Chapter 1

Flashback – Ben – Last day of week four of spook school

Is there one defining moment which changes a person's life? Or is our life made up of many smaller moments which add up to create the change? I mulled this in my mind as I headed back to the spook school. Even after all I'd been through in my life, the last two days changed me - I would never be the same...

Flashback – Jack – Last day of week four of spook school

I checked my watch again and there was still no Banzai. Shit! If we got orders, I would have to leave his ass here or wherever the hell he was. Then I smiled and let my mind wander ... I remembered Mira: She looked hot as hell as the Lone Rangerette - I and all the men except Banzai couldn't keep our eyes off those long sexy legs of hers. I had hoped for an even better performance the next night, but the fucking spook school got in the way of Mira's costume party.

Flashback – Mira – Night five, week one of spook school

I sat on my empty bed, in my empty room unclothed and glanced at my Lone Rangerette costume hanging in the closet. I was most pleased with the effect it had on all the men of the school, but once again my buffoonic belligerent boyfriend seemed impervious to my influences. I did not conceive it possible, but earlier tonight he was even more irascible and frustrating than previously! I had hoped that night to at least adulterate his food with a new tracking device, but he did not eat supper with us or even partake of a drink. I had dreamed I might persuade him to abide with me tonight, but ... but ... but...

When L.Cpl. Blaine excused himself for the restroom he rudely never returned. Once again he was missing and I was missing him! Tonight I did not even call my sister! I was too morose and cried myself to a troubled sleep...

Flashback – Mira – Day six, week one of spook school

When I awakened today I had renewed resolve and a new plan, even if my face resembled Orson Wells' due to last night's tears. I knew L.Cpl. Blaine could not resist my costume for tonight since no man could be that strong! I would lasso him and tonight he would be mine!

However all hopes were dashed when I read the revised event calendar for today ... We had the morning off and were to report to the shooting range this afternoon to prepare for a night live fire mission tonight! Unfortunately my perfect costume must wait for tomorrow night!

Flashback – Charlie – Day six, her apartment

The school Commandant was easily manipulated. His wife, while young, was quite prudish and didn't know the finer points of seduction. Her loss was my gain and the Commandant and I came to an oral agreement to change the schedule. Report time for the class today was thirteen-hundred which gave me more than enough time to bed the recalcitrant Ben this morning!

I took my time as I fully prepared myself. No need to rush as I had all morning. I walked out of my room, to the guest bedroom, knocked on the door and ... there wasn't an answer.

I opened the door and ... the bastard! He did it to me again. My spare bedroom was totally empty, Ben and all his gear were gone, except for a box in the middle of the bed. It was the size of a flower box so I walked over, opened it ... and ... The Fucking Bastard, he's going to pay for this!!!

Flashback – Ben – Day six – bivouac

I was sick and tired of everyone! Well that's not quite true, I was sick and tired of Charlie, Mira, Jack and especially Major M: They all thought they owned me, or at least wanted a piece of me. I said screw this shit and went to bivouac with my band of brothers Tom and Howard. I sat, watched the sunrise, eating one of the Old Man's breakfast MRE's and said, "Thanks guys, now this is the life."

Tom belched and said, "Yeah the Old Man was pissed as hell when he found someone had snatched all his breakfast MRE's. But his loss is our gain."

Howard laughed, "Shit Ben you're the only Marine I know that would think it's better to sleep in a tent than with that SYT!"

Tom added, "Or Charlie."

I looked at the guys, my brothers and tried to explain, "Guys, those two both have agendas for my life which aren't in my best interest. Mira's in love with me so she wants to marry me and have babies while Charlie just wants to use me as her boy toy."

Tom asked with doubt, "And neither of those are on your agenda?"

I thought about my agenda and said, "Not even close. By the way, while you two are keeping an eye on us today, you should know there's another person watching us. Mira tried to shoot her yesterday so make sure she doesn't get hurt."

The guys gave me a funny look but finally Tom laughed and questioned, "Her? She? Shit! Don't tell me you have another woman chasing you. Since you aren't interested in Mira or Charlie, do you want us to catch this one for you?"

Howard noticed the look on my face and saved my ass, "Tom, cut Ben some slack on this one. Don't worry, we'll make sure she's safe."

I was relieved and said, "Well, time to head over to this piece of shit school for the day. Thanks guys."

We bumped fists and said, "Semper Fi until we die!"

I ran off and Howard promised, "We've got your back..."

Flashback – Mira – Day six, week one of spook school

I opened the door to my room and there was a flower box waiting for me in the hallway! Finally my beautiful boyfriend had come to his senses and was apologizing to me! I quickly moved the box into my room, prepared to open it but something did not seem right. I had received flowers before and the box they came in had lower mass than this box. I carefully removed the card, glanced at it and jumped away from the box! This was not a gift from my boyfriend! This was a trap! I quickly threw a blanket over the box and exited my room!

