldier or a policeman. He did not take it to drivers because his growth did not comply with safety regulations. Peter was badly hurt. He wanted to go to the police academy with a friend, a friend became a cop, but Peter was not a good candidate for a dream job again.

So he tried the third option and did not hope. However, he was unexpectedly accepted by the Marine Corps. After two previous disappointments, success finally came to fruition.

His parents were proud when Peter entered the Marine Corps at the base in San Diego.

AMADEUS CORNING had a German father of the original baker profession. He moved from Germany to New York, where he could not find a job and he moved to Seattle.

Here he founded a pretty prosperous bakery where he met the girl and married her.

Their only son was born, named Amadeus. Amadeus was a big fan of aviation and astronautics. But the plans that he will board Annapolis and become a pilot would fail because his father’s bakery had to be closed due to a severe illness.

The family was financially weakened. Amadeus put down his dream indefinitely, but the situation did not improve.

Medicines for father were very expensive. Amadeus knew he had to get a good job, so he was satisfied with the Marines Corps. But he never ceased to hope that one day would sit into the fighter plane.

These boys met face to face in San Diego for a variety of reasons. They came from many parts of the United States, and they all had a rich, interesting past. Although they were not the same age (the age range ranged from nineteen to twenty-six years), they gathered at the same time in the same place to change or to make a significant contribution to the development of current serious events. At the same time, they could witness an incredible story.

Jonathan Ritchie did not hesitate and volunteered directly to the United States Marine Corps. He underwent 13 weeks of basic training in Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in California but he would not like to repeat it like most of his colleagues.

He shot exactly at the target as the only one on the military shooting range, which surprised not only all the soldiers present but also his superiors. Some of them began to be jealous of him, and rightly so.

“Where did you learn to shoot so well?” the drill sergeant looked in disbelief at the target.

“Computer games, sir,” Ritchie answered at ease.

This shooting training reminded him of shooting in Louisiana with Knox and Backs.

Ritchie was successful in everything he did. In the technique of martial arts training, he completely eliminated without any problems with the master and the black belt holder.

Even his physical fitness surpassed all the other newcomers, therefore the jealousy among the others grew up a bit more.

He met for the first time a bullying. Ritchie usually found a dead rat or food residue in bed, he tried to keep calm. He finally enjoyed something and was proud of himself. He also met many interesting people from various parts of the United States.

Fortunately, basic training did not last long enough to survive, and then Ritchie was relocated to the El Toro Air Base in Lake Forest near Los Angeles. Here he served under the command of Lieutenant Marcus Rockwell, a tiny blonde devil with many issues, whom they did not quite understand each other.

In the meantime, he enrolled in tests for the rank of non-commissioned officer. The tests went very well and he was promoted to the sergeant.

“I hate this guy,” Rockwell addressed him.

Ritchie was in charge of the rookie after the basic training and he built all his time a career. On the advice of one of his colleagues, he enrolled in a seventy-day course to acquire a ranger qualification.

He underwent very demanding training in Fort Benning along with several officers and soldiers from other departments so that he could later return to his team and pass on to them the newly acquired skills.

The course was mainly focused on tactics and command of the team under strong pressure.

The adepts had little sleep and food, and very experienced ‛enemy troops’ fought against them. Many participants did not complete this course. The training took place in three stages.

The first stage began with basic infantry training, including combat without any weapons and endurance, which Ritchie had no trouble about.

The second phase continued patrolling in the wooded mountains of Georgia, with an emphasis on mountain fighting training. Ritchie appreciated patrolling at night, trying to get rid of his usual nightmares. Soon after, the wilderness phase of the desert introduced in 1983 included a sharp shooting in Utah. Ritchie literally shot through this stage.

The third phase included sharp target shooting, airborne landings, and small boat drills in the Florida Swamp near Hurlburt Field. Ritchie was just excited; he could try the parachute jump he really liked.

After the successful completion of the course, the superiors named Staff Sergeant Ritchie as a very diligent non-commissioned officer. Therefore they suggested to him that he would participate in a selection course for an officer’s rank in Quantico.

But Ritchie refused and thank them and returned to El Toro, California, where he passed on the experience he had gained. He soon became a popular sergeant in the unit.

Ritchie had been trusted the most by Colonel Martin Broxton and Major Scott Foston.

Ritchie’s direct supervisor Lieutenant Marcus Rockwell was too careerist, longed for promotion and he made no secret of it.

He did everything to prevent Ritchie from becoming an officer. He noticed his firm position in the army.

Unnecessary quarrels between them occasionally arose because of the unit’s command. Rockwell fundamentally disagreed with the practices Ritchie used from the rangers.

He envied him this qualification. When Ritchie filed for Quantico, Rockwell personally took care that the application never reached the specified place.

Ritchie did not know anything about this very successful deception, yet some personal aversions grew more between them, and they transmitted this aversion to the unit.

Rockwell wished to become a captain and possibly a major later and was willing to do anything about it. He thought he was an excellent commander, but he was wrong.

Major Foston occasionally showed him when he stood up to Ritchie in their endless rivalry. Ritchie had been insulting his lieutenant in front of his subordinates in return. Marines more believed the sergeant and secretly hoped he would become one of their officers.

A few months later, a brisk man about thirty years took command - Captain Jack Appleton. He was known under the nickname of a jealous sponge. He locked his wife home and regularly checked her. He took her into society rarely. He would kill anyone who would approach her.

Appleton was constantly nervous and all the days of the week furious to anger, usually dissatisfied with his work and maybe life.

He sympathized with Rockwell, and sincerely hated Ritchie and all those who liked him.

One day, Staff Sergeant Ritchie suggested a parachute jump to the maneuver in National Parachute Test Range near the Salton Sea. Most men accepted this proposal with happiness.

Lieutenant Rockwell and Captain Appleton protested, of course.

They immediately went to Major Foston’s office, which was pleasantly surprised by the sergeant’s idea, and they demanded the abolition of the jump.

The stupid suggestion of the two commanding officers was instantly rejected by the angry Major Foston. And he’s grossly rebuked them.

“You can’t be serious?” major responded.

Since then the two commanders began to revenge, they wanted to do something ugly to Ritchie to remember it forever. Their subordinates, Frank Heidelberg, with friends, could not believe such unfair behavior as they admired their sergeant and he became their great model.

Ritchie found new home and lot of understanding in the army. Suddenly, he realized the miraculousness of Geronimo’s words. He verified it for himself. He was satisfied with the work, found a new sense of life. That’s what he enjoyed. He did not have to worry about his safety, nor did anyone know him on the street. In addition, he had a better sleep, learned to sleep regularly five hours a day.

He behaved manly and loyal to all his men and was, therefore, a respected and excellent sergeant, for which Rockwell and Appleton hated him. Ritchie stood up for Heidelberg or Tyler several times because they wanted to do the job as a machine.

“They are just humans, sir!” Ritchie said to Rockwell.

