Chapter 9

           RitaendedupgoingtowatchthePT.Shastadidn’t.TheonlypersonnearRitawasthatdamnedMurdoch.Therestofhersquadmaintainedarespectfuldistance.

           ThatwaswhenRita’seyesmetthatchallengefromthefield,thatgazebearingtheweightoftheworld.TherewassomethingaboutthekidthatRitaliked.Shestartedwalkingtowardhim.

           Shestrodewithpurpose,eachstepaperfectmovementdesignedtopropelaJacketacrossabattlefieldwithtotalefficiency.Sheadvancedacrossthefieldeffortlesslyandwithoutasound.Toget100percentoutofaJacket,asoldierhadtobeabletowalkacrossaroomfullofeggswithoutcrackingasingleone.Thatmeantbeingabletoperfectlydistributetheirbodyweightwitheverystep.

           ThesoldierwasstillstaringatRita.Shewalkedrighttohim,thenmadeaninety-degreeturnandheadedtowardthetentwherethebrigadiergeneralwassitting.Shegavehimoneregulationsalute.

           ThebrigadiergeneralcastadoubtfulglanceatRita.Ritawasasergeantmajorbyrank,butshewasalsointheU.S.corps,sotheiractualrelativeplacesinmilitaryhierarchywerealittlemuddy.

           Ritarememberedthisman.HehadbeenattachedatthehiptothegeneralwhohadmadeabeelinetoshakeRita’shandatthestartofthefrivolousreceptionheldtowelcometheSpecialForces.Therewereplentyofofficerswhohadclimbedtherankswithouteverfightingonthefrontlines,butthisoneseemedtohaveaspecialloveforgrandstandingandass-kissing.