Flashback – Charlie – Day six, her apartment

I wiped the blood out of my eyes and looked in horror at the bed: There was blood everywhere! Thank God it wasn't mine but it could have been. Some bastard, probably Ben, filled the flower box with charges and baggies filled with blood. I foolishly opened it and now ... the bed looked worse than the horsehead scene from the Godfather. Then I glanced at the room and ... and ... and, it also was covered in blood - worse than the prom scene from Carrie.

I couldn't believe Ben did this to me – the bastard! I'm going to kill him! The spare bedroom and one of my best teddies were totally destroyed! I fingered the card on the front of the box, finally looked at it and read:

Mess with the best die like the rest!

Leave my Ben alone! Beotch!

For a second I worried that Mira figured out who I was and what I'd done. If that was the case, then I'd have to leave before she killed me. But Mira doesn't use words like beotch so it couldn't be her. I sure as hell didn't know which one of the fucking students did this to me, but when I finally find her, and I will find her, she's going to learn what it's like to fuck with me!

Flashback – Jens – Day six

I fought back a giggle as I stood in the hallway and heard the "gift" I left for the broken down old beotch Ben had been staying with detonate! A neat little trick, with a major modification I learned from some kind soul last night. Score: Jens two - beotchs trying to rape my Ben nothing!

I was s-o-o-o glad when I watched my Ben take all his gear out of her room late last night, but she still needed to be taught a lesson for trying to rape my Ben. Mess with the best, die like the rest!

He had two Marines help him and they were so good that I lost track of where the heck they took my Ben. It didn't matter, just as long as it wasn't here with the broken down old beotch or especially there with the younger beotch!

Now, to see if I can find my Ben ... The two beotchs will be busy cleaning up their messes so I might even be able to meet him before I have to get back to my school...

Flashback – Ben – Day six – spook school

Son of a bitch! I got to the stupid spook school and the schedule had been changed! There's nothing going on until thirteen-hundred and then we have a live fire exercise tonight. If there's one thing this piece of shit school could and possibly would screw up, it's a night live fire exercise. Even when run by the best, they are dangerous and people get killed! I decided to head to the mess hall for a cup of coffee.

I noticed Kai sitting by himself so I grabbed a cup and sat across from him. He smiled and said, "Greetings Banzai-san."

I nodded my head, "Konnichiha Kai-san, it sucks that they changed the schedule."

He affirmed, "Yes it is most unfortunate they did not plan anything for the morning."

That gave me an idea so I asked, "Well, since there's nothing until thirteen-hundred, do you want to go spar?"

His grin came back and he replied, "That would be most enjoyable Banzai-san."

We walked out to the practice field. On the way he asked, "Excuse me Banzai-san, I hear you are no longer abiding with Sgt. Reynolds. Where do you retire now?"

I decided it wouldn't hurt him (and of course Mira) to know so I replied, "Kai-san, I became tired of all the drama and distraction from Mira so I am staying in a tent with two of my friends." He slipped and grinned so I knew this tidbit would be a feather in his cap. I asked, "Kai-san are you any good with weapons?"

He nodded, "Yes Banzai-san I am very good with weapons. Ms. Sedankina says you are not very adept with them."

I smiled, "Yes, she says I get distracted by the weapon and lose focus."

He nodded, "If Ms. Sedankina says that then she would be correct and we will work on that with you. Please pick up a practice katana..."

We were well into practice when Mira excitedly ran up and yelled, "Boyfriend someone is trying to kill me!"

She distracted me so I stopped, but Kai didn't and nailed me a good one (I wasn't so sure it wasn't on purpose). He grinned at me and apologized, "A thousand pardons Banzai-san."

I glared at him and answered, "Kai-san we will deal with this later."

I was concerned that Maria might have escalated things and had opened fire again on Mira, so I questioned, "Mira what the hell are you talking about?"

Mira excitedly replied, "I opened the door to my room and found a flower box. At first I assumed you sent it, so I brought it into my room. However I noticed it had more mass than a normal flower box would, so I read the card and while I was incredibly disappointed, I knew it wasn't from you!"

What the hell was going on, I questioned, "So what did the card say?"

She handed it to me and said, "Read it yourself."

I read:

Mess with the best die like the rest!

Leave my Ben alone! Beotch!

Mira questioned, "L.Cpl. Blaine my boyfriend. Is there something about someone you are not telling me?"

It was not a good time for Mira's green-eyed monster to surface. I dismissed her and said, "Mira, not now. We will talk about this later. We need to get back to your room and see what the hell is going on!"

