Chapter 39

Jeb and I went out the side door together, right into the middle of a big crowd of men and women. They were standing around, waiting to see what would happen. I saw Kat, Myrna, Sally and Judy all standing together watching. Shit, I thought, why were they here? I followed Jeb through the crowd, which parted for him in waves. He walked up to the edge of all the people standing around. I immediately saw all my men standing together with Maurice, who was holding a muddy Kepi. I could see his hands shaking, he was so mad. He immediately came over to me, speaking in French, telling me what had happened and that he had stopped the men from killing the big one for this insult. I turned and looked where he was pointing, and saw a big man about six foot three with scars all over his face and hands. Part of his left ear was missing, telling me he was a brawler. The one standing next to him was almost as big, but not as tall. When they saw me looking at them, they both smiled. From what I could tell, neither had any teeth in the front of their mouths. I figured they had been knocked out, if what Jeb had told me about them was true. I turned to Maurice, still speaking in French, and asked him what he wanted to do.

"Jon, you know the rules as well as I do. Nobody knocks a Kepi off of a Legionnaire and laughs about it. I demand satisfaction!"

I turned back around and noticed Tiny smiling and shaking his head. I couldn't tell if it was in humor or pity, but he was looking at the two big men in front of me. Carver was standing next to Myrna and Kat with a smile on his face, and I wondered what that was about. Before I could say anything, the big one started shouting at me.

"Hey you, since you're their leader, I guess it's too much to ask if you're a chicken shit too. They don't seem to want to fight us, so maybe you got guts enough to step up and show us how you sissy boys in those funny hats can act like men."

Before I could say anything, Jeb spoke up and had his say.

"You boys were told not to cause trouble. This is a wake for my friend, and I should have known better than to let you two come. I am going to tell you both right now, that you are making a big mistake, because I know both of you don't have sense enough to pour piss out of a boot with the directions on the heel. When this is over, you both are banned from any more family functions. You want a no holds fight with no weapons, right?"

"Yep, Jeb, we don't like those sissies, but we don't wanna kill anyone. I personally give you my word, we won't hurt 'em too bad, just teach 'em a little about how to fight hill style. Besides, they insulted us by not talking to us in English, like an American should."

"You dumb ass hill trash, they don't speak English because they're from France. Knowin' you like I do, I bet they couldn't understand half of what you say anyways. I know I can't, and most of the family can't either. I am going to let this happen, but both of you know me, and if I see any weapon of any kind, I will shoot the one who has it between the eyes immediately. That's the only warning you will get, boys."

They looked a little green as they looked at each other, and then in front of everyone, they both pulled a knife out of their boots, and threw it in front of Jeb.

"That better be the only thing you two have, 'cause your life depends on it. I will let my friend Jon pick who fights you, and there better not be any interference from friends or family in any way. Does everyone understand the rules?"

I heard a whole bunch of voices say "Yes Jeb," real fast. He picked up the knives and handed them to one of the onlookers, then came over to me. Before he could say anything the big one shouted at him.

"Hey Jeb, since none of them except that one is close to my size, I think it would be only fair that I get to fight him. My little brother can beat the fat one, but I want their leader. He looks like he is afraid to get his nice little sissy pants dirty."

I turned and looked at him, and my inner wolf jumped up at once. I was mad clear through. With all that I had been through, I had so much anger and frustration built up, I couldn't pass the chance up to get rid of it before we left tomorrow. I knew it would sure make me feel better. I looked at Maurice and smiled, and when he saw my eyes he smiled back and started to peel out of his shirt. I did the same and handed my Kepi to one of the men who were holding our shirts. We both handed him our sashes and stepped forward in step. I heard Kat say; "Oh my God, please tell me that Jon is not going to be part of this insanity."

I didn't hear anything else. I was now in full battle mode, and had shut out everything around me. I headed down into the pit, watching the man in front of me as I moved. He was light on his feet, but he had already shown me a flaw. He kept one arm close to his body like he was protecting an old injury, or was weak on that side. As I closed the distance between us, I waited for the move I knew he was going to make. I watched as his legs tensed, and when I got into punching range, he swung a roundhouse. I stepped back and stood still as he missed me. Then he made his first mistake. He stepped in toward me too close, and tried to punch me again. I went down on one knee, kicking him in the thigh with the toe of my boot. After he went off balance when he lost the use of his leg, I kicked him in the chest. I felt ribs crack when my boot connected. I stepped back