It always had a sequel, and they always ended up with Major Foston. These three guys just did not stand each other.

Major did not know what to do with them. He tried to put together his best unit commander, but now he found out he was wrong.

The situation has not changed even the partial division of the unit.

They have significantly contributed to looking after the U.S. Embassy in Tijuana, Mexico.

The Marines also guarded the Mexican border, from where thousands of illegal refugees came to the United States not only from Mexico but also from Salvador or Honduras.

Somewhere near the Mexican-American border. Border police asked for military reinforcements, they themselves had struggled to cope with the critical situation.

The 1st Marine Expeditionary Unit from El Toro was selected for this task.

Major Foston and Colonel Broxton deployed their troops at the borders of Mexico, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

Captain Appleton and his assigned thirty men patrolled continuously in the mountains across the mountain Sierra de Juarez. Fifteen men alternated every twelve hours with the other half. Ritchie oversaw his boys with Lieutenant Rockwell.

Captain Appleton has always checked them, he mostly devoted to the detained refugees. Ritchie commanded a group of six soldiers; Rockwell had a group of nine. They were connected by a radio.

So peace has come for a while. The dull atmosphere settled down a little. But this break did not last too long.

Some soldiers could not handle twelve hours in rocky arid mountains filled with stones and various unstable debris during rising daytime temperatures in the standard field uniform, including a bulletproof vest, a helmet, and a machine gun.

All were often tired and dehydrated, which caused a complete disorientation in space in several cases. Rod Liberty fainted.

One very hot afternoon, a group of staff sergeant Ritchie watched the horizon bored from their usual place.

Heidelberg took care of the radio. Two weeks ago, he desired higher rank ambitiously and the army promoted him to the corporal. He served for some time and expected some kind of gratitude. He became a sergeant’s deputy and was very proud of it.

Tyler smoked the cigarette and looked at the motionless landscape ahead. Ritchie was closing his eyelids because he had two fried eggs instead of eyes. McKittrick studied the sergeant’s map of the mountains, but somehow he did not find the place where they were. Joshua Truxton went to pee, the others did not understand.

The relentless sun sucked them out to the last drop. Corning conducted a survey near them and waved a few times to Heidelberg from the bushes.

He ignored him. Tyler, however, responded with sign language and was nearly burned by the cigarette. Liberty rested on a stone chair and wiped a sweat from his wet forehead.

Someone had to break the silence.

“What are you still saying to him?” Frank went after Tyler angrily.

“That you are a jerk, Heidelberg,” Tyler laughed and played with fingers skillfully.

“I will learn your silly signs and then tell you something really nice,” Frank took small stones in the sand and threw them in the distance ahead of him.

Then he deliberately bombed Corning, who showed something funny.

“Knock it off!” Ritchie shouted, kept his eyes closed.

Heidelberg stopped and sighed heavily. All soldiers were incredibly bored the whole time.

They were there from seven o’clock in the morning to seven in the evening, at a time of the worst heat.

The boys exchanged the standard uniform for the usual light camouflage trousers and helmet for the cap. They were in the better mood. Just Captain Appleton disagreed. As a deterrent and cautionary example, he introduced a man from the night patrol, which was accidentally hit by a stray missile into the chest fired by an American smuggler.

“If he had a bulletproof vest, he would surely have prevented his serious injury, sir,” Appleton noted with Major.

“You’re right, Captain,” Foston agreed.

At the same time, Foston refused his suggestion with arms folded.

“Men know when to stop playing and get likely back to the vests,” he said.

“It could be too late, sir,” Appleton warned.

The Major agreed with him again and then kicked him out of the office.

Suddenly, the radio fizzed.

“Fox, this is Hedgehog, how do you copy?”

“Hedgehog, this is Fox, copy loud and clear, 5 out of 5, over,” Heidelberg answered.

The other soldiers woke up from lethargy, phlegmatic or a light sleep. Ritchie quickly opened both eyes.

“Fox, this is Hedgehog, give me Fox 2, over,” Lieutenant Rockwell sounded funny in the headset.

Heidelberg passed the headset to Ritchie nearby.

“Hedgehog, this is Fox 2, over.”

“Fox 2, two gang members are coming to you from the southwest. They are probably not armed, but they are trying to escape. We’ve probably scared them. They are Caucasians in blue jeans. Catch them. Out,” Lieutenant Rockwell gave instructions.

“Wilco, out,” Ritchie passed the hot headset back to Heidelberg.

He pulled the compass out of his pocket and found the direction. The soldiers jumped out of the dust. Finally some action, they rejoiced sincerely. They took the firing positions on the steep trail and waited eagerly.

Soon, two desperate Americans ran below them and tried to get up the narrow, stony path. They were sweating, barely breathing.

Ritchie stood upright as the only one of his shelter with the rifle in his right hand. He did not aim at all and showed the clear superiority.

“This is the Marine Corps. You are surrounded. Put your hands up!” Ritchie declared fluently with an authoritative expression on his face.

The guys looked up angrily at him, and then they drew short handguns and firing fire. Ritchie dropped into the dust without hesitation. They did not look like they were going to give up without fighting.

All members of the military patrol were returning fire. The smell of gunpowder rose to the hot air. Shortly after, both Americans fell on the rocky ground. One of them shrieked in convulsions, the other did not move.

Ritchie gestured for the guys to secure them. Corning had arrived first because he was the closest. Doctor Truxton checked both of them as soon as possible.

“The left one died,” Corning reported.

Ritchie was coming to the group down the hill.

“And the right one?” he asked worriedly.

“He will not be here for long,” Truxton shook his head.

“Corporal, report briefly on events to the headquarters and inform Lieutenant Rockwell,” Ritchie gave away his duties to the subordinates.

He stood over the dying man and watched him along with the other soldiers.

“Yes, sir,” Heidelberg accepted the order and took the headset to the hand.

Liberty got irritated by the look.

“Shouldn’t Frank call an ambulance?” he could not stand it and ask.

Truxton got up from the body of a smuggler who also stopped moving, crying and breathing with the eyes open widely. His gaze cursed the present soldiers hatefully.

“He doesn’t need any ambulance anymore,” the doctor said calmly.

Everyone went quiet, Liberty took off the cap. Ritchie began to walk away knowing he was in a trouble again.

“Secure their weapons, corporal,” he shouted.

Heidelberg put the radio headset back and looked all around confused with the others. Then he was snapping behind the ear.

“There are no weapons here, sir,” he called with a low voice to sergeant.

At that moment the army jeep rode wildly through the country with Lieutenant Rockwell. When he stopped nearby, private Truxton led him to the scene of the event.

Under the steep guard, two dead men lay between the great heavy boulders.

There Ritchie and Heidelberg nervously treaded and they watch the lieutenant as he ran to them like a hungry lion searching for a lunch.

Rockwell inspected the deceased with a brief glance and immediately headed for the group commander. The blood was boiling inside him like water in the kettle. The sweat straps flowed down his forehead.

Ritchie wanted to explain the situation with a brief report.

He opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Rockwell stumbled over him.

“Why did you kill them, sergeant? Didn’t you understand the order? Go on, I am waiting,” Rockwell stomped and his sight cut Ritchie and Heidelberg like a bread.

Heidelberg’s ears were red.

“Lieutenant, we killed them because they started firing first on us,” Ritchie spoke hesitantly.

“How could they shoot without weapons, man? You are a complete jerk. I gave a direct order. I wanted them alive, they were important to us. That’s why we’re here, shit. You’re a loser!” Rockwell screamed without a good reason.

He looked like a tomato in the face.

“Sir, they really shot at us,” Heidelberg interfered with the conversation.

“Did anyone ask you about your opinion? So please shut up and go looking for those guns,” Rockwell snapped.

The corporal obeyed the order with anger. He expected more praise or at least a small word of appreciation for a good job.

Rockwell grilled Ritchie.

“Now, repeat my instructions and don’t say you don’t remember them!”

“You announced: two gang members are coming to you from the southwest. They are probably not armed, but they are trying to escape. We’ve probably scared them,” Ritchie repeated and then stopped.

“They are Caucasians in blue jeans. Catch them,” Rockwell helped him.

Ritchie realized what the Lieutenant really meant.

“You replied Wilco. However, you didn’t understand at all. What do you think about yourself? That you’re the best non-commissioned officer in the entire world?”

Ritchie looked away, and he made it clear that he was wrong and made a mistake. Rockwell felt superior.

“I will transfer you somewhere else. You don’t escape this time. I will deal with you later,” Rockwell enjoyed his own performance.

He turned and walked by the winning steps toward the jeep. But he noticed Heidelberg running to him.

“Sir!” the corporal yelled. “Sir, we found it!”

Ritchie smiled a bit, a blissful feeling seized him. Rockwell said nothing and left the place immediately even angrier than he came.

The boys smirked at each other.

Lieutenant Rockwell complained to Major Foston about the sergeant’s procedure. Fortunately, it had no effect. The senior officers concluded that the Sergeant’s conduct was not a violation of an explicit order, but rather the right intervention against the armed smugglers resulting in death.

Still, a few similar minor incidents followed before the army pulled itself completely out of the Mexican borders.

At the weekend. It was a pleasant Saturday summer morning. Almost all soldiers except for some individuals left the base. Ritchie was cleaning his black boots and had little to do when Major Foston called him to the office.

“You are a very reliable person,” Major told proudly and paused.

Ritchie suspected betrayal.

“I probably didn’t come to hear that, right, sir?”

“You’re right, sergeant,” major Foston spoke with a worried face. “This is primarily a civil affair. I wanted to ask you a little favor. I have an important meeting in half an hour. Well, in exactly half an hour, a plane with my daughter arrives at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana.”

“Shall I pick her up?”

“Yes, please. I planned a meeting inappropriately. You are my best soldier, whom I rely on for twenty-four hours a day. Take her to my house. If I accidentally delay, make her a company for a while.”

Ritchie saluted.

“I take it as an order, sir.”

“Maybe she will want to buy something on the way home. She was not her for some time.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thanks, sergeant,” Foston smirked. “I owe you.”

“Don’t worry, sir,” Ritchie assured him.

Ritchie borrowed a clean jeep, put his sunglasses on, and drove quickly toward the airport in the green uniform he was wearing.

An unbearably scorching summer sun shone, he felt like a hamburger. Moreover, he did not know major’s daughter or her name.

Of course, Major Foston, like right father, had pictures of his loved ones on the table, but Ritchie did not investigate

those pictures. He really did not have so much courage.

Ritchie read the list of aircraft arrivals at the airport’s arrival hall. There were thousands of happy people coming from the baggage claim.

He stood motionless and waited. The plane from Seattle landed on time. Finally, he noticed a young beautiful woman in a colorful blouse and a mini skirt with beautiful long legs, cute short brown hair with a modern hairstyle and large round earrings. She had gorgeous white teeth and a tempting smile. Her eyes were very defiant.

Ritchie immediately knew that this was Major Foston’s daughter. He liked her at first glance. From the beginning, he wondered how to approach her. The woman made everything easy for him.

She paused, looked around the hall, saw him in a military uniform so went straight to him. She threw two huge suitcases in front of him and measured him with her vulturous eyes.

“He doesn’t have time again, does he? Well, take it and let’s go,” the daughter ordered like a general.

Ritchie did not make any sound, moved the eyebrows in surprise. But that little bitch was serious, headed for the main exit of the hall. She twisted her ass like a thief with a lock.

Ritchie took two suitcases and ran after her.

“Your father has an important meeting now. Nevertheless, I believe that he will make time for you,” he persuaded her on the way to the jeep.

“You believe, huh?” she whispered softly and arrogantly at the same time.

“It can happen occasionally.”

“Occasionally? He doesn’t know that I exist. When I arrive, he has no time or interest,” the young woman spoke offensive.

Ritchie led her to the jeep.

“Are you planning to stay long, miss?” he asked with a great respect.

“I don’t know yet. Who are you anyway?”

They both stopped at a military jeep.

“Sorry,” Ritchie blushed. “Iʼm Staff Sergeant Ritchie.”

“Nice to meet you,” the woman handed him her lovely small hand. “My name is Seneca Foston.”

They shook their hands friendly.

“Seneca?” Ritchie repeated an unusual name.

“Donʼt you like it?”

“I love it,” Ritchie stuttered awkwardly. “What does it mean? Something Indian?”

“Do I look like some crazy Indian? It is the name of the town and, moreover, Seneca was a Greek philosopher if you don’t know,” the young woman said proudly.

“Really?” Ritchie was completely out of the mind.

Her innocent beauty attracted him. He put the suitcases in the back of the vehicle and came in with her.

“Where would you like to go?”

“Just drive for now,” Seneca looked tired.

So the went to the city center first. Seneca stopped behaving too arrogantly after some time and was actually pretty nice.

They drove to the nearest store branded clothing production of an Italian designer. Ritchie felt awkward among the lingerie of all sizes and colors. He would rather stand by while Seneca was changing.

She unbuttoned the test cabin curtain and walked gracefully to the man in uniform in the shop. Seneca was wearing only a blue satin gown provocatively under which he could see her entire slender hot body.

“It’s perfect. I like it. What about you?” she asked insolently.

The female shop assistant winked at her.

“It suits you,” Ritchie was embarrassed.

“Touch it,” Seneca stepped forward in front of the soldier, pulled his hand out of the pocket and wanted him to touch her hip.

Ritchie’s eyes were like inflatable balloons.

“I wait outside,” he struggled and went away.

The shop assistant behind the counter grinned at him mockingly. Ritchie lit a cigarette in a jeep, he thought, but he could not think of anything.

About twenty minutes later, Miss Foston stormed out of the store with three big paper boxes like pizza. She sat down in the jeep.

“Where would you like to go next?” Ritchie finished the cigarette.

Seneca put her hand on his shoulder.

“I want to apologize for that inside. Stupid idea. We’re going home now,” she told him by a serious tone of voice.

Ritchie nodded with no reply.

“Where are you from?” Seneca played with her earring during the ride.

She tried to be nicer.

“New York.”

“Really? I still live in ridiculous Seattle.”

“What’s wrong with Seattle?” Ritchie did not follow.

“You sound like my father. I just hate that place,” Seneca reached her neck playfully.

“May I ask you why?” Ritchie rather watched the road ahead.

“My fiancé is the reason.”

Ritchie did not know whether to be happy or disappointed, this girl just was not right for him.

“Will you get married soon?”

“No,” Seneca answered resolutely. “Iʼm not his slave or property.”

This sexy creature was bossy too and he realized that.

“Have you ever been married?” Seneca wondered.

“No, never,” Ritchie sighed and remembered Victoria.

It did not matter how hard he tried to forget about her, he was still in love with her after so many years.

Seneca fell silent, staring at Ritchie. Their car was set at a huge, pretty house. They both stepped out; Ritchie took two heavy suitcases and boxes and followed the woman inside the house.

They entered a glassed living room with spacious sitting sets in the middle, from where they could be seen in the garden with the lawn and the pool. The girl walked without stopping somewhere up the stairs to the first floor.

“Shall I leave it here?” Ritchie called on her.

“No,” Seneca responded. “Come up here.”

Staff Sergeant Ritchie followed her up to the fragrant, clean room. A wide bed decorated the room. The daylight shone through a large window with a pink curtain. The wooden screen stood near the open wardrobe.

“Put the boxes on the bed,” Seneca treated behind the screen. “And give me some dress, I want to change.”

Ritchie lifted the lid of the box carefully, grasped a brown short summer dress between two fingers and passed it across the screen.

“Thank you,” Seneca said. “Just a minute.”

Ritchie was attracted to a nightstand where family photographs were displayed, on one of them was a black-haired, likable lady hugging a major Foston.

“That’s my mother,” Seneca explained.

Then she came out in the brown short seductive dress.

“Nice lady,” Ritchie tried not to stare at the girl.

“Do you have a first name or are you just a sergeant?”

“Jonathan,” Ritchie told shyly.

He never was shy talking to women but for a long time, there was no pretty woman near him.

“Jonathan?” Seneca smiled and walked towards him playing with a mini skirt.

“They called me Joy back home,” Ritchie stuttered and retreated backward slowly.

He knew what this girl wanted.

“Miss, I... am... I can’t...your father,” Ritchie tried to talk continuously.

While he stumbled on something on the floor, he fell on his butt in horror. At that, he watched the major’s daughter with a frightened and painful look on his face as she stood above him. He saw her white panties for a second.

“You’re afraid of me, Sergeant,” Seneca liked that game. “I won’t hurt you.”

Ritchie resisted consciously.

“Iʼm not afraid.”

Seneca offered him a hand and helped him to get back to his feet in a friendly manner. Ritchie was visibly relieved. He suddenly realized he was acting like a scared headless chicken.

He returned to El Toro completely undamaged. He liked cheeky, uncompromising, attractive Seneca, just did not want anybody to know.

A week later. Major’s daughter, Seneca, celebrated her twentieth birthday. She did not want any spectacular celebrations, but her father insisted on it. He held a smaller private party and invited Captain Appleton, Colonel Broxton and George Milford with their wives.

Seneca has invited somebody else to the circle of friends - Ritchie. Major did not object.

In the morning, Foston announced this special invitation to the sergeant. Ritchie, though not very happy, agreed. He sought no relationship. Yet he eventually put the trust of Major Foston at stake. He could do that perfectly.

In the evening, Seneca at the entrance of the house welcomed the coming, smiling guests in an obviously good mood. She escorted everyone into her father. Every guest brought her a flower and a small perfectly wrapped birthday gift.

Major hosted his friends and colleagues really great. The girl nervously stood at the window as the seventh guest was missing. After a while, Seneca could not hold it and go to dad.

“Have you forgotten to invite someone?” she demanded suspiciously.

“I have invited him but didn’t force him.”

“You should have given it as an order,” Seneca barked.

Within a few minutes, a military jeep came in front of the house in a quiet neighborhood. Ritchie put on his Marine uniform and looked really irresistible.

Seneca patrolling at the window of the living room immediately ran out the door.

“Hi, Iʼm glad you came,” she greeted him with a huge glowing smile.

“Good evening,” Ritchie carried a beautiful colorful bouquet and a bigger box with a red bow. “I just brought you something.”

“You’re not coming in?”

“I will feel anxious there,” Ritchie wanted to reject.

“Come on, please. At least for a moment.”

“I don’t know.”

“Please, please,” Seneca pleaded with delight making cute facial expressions.

Ritchie laughed, women knew exactly how to convince him.

“Okay, only for a moment,” he agreed. “Did I tell you that I hate parties?”

Seneca led him into the house among the other guests and glowed by happiness like a star in the dark sky. She looked beautiful and charming.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” Ritchie saluted.

He became the center of attention immediately. Everyone present in the room turned his head in surprise to him.

“Sergeant?” colonel Broxton whispered.

Major Foston in civilian clothes smiled warmly.

“Gentlemen, we’ll stop being soldiers tonight, do you agree with me?” he proposed the idea.

High-rank soldiers nodded.

“Yes, sir,” Ritchie agreed like everybody.

Ritchie spotted the birthday gift table, so went there to put his gift to the others. He felt very uneasy between the officers and their wives.

There he was caught by a very glamorous pretty lady in a long dress.

“Are you her new boyfriend?” she asked.

Ritchie panicked a bit.

“No, not really,” he mumbled. “Staff Sergeant Ritchie, ma’am.”

“We don’t know each other yet. My name is Dana Appleton,” the lady offered him a handshake.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Appleton. You’ve got an amazing necklace,” Ritchie’s eyes went off extremely low. “Is it a diamond?”

The lady touched her necklace instinctively.

“Yes, it is. Thank you for the compliment. Do you like diamonds?”

“Yes, I actually do,” Ritchie remembered his own diamonds from Namibia. “How do you manage so many men? Is not it boring?”

“It is too boring. What can I do? My husband is a soldier just like you. By the way, a nice uniform,” Mrs. Appleton smiled.

“Thank you,” Ritchie smiled back.

Captain was coming to them. He did not look so enthusiastic that Ritchie talked to his wife.

“They invited you as well? I thought it’s only for the officers,” Appleton knit his brows.

“Everyone is wrong sometimes,” Ritchie whispered and walked away.

Appleton was furious.

“Don’t talk to him anymore!” he commanded to his wife.

“Why are you jealous again?” Mrs. Appleton hissed. “Please, stop. I want to hear nothing.”

Seneca kept looking at Ritchie, and he returned the curious gaze. Mrs. Broxton noticed that.

“He is more than ten years older than she is,” Mrs. Broxton spoke quietly to other soldier’s wife.

“He is good enough for me, ladies,” Mrs. Milford grinned happily.

Major Foston called all guests to the spacious dining table in the kitchen, so that they could have dinner together in a festive mood. Seneca sat opposite Ritchie and seduced him discreetly as women do. He did not even look at her deep neckline because her beautiful juicy solid breasts excited him too much.

Ritchie ate bored and drank the champagne from the glass when he felt someone’s foot on his thigh. And that foot was rising slowly higher and higher. He nearly burst everything back into the table.

“So I met my first wife many years ago,” major Foston told the story while eating.

“That’s really interesting,” Mrs. Appleton praised him.

Ritchie was not paying the attention. He stared at all sides carefully; the whole group obediently drank and ate.

Colonel Milford and Captain Appleton also checked him often. The tension fell out of Ritchie when he realized that the nasty foot belonged to Seneca. He let her do what she was doing during the dinner secretly. He never tried that in such company.

In a few minutes, the dinner was over and nothing left. The Major jumped actively out of the chair, the main light went out, and only the wall lamps remained lit. He brought from the kitchen a two-story cake with white icing and candles that shone in a romantic twilight.

“Happy Birthday to You,” all group started to sing.

Before Seneca blew all the candles, her father issued an order to wish for something.

She looked briefly at Ritchie and then blew the cute bright flames. A lot of congratulations and applause followed immediately. Ritchie also got up from his chair and kissed both cheeks like everyone else.

The party continued by unpacking the presents. Seneca received a gold chain, a special weekend recipe, a scrapbook, and a sweet kiss from Daddy.

She unpacked a big box from Ritchie as the last one. When she removed the red ribbon and opened the box, she took out a small white kitten with a pink bow.

“Thank you so much,” Seneca had tears in her eyes.

The guests rolled their eyes here and there, most notably Major Foston. Seneca was incredibly happy.

The closing of the birthday celebration announced the first cut in a delicious cake and a glass of whiskey from the bar.

“Would you like to get one shot too, sergeant?” Foston called.

Gentlemen stood at the home bar in the corner of the living room.

“No, thanks, I am driving, sir,” Ritchie refused.

When Seneca left the kitchen, Ritchie took advantage of it, he said good-bye, and he gave each woman in the room a bit of his adorable smile. He immediately walked away.

“Why am I so nervous about this guy?” captain Appleton made pull faces.

“He’s a good man,” Foston defended him.

“I don’t think so, sir,” Appleton finished their conversation grumpily.

Seneca was coming back from the kitchen carrying a huge silver tray with refreshments. She noticed that one important guest was missing so ran out into the darkness in front of the house.

“Wait,” Seneca shouted and stopped him next to the military jeep. “Are you going home now?”

“Yes, it’s getting late,” Ritchie replied. “I have to go back to El Toro. Thanks for the invitation, it was a great party.”

Seneca smiled warmly and came close to him.

“Thank you for a kitten. I know you were bored there.”

“I was a bit,” Ritchie did not object.

Seneca kissed his hot lips unexpectedly and quickly to silent him. Ritchie’s first reaction was to check the windows of the house that nobody could see them.

“I had to try, sorry,” Seneca apologized suddenly.

That was a tense moment for both of them. Ritchie licked the rest of a coral lipstick from the lips. Then he took Seneca’s pretty face into his palms and pulled her even closer and kissed her as passionately as he could. She tasted like candy floss from summer fun fair.

Seneca was blushing and shut her eyes. Ritchie was not sure about what he was actually doing. Their kisses were sweet and slow.

Ritchie let her go and looked deeply into her stunning eyes.

“Good night,” he said.

“I won’t sleep tonight,” Seneca admitted.

Ritchie jumped into the jeep and drove away really fast back to the base. Seneca returned to the house but saw the dark unrecognizable silhouette behind the curtain of one window.

Ritchie could not stop thinking about the girl and over his reckless act. Maybe it was a big mistake to kiss her. Perhaps he showed more than it was necessary to show. He was definitely interested in Seneca, in major’s daughter.

She was the only child so always got everything she ever desired. Seneca never cared about the others. It was only her in her own world, naughty, adamant, diabolically clever, cunning, confident girl. However, she had a good side of hers.

In this case, Ritchie trusted more his hormones than common sense.

Next week. It was Wednesday and Ritchie was off duty a whole afternoon. He planned a small trip to the Santa Monica Beach, just wanted to enjoy a nice day, nothing else.

He wore a white T-shirt and his favorite blue jeans. The summer sun was relentless, burning like a hot stove. The one who was not careful could end up badly.

Ritchie almost left his small room in the barracks but one private caught him just at the right time.

“You got a letter, sir,” the soldier reported.

Ritchie did not believe it. He never received the letter from anyone so many years.

Ritchie opened the letter poorly and read the message on the whitish clean paper.

“I miss you. Come to the house. Seneca.”

Thrilled Ritchie put the letter into the pocket and headed straight to Heidelberg to the mess hall. He knew that Frank bought a second-hand car a couple days ago.

Heidelberg and Tyler just walked out of the mess hall talking about something enthusiastically.

“Hey, Frank,” Ritchie shouted at them.

“Hey serge, where are you going to?” Tyler detected him in the civvies.

“I’m going out. Look, Frank, you’ve got an awesome new car,” Ritchie began.

“Do you seriously like it, sir?” Heidelberg was all over the moon.

“Well, it’s great. I would like to buy a similar one, I just don’t know how to drive it. I am not interested in junkie car if you know what I mean.”

“Do you want to try it?” Tyler asked.

“Just a small ride, please. I have to think about it before I spend so much money.”

“I’m not sure,” Heidelberg dithered.

“Come on, Frank. I give it back,” Ritchie persuaded him.

Tyler listened.

“Under one condition, absolutely nothing must happen to it,” Heidelberg frowned. “It’s my new baby.”

“Don’t worry, Frank, just one ride.”

“Okay, sir,” Heidelberg agreed unwillingly.

He passed the car keys to Ritchie.

“Thanks, man,” Ritchie was happy and tried to disappear fast. “I will drive it like my own.”

“No even one single scratch otherwise I kill you!” Frank screamed in despair.

Tyler laughed loud.

“Damn it!” Heidelberg was worried sick. “Why is it so funny, huh?”

“Because our sergeant is going out for women hunt,” Tyler could not stop laughing around.

Ritchie got into the washed out, polished, shiny car of the gray and blue car. Truxton said about this car when he saw it for the first time ‛Genesis’.

Sergeant drove slowly, was not in hurry. He broke near the major’s house really carefully and watched the street for a sometime before he took the courage to go the main door and ring the bell.

Charming Seneca in a flower dress opened the door.

“Hi, come on in,” she welcomed him smiling.

“Hi,” Ritchie approached her a bit shyly.

He walked into the spacious living room with a little hesitation. Everything was solemnly prepared. He was well impressed. A bottle of champagne stood on the table in ice cubes, and the food was waiting on the round plates.

Ritchie also did not come with empty hands; he bought a flower in the town and handed it to his lady.

“Thank you,” Seneca put flowers into a crystal vase. “It’s very nice of you.”

They sat at the table together beginning to eat. Ritchie was hungry but still jumpy and kept looking around the house like someone would show up any minute.

He did not know the real reason he came here.

“Don’t worry, dad is out of base until tomorrow so we have the place for ourselves,” Seneca told him.

They ate a good food and started talking about many things. Ritchie played with a small cute kitten. It was actually a pleasant private chat and Seneca revealed her good side.

She was clever and highly educated young girl.

“What’s his name?” Ritchie asked.

“He doesn’t have a name yet.”

“I’m going to call you Tiger,” Ritchie laughed and kitten interacted with him greatly.

“Tiger?” Seneca did not believe her ears. “That’s not original at all. Moreover, we don’t know if it’s a boy or girl.”

“It could be Tiboy or Tigirl later,” Ritchie planned.

Seneca tide up the table after eating and brought some sweets and biscuits.

“You just have no imagination,” she smirked.

The room smelled pleasant and was quiet and had a cool temperature. Ritchie lay down comfortably on the sofa with the tired kitten on his right hand and chewed the chocolate sweets.

Seneca circled around him like an eagle seeking for prey. It was already in the afternoon. Ritchie observed her attentively, wanted to sleep now.

Curious Seneca stood in front of him, released the dress somehow and the dress fell down on the floor like a rainbow drop from the glass. She was completely naked. Ritchie could see her whole very attractive body and panicked.

“Do you want me?” Seneca asked.

Ritchie could not speak or swallow, his mouth got dry pretty quickly. He let the kitten rest on the sofa, sat and totally froze. He knew he should not have done it but was just a man.

Nude Seneca went to him and kissed him softly touching his hair and then massaging his muscular chest. Ritchie surrendered at that moment. He could not hold it back anymore and touched her firm breast with hard nipples. That was what he desires since the first look. He tasted her red silky lips and felt her super elastic skin among his fingers.

They both became wild. Ritchie took off the T-shirt so

she noticed all his tattoos on the shoulders and the back.

They made love fast and slow on the sofa and on the floor too while the kitten Tiger breathed calmly next to them.

Soon, it was getting late and dark. Ritchie looked exhausted but happy, closed his sleepy eyes lying on the stomach on the long sofa in the middle of living room.

Seneca spread on Ritchie’s back and kissed his neck.

“You have an interesting tattoo,” she rubbed him gently.

“Don’t touch it,” Ritchie warned her. “It brings bad luck.”

Seneca did not listen and enjoyed their close physical contact.

Ritchie tried not to think about anything and was unusually quiet. They rested together, all the muscles on the body gradually relaxed. He wished to stay like this a little bit longer.

Ritchie’s emotions overwhelmed him, a strange feeling that he fell in love with this girl. He did something forbidden, therefore, liked it so much. He thought that he would never fall in love again after Victoria.

The wall clock announced ten o’clock in the evening.

“You should leave,” Seneca got up suddenly and put the dress on.

Ritchie suspected she was expecting another visit but hoped it would not be a men’s visit. He did not like to tear himself away from the warm place. He clothed the T-shirt and jeans that were on the floor.

Ritchie and Seneca gave a short kiss to each other. The sergeant returned to the base. Heidelberg was already waiting for him in the parking lot.

“Thanks, man,” Ritchie smiled a lot.

Heidelberg ran the car around and inspected it if it had been damaged in any way.

“You’re lucky,” he said finally, relieved.

A few weeks later. Ritchie and Seneca were secretly dating at the major’s house and then in not very well known motel in Santa Ana.

It was clear to them that their relationship would not last long. Some tensions between them grew stronger at each meeting.

At the beginning of the weekend, they came together in the same room at the motel. They still had a great sex but they did not talk much.

Seneca tried to convince him to take him out that their relationship was not that bad. She pulled two cinema tickets for some super romantic movie out of her handbag.

Ritchie was not in the mood to argue.

“I can’t go with you,” he refused sadly.

“Why not?” Seneca wondered furiously.

“When it will be quieter and you stop being my major’s daughter, I invite you for similar movies,” Ritchie poorly explained. “I promise.”

Seneca gave him a terribly hateful gaze. Ritchie stood up off the bed, started dressing while observed that she was thinking of something.

“I am sorry,” Ritchie apologized unsuccessfully and without any response.

He tried to kiss her cheek; however, Seneca moved her face away. She was so ice cold, angry. Ritchie realized that a relationship full of passion slowly faded, and considerable intolerance and cabin fever were coming instead.

Ritchie was buying her small gifts and flowers, included her with love and tenderness, as much as he was able to give.

Seneca, however, could not at any cost violate his express wish that no one should see them together.

It made her even angrier. She just did not know the fact that Ritchie was in trouble.

Monday evening. Ritchie just finished his shift and crawled back to his room at the barracks really tired looking forward to taking a cold shower. Before he stripped, someone knocked on the door.

He opened the door curiously. There was Lieutenant Rockwell standing behind.

“Hello, may I come in?” he grinned.

Ritchie said nothing and gestured with his hand and then closing the door.

Lieutenant looked satisfied.

“You should be more careful who you sleep with,” Rockwell warned.

Ritchie tried to control his explosive emotions.

“I don’t understand, sir,” he reacted.

“Major Foston would not be pleased with your acting. You’ve been doing well for so many years, and now this,” the lieutenant mellowed. “Does he know about it? I bet my life he does not. That’s such perversion. Everyone thinks that you’re the most perfect person. Maybe you want to tell me something or am I wrong?”

Ritchie stayed calm.

“Yes, you are wrong,” he replied.

Rockwell replaced the smile with a stark expression.

“We will make a deal together. I will not tell about your affair to anyone and you will submit a transfer request in the near future,” he suggested.

“This is blackmailing,” Ritchie refused quickly.

But he expected something like that from Rockwell soon or later.

“Not at all, sergeant. It will be our little secret agreement. Gossip spreads rapidly on the base. It’s only a matter of time when the major will know it and perhaps someone with a higher rank too. Your career will be over. What do you

choose? An arrogant girl with a nice ass or medals on your uniform and decent salary? Think about it, you’re not an idiot. Or am I wrong again?”

Ritchie felt like a mouse in the corner.

“What exactly do you want from me, sir?” he played stupid.

Rockwell stepped closer.

“Come on, I suppose you’ve got nothing than the army. They may kick you out because of the affair with the daughter of the superior. When Foston learns about you and her being together secretly, it’s not going to be his best moment. Moreover, the situation could be even more complicated than it is. What about the affair with Appleton’s wife as well? She is a beautiful and attractive woman too. I know I am right.”