It was a good thing Mira brought the card, otherwise I would have worried it was a trap to get me back to her room. But the card certainly wasn't in Mira's or Charlie's handwriting. And when Mira didn't complain about Kai tagging along, I knew this was serious. The three of us headed towards her room at a fast run!

As we got to her room, I stopped everyone and said, "You two wait while I open the door." I slowly opened the door and couldn't believe what I saw. Mira took one look and let out an audible gasp! The room looked like the wood chipper scene from Fargo - blood covered almost everything.

Mira cried, "I do not understand what happened. I left the box on my bed covered with a blanket. Ohhh, my poor room is totally destroyed again!"

That statement, my prank last night in Mira's room and this current prank made me feel sorry for her. I announced, "Well, it looks like we need to clean things up!"

Flashback – Jack – Day six – spook school

Son of a son of a bitch! I was damned pissed off! I went to Mira's room to tell her about the change in schedule. She wasn't there so I went inside to check on her but she was gone! I saw a bump under her blanket, pulled it back and saw it was a box of flowers. Being the curious sort, I opened the box and all fucking hell broke fucking loose!

The fucking flower box blew up in my face and covered me and Mira's room in blood. Thank God I wasn't wearing my combat gear or it would have been ruined. I knew better than to wait around for Mira to show up otherwise the rest of her room would be covered in my blood! She had no sense of humor and I knew somehow I would be blamed for this.

So I carefully wiped the blood off my clothes and my shoes so it wouldn't drip and beat feet back to my room. I took off my clothes in the bathtub to keep from getting blood everywhere and bagged them up for the trash. Damn, I'm going to miss that Hawaiian shirt. It was one of my favorites! I turned on the shower, rinsed the blood off me and was happy as hell I'd finally put one over on Mira...

Flashback – Ben – Day six – spook school

We were thirty minutes into cleaning up Mira's room and hadn't even made a dent in it. Mira sat on her bunk and started to cry! Shit! If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a crying woman. I walked over, sat beside her, put my arm around her and said, "Mira, I can understand why you are crying, unfortunately I don't think we will be able to clean this room."

The tears kept falling and she said, "L.Cpl. Blaine, then where will I go? Perhaps I can sleep where you abide?"

I shook my head and answered, "Mira, I am sleeping in a tent with Tom and Howard. It's no place for a woman. You could stay with Jack."

She gave me a dirty look and answered, "I would rather sleep in the outside house for dog than with stinky Sgt. Reynolds."

Kai offered, "I do not have a roommate, Ms. Sedankina is welcome to stay with me."

Mira countered, "Kai could stay in the tent with your friends and we could share his room together."

I shook my head and said, "Mira I really need to concentrate on this school and I can't do that when I'm around you twenty-four hours a day. You are the most distracting woman I've ever met!"

She smiled at me and said...

Flashback – Mira – Day six – spook school

So I did have an effect on my boyfriend. I had worried he didn't love me, but now I know that is not true. I answered, "Sweetie, I didn't think you noticed."

He laughed which made my feelings better and answered, "Mira, I think even a dead man would notice you!"

I knew that was some compliment which I could not fathom, so I smiled and requested, "If you kissed me I would stop crying and feel better."

He laughed, stood up and said, "Mira we don't have time for that shit, we need to move all your gear into Kai's room."

I stood up, attacked him and got my kiss. After he fought and pulled away from me I stated, "See my boyfriend that was not painful and did not take very long at all. Next time perhaps you will kiss me first. Now you are correct, we need to relocate my room. On the way perhaps you will tell me who your mystery girlfriend is that tried to kill me. I think I would like to meet her. Would it perhaps be someone named Maria... by which name you accidentally referred to me?"

Flashback – Ben – Day six – spook school

Shit! I had hoped Mira forgot about me accidentally calling her Maria since I had almost forgotten about it. I should have known better: Women never forget even trivial things and that mistake was certainly not trivial. I quickly lied, "Mira, I don't know what the hell or who the hell you're talking about."

She smiled, like a mongoose smiles at a cobra right before causing the cobra's death and said, "L.Cpl. Blaine, do not try to pull sheep fur over my ocular units. I distinctly remember her name. Do you need some love taps from my katana to jar your failing memory?"

That was a big fucking mistake. I looked angrily at Mira and said, "Mira that was the final straw! Do you want to fucking beat me to death with that damn practice katana of yours? Then I'm your Huckleberry. Fuck this shit! I'm leaving and will be waiting for you on the practice field."

Mira started complaining as I left Kai's room, leaving Mira, her many complaints, and her threats behind me. I'm sick and tired of her manipulations and threats - and that's just what they are threats. If she loves me she certainly won't beat me, at least not to death.

