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           Maybeitwouldhavebeenbestnottothinkaboutit,butwatchingthesesoldierstrainingthedaybeforeanattack,sweat-soakedshirtsstickingtotheirskininthedampair,shefeltsorryforthem.Inaway,thiswasherfaultforbringingMurdochalongwithher.

           RitadecidedtofindawaytoshortenthePTandputanendtothisseeminglypointlessexercise.Sowhatifitinstilledasamuraifightingspirit?They’dstillwetthemselvesthefirsttimetheyranintoaMimicassault.Shewantedtostopit,evenifitwasasentimentalgesturethatnoonebutherselfwouldeverappreciate.

           Surveyingthetrainingfield,Ritachanceduponapairofdefianteyesstaringdirectlyather.Shewasaccustomedtobeinglookedonwithawe,admiration,evenfear,butshe’dneverseenthis:alookfilledwithsuchunbridledhatredfromacompletestranger.Ifapersoncouldshootlasersfromtheireyes,RitawouldhavebeenbakedcrisperthanaThanksgivingturkeyinaboutthreeseconds.

           Shehadonlymetoneothermanwhoseeyesevenapproachedthesameintensity.ArthurHendricks’sdeepblueeyeshadknownnofear.Ritahadkilledhim,andnowthoseblueeyeswereburieddeepinthecoldearth.

           Judgingbyhismuscles,thesoldierstaringatherwasarookienotlongoutofbootcamp.NothinglikeHendricks.HehadbeenanAmerican,alieutenant,andthecommanderoftheU.S.SpecialForcessquad.

           Thecolorofthissoldier’seyeswasdifferent.Hishair,too.Hisfaceandbodyweren’tevenclose.Still,therewassomethingaboutthisAsiansoldierthatRitaVrataskiliked.