Ritchie listened, could not defend him and saw what Rockwell was planning a whole time.

“So it looks like we probably will both agree on the deal, right? I guarantee absolute discretion. You will guarantee your departure with a written request. Do you take it?” Rockwell repeated conditions.

“What is 100% guarantee of your confidentiality?” Ritchie asked.

“I’ll give you my officer’s word, sergeant.”

“That’s not enough,” Ritchie whispered.

“Must be enough, I don’t give you anything else,” Rockwell smiled widely.

Ritchie could not even talk how angry he was. He was not going to deal with such a cheater. The lieutenant walked away, leaving Ritchie alone in his room with his painful thoughts. He really did not have much choice.

But he did not want to lose either one of it. Career and Seneca were equally intoxicating and contentious at the same time, neither one could be enclosed in a box or run away.

Irvine town center near Los Angeles. It was about eight o’clock in the evening and just half an hour ago, the Military Ball launched by the army began to celebrate the anniversary of the foundation of the base in Lake Forest.

Some passionate recruiters put the booth in front of the entrance to the dance floor building, and they waited for whom they hired to sign for service in the army.

And those brash ones walked through the crowd and caught the individuals in their nets who were considerably socially tired.

The soldiers moved in the glittering, nice uniforms all around. Someone danced with a local girl in a hall designed for similar events, another was on his way to a picturesque pub nearby.

Some of them have tried to make it there for a quite long time. The higher officials did not let anyone spoil the good mood, so patrolmen from the military police with white straps on the shoulder with the inscription MP.

Heidelberg was accompanied by friends, they liked it very much. Tyler performed crazy dance creations with a lady on the floor. McKittrick called two ladies at once. Liberty sat with a bottle of beer watching the celebration.

Joshua disappeared somewhere and Frank moved from corner to corner uncertainly. Sergeant Ritchie has not come yet. Actually, he was coming right now. He walked into the door of the huge hall dressed in Marine uniform, and Seneca, in a beautiful shiny dress, walked beside him.

They both split immediately. Seneca was heading to Mrs. Appleton, Ritchie paraded to his guys.

“Heidelberg,” he said. “You must have fun.”

“Yes, sir,” Frank answered sadly.

“Something happened?” Ritchie asked obliviously.

He received no explanation.

Then the thought flashed through his mind that they were jealous of Seneca.

“Unbelievable,” Ritchie laughed.

Major Foston and Colonel Broxton entered the hall and smiled. Lt. Rockwell walked toward Ritchie with hostile steps.

“Captain Appleton wants to talk to us, now,” he notified.

The sergeant gave up the chair and both men broke through the crowd to Captain on the other side of the hall.

“Something wrong, sir?” Ritchie inquired.

Captain shook the head.

“No, not at all, sergeant,” he replied strangely.

“I don’t follow, sir.”

“I just would like to warn you that if you if you’re going to do it more often, I’ll have to report you,” Appleton eased angrily the tension.

Ritchie tried to find any good reason.

“You are probably talking about today’s training, right sir?”

“Yes, I am.”

“The training was in perfect order, Captain,” the lieutenant spoke into the conversation.

“Seriously?” Appleton wondered strolling away back to the noisy crowd.

Both soldiers looked at each other questioningly; each went on his own way. Ritchie was in relaxing mood and disappeared among the others.

Heidelberg needed some fresh air, he was so bored. He did not want to tell anyone about his problems. After some time, he came back inside to friends. He even danced for several minutes with a charming girl who looked like a princess from a Disney world.

Frank chatted with her but the music in the hall was really loud so they could not hear anything.

Tyler left the girl and sauntered to the bar with non-alcoholic beverages. Frank got bored quickly. He was never good with girls, unlike Tyler. So he stopped dancing when the song finished and looked for his friends.

Frank accidentally pushed a guy in civilian clothes, as he was scrambling crowd.

“Sorry,” Frank said instinctively.

But the guy was already drunk a bit.

“Why are you touching me?” the guy cried. “Are you gay or what?”

“Leave me alone,” Frank admonished him.

“Let’s go outside!” the guy tottered.

“I want no trouble,” Frank rejected.

“Do they teach you this in the army how being a proper jerk?” the guy laughed. “I am waiting for you outside anyway.”

Corporal turned and kept running away from the spot, and then he met the friend Truxton halfway.

“What that moron wanted?” the doc asked curiously.

“A kiss,” Heidelberg laughed loud.

They both saw Ritchie talking to the colonel Broxton, who joined his wife on the dance floor soon after. Heidelberg and Truxton used the short time to get him.

Before Ritchie could leave the hall and watch Seneca in secret how she enjoyed the music with men’s company, they caught him.

“Sir, would you like to get a beer with us?” Truxton invited the sergeant.

“Yeah, I would,” Ritchie approved.

All three soldiers in pretty uniforms headed out of the hall into the pleasantly warm evening.

“It is a total boredom here, doesn’t it seem to you?” Frank said wrinkled.

“You’re absolutely right, mate,” Truxton nodded in agreement.

But outside, it was getting too hot. That troubled maker waited with other drunken friends nearby. He immediately flew out of the place and ran to three soldiers.

“I thought the green brains are cowards,” the guy welcomed them.

Ritchie understood the situation by blinking his eye. He immediately suspected that Frank had the honor to meet this guy before.

“Get lost, dude,” Ritchie emphasized his point of view.

The guy tightened his chest fervently.

“Or what? What are you going to do to me, huh?”

“Well, what would you like me to do to you?” Ritchie smiled wide.

The drunk was terribly annoyed, blushed and grew green with rage in the face. The adrenaline rose to his head like a hot mustard. He flinched at Frank without a warning that stood behind Ritchie.

But Ritchie tripped his two legs up at the moment, putting the knee to his back and grabbing his smelly hair. Ritchie twisted his left hand too. The guy began to scream like a little girl.

“Do you still wish to scuffle, you motherfucker?” Ritchie shouted.

He looked really dangerous. Heidelberg and Truxton gazed at their sergeant like on the apparition.

In a few seconds, four patrolmen sprinted there and released the totally helpless guy from tiger’s claws. Ritchie got up and continued walking like nothing ever happened.

Truxton ordered three beers in the local pub and men sat together to the free tidy table.

A blasting music played out of the place.

Truxton and Heidelberg knew long ago that their sergeant was a tough guy. However, by this act, he inadvertently confirmed Heidelberg’s dirty suspicion.

“Are you alright?” Ritchie asked after a while of silence.

He felt in his real skin again, in action, without hypocrisy, and then realized it. Ritchie did not just want to scare the boy, he wanted to kill him. He was close to doing so and had no good reason actually.

“Yep, I am,” Truxton sucked yellow drink from a glass.

“I go to the toilet,” Frank answered.

Corporal jumped out of the wooden chair and searched for the restrooms. He could not believe what he saw and felt sick from a stomach. Maybe it was just a strange beer.