Flashback – Mira – Day six – spook school

My boyfriend very angrily left the room. I looked at Kai in amazement and he offered, "Ms. Sedankina, L.Cpl. Blaine is doing what is known as calling your buffalo. It is famous in those who play poke-her. Your threats of physical violence to L.Cpl. Blaine have lost their effectiveness because he knows you will not permanently injure him and he has no more fear of your minor beatings."

This was new information for me and I was confused so I queried, "Kai, what should I do?"

Kai smiled and answered, "Ms. Sedankina, you are a formidable warrior, but you forget for men like L.Cpl. Blaine you have other weapons which are more effective than your martial arts skills. Remember how he acted when you cried in your room or when your ankle was injured. You will be more effective if you acquire a more subservient role."

Ah Ha! I understood, "Thank you Kai for enlightening me. Please finish moving my gear." I ran after my boyfriend with a new idea of how to 'beat' him which did not involve my practice katana.

I saw him standing motionless in the middle of the practice field. I ran up to him, stopped short, smiled at him and said, "L.Cpl. Blaine I wish to apologize to you for my silly threats and I thank you for calling my buffalo."

He chuckled and said, "Mira I think you mean 'calling your bluff'. So you aren't going to beat me with your practice katana?"

I made a note of Kai's mistake and answered, "No Sir! I will not beat you with my practice katana. In fact I am very sorry for every time in the past I have applied it to your body and I feel the need to offer you the chance to punish me."

I knelt in front of him, lowered my head in supplication and offered, "I am yours punish me as you wish."

I shuddered when I felt his hands on my shoulders. He commanded, "Mira, get up and never kneel in front of me again."

I stood, gave him a mischievous smile and said, "But my boyfriend, shouldn't I be on my knees in front of you to perform certain enjoyable acts?"

I watched as his face crimsoned and he said, "Mira, I don't know what you're talking about."

Kai was right, this strategy worked much better. I twisted and flirted, "My boyfriend, your mouth may say you do not know, but your face tells a story which is not the same. Perhaps you would like a demonstration?" I knelt again in front of him...

Flashback – Jack – Day six – spook school

Well this was interesting! As I walked out to the practice field, I saw Mira kneel in front of Banzai and he jumped back so fast he almost fell over. What are those two doing? I walked up and teased, "Am I disturbing something?"

Banzai blushed, Mira giggled and said, "Good morning Sgt. Reynolds. I was just offering to perform linguistic lollipop skills on my boyfriend. It seems his other girlfriends were selfish little girls and never introduced him to such linguistic delights. Unfortunately he is recalcitrant, because I think he is worried I will injure him. Perhaps you, being a more experienced male, might alleviate his fears. Might I first demonstrate on you to assuage my boyfriend's fears?"

My jaw must have hit the ground! I couldn't find words but instead only muttered, "Ah ... ah ... ahh!"

Flashback – Ben – Day six – spook school

I ... I ... I think ... No, I'm certain I liked Mira better when she was beating the shit out of me, not offering to beat me off. I had been beaten so much my whole life, that I was ready for physical violence. However, I wasn't even remotely ready for the flirty Mira again because she was worse than ever. What the hell changed her! And this time she wasn't even being coy about it, she was blatant and announced she wanted to give me a hummer right in front of Jack. When I acted stupid she even offered to ... Shit! I can't even think about it! She offered to 'do' Jack so I wouldn't be scared! She can't be serious.

I watched as Mira – well I can't really say she walked, it looked more like she stalked towards Jack. I looked at him and wondered if I was as beet red as he was, because for once he looked like the Indian.

Shit! Mira grabbed Jack and started to give him a ... a ... a hell of a kiss. Jack struggled at first then sort of got into it and his hands traveled down to Mira's ass. I was just getting ready to empty my drinking bladder of cold water on them and cool them down, when Kai ran up and said, "Excuse me Ms. Sedankina, but it is time for us to report to the firing range."

Mira pulled away and at first I thought she was going to beat the shit out of Kai, instead she smiled at me and taunted, "See L.Cpl. Blaine, now that is how you are supposed to share a kiss with me. Just remember, when I want a kiss you will either give me a kiss or I will find someone else to kiss me."

I had to think of something fast, so I said, "Well Mira if that's the way you would think I would want my girlfriend..." I clamped my mouth closed, but it was too late! Shit! Have you ever wished you could turn back the clock and take back the words you just said? Well this was one of those times.

Mira stalked over, grabbed my arm and said, "It is about time you acknowledge me as your girlfriend. Just remember I am a young woman and I have needs. If you can not fill those needs, then you will force me to turn to Sgt. Reynolds."

Well two can play this game. I snatched my arm away and said, "Whatever floats your boat Mira. Don't complain to me when you get a case of crabs."