Heidelberg entered the empty restroom, switched on water tap on the washbasin and washed his shaved face. The cold water refreshed him.

He almost threw up standing by the mirror and stared at himself while breathing heavily.

“What’s wrong with him?” Ritchie checked the wristwatch.

“He might be sick or something,” Truxton stood up. “I have a look.”

He hurried for a friend in trouble, knocking into the room, quickly scanned the small room from the floor to the ceiling, and saw Frank standing idly at the washbasin.

“What’s up, brother?” Truxton disturbed him.

“Did you see it?” Frank barked. “He almost killed him.”

“That guy would kick your ass.”

“You didn’t look into sergeant’s eyes!”

“No, I didn’t,” Truxton admitted.

“There was something in.”

Truxton reached Frank’s shoulder like an older brother.

“Come on, corporal. Sergeant helped you, right? That guy is still alive, safe and sound. What’s going on, huh? That stupid

article eats you, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Forget the article,” Truxton frowned. “If you wish to know something, go straight to Ritchie and ask him.”

“I’m not so brave,” Heidelberg said.

“Listen, we enjoy our day off,” Truxton suggested. “Don’t drink much. Do you understand?”

“I do, just…”

“There is no just, Frank. Our sergeant is the best man and I would never change him for someone else with the cleanest past. Sergeant’s past is not important to us. And I’ve got the answer to the question – what does he do in the Marines? Simply his job.”

“I know,” Frank acknowledged. “I should thank him.”

“Good boy,” Truxton patted on friend’s back.

Both soldiers returned to the table but could not see Ritchie anywhere around.

“Great,” Truxton added disappointedly.

The beginning of the new week. Lieutenant Rockwell’s unit was discussing the shortcomings of the past exercise in the classroom. At the best moment, the Corporal of the Entrance Gate Guard broke Rockwell’s lecture.

“Excuse me, sir,” he announced. “Staff Sergeant Ritchie has got a visitor.”

The whole classroom went quiet.

“Thanks, corporal,” Ritchie turned to his superior. “Sir, allow me to leave the classroom.”

“Dismissed,” Rockwell waved his hand casually.

Ritchie left the room rapidly.

“Twenty minutes break, gentlemen,” Rockwell commanded.

Tyler touched Frank by the elbow, and Frank touched Truxton so they walked out of the classroom together.

“I will not miss this,” Tyler grinned weirdly.

Ritchie looked surprised, he never had any visitor. He reached the entrance gate, passed the guards. Behind the gate, there was a car in the distance. Actually, it was not just the car. It was a white very expensive limousine with the black windows.

Ritchie had a strange feeling, not knowing who could be hiding behind all this. Was it the same guy who got him out of the prison in New York? He hated surprise; it usually changed the life for sure.

A personal driver in a suit got off the limousine and opened the back door. Ritchie strolled closer and checked the guards at the gate. He did not experience a similar unnatural emotion over the past few years that he served in the army.

“Lord is expecting you, sergeant,” the driver said. “Please, get into the car.”

The driver’s smoother behavior implied the presence of someone very influential and important.

Ritchie took a risk and got inside the limousine suspiciously. A familiar guy with sunglasses over his entire face was sitting opposite him. When he took it off, Ritchie recognized him immediately. It was well-known bastard Chep Swain, a former co-worker from the organization and current enemy. He betrayed to survive. But it did not work as he wished.

“You?!” Ritchie barked dramatically.

“Hey, J.J. What is it with you? You’re so silent suddenly.”

“What are you doing here?” Ritchie asked and clenched both fists on his hands. “How did you find me?”

Swain looked well rested, smiled a lot.

“Believe it or not, I am a very influential person,” Swain said proudly. “I’ll find a pin in a haystack.”

“Where did you steal the fucking money?” Ritchie had the idea of how he got rich.

“Business partners with bold bank accounts are good partners. You will never understand that.”

“Do you do drugs again?” Ritchie could not hold it. “Those black monkeys still supply you? I mean you?”

Swain’s face got a bit serious. He did not find Ritchie’s jokes funny at all.

“So how are you, my old friend?”

“You are not here just because of my life stories,” Ritchie laughed without a smile. “I don’t know you like this.”

“I changed.”

“What do you want from me?” Ritchie hissed.

“Nice to see you again,” Swain smirked.

Ritchie growled like a wolf.

“Well, I just wanted to ask you something,” Swain told him airily. “Will you work for me?”

“What kind of job are we talking about?”

“A sniper. I have to admit that you shoot better than me.”

Ritchie exploded.

“This is so your style, Swain!” he shouted furiously. “Forget it and forget me that I ever existed. You wish to become the Boss but you will never be like him

“It did not matter to you before.”

“Before isn’t now. Maybe you should get examined yourself because you live in the past.”

Swain lost his coolness fast.

“You stole the leadership from me!” Swain screamed and let his demons out. “I hated you so much!”

Ritchie stayed in a shock.

“Why do you offer me a job then?”

“I have no other option,” Swain did not explain.

Ritchie shook the head, getting a strong headache.

“You are the one who decides on everything. Find someone else,” Ritchie yelled maniacally.

Swain fell silent.

“How is it to be in my shoes now?” Ritchie continued.

“The Blue Duck would never be ruined if I would be a leader.”

“Where are you still taking such brazenness?”

“Do you take that job?” Swain asked one more time.

“To work for you?” Ritchie’s temper got really high. “To kill people for you? You can’t be serious! Do you want to laugh or to cry? Not interested!”

He ran out of the limousine trembling with anxiety and marching back to the entrance gate.

Swain climbed out of the seat of his expensive car as well.

“Listen to me now, J.J.!” he called.

Ritchie halted.

“You should think about it or I look after it myself. Iʼll be with you day and night, your pure nightmare the same like you’re mine. You won’t fall asleep,” Swain threatened.

Ritchie’s patience was over. He made a few jumps back to the uninvited guest, aggressively catching him under his throat and bending over the hood of a shiny car like a tablecloth.

“You’re still the same motherfucker like before,” Ritchie whispered. “You will never learn and you’re lucky that I am not going to kill you but you would deserve it.”

“You’re scared, coward!”

“Shut up!” Ritchie recommended.

“You’re already shitted your pants, J.J.,” Swain laughed. “I give you the chance, the last chance, so decide quickly because you will not get that offer anymore.”

“You give me the last chance?” Ritchie exploded like a Hawaiian volcano.

He lifted Swain out of the bonnet and threw him to the open door of the vehicle with a great force.

Swain fell to the ground in surprise; it took him a moment to recover. Then he adjusted his wrinkled suit and tie.

“Donʼt worry that we see each other for the last time,” he giggled.

Swain entered the white long limousine calmly, which then drove down the road at a light speed.

Ritchie returned to the classroom pretended nothing happened and tried to stay cool, however, he did not know that three of his men were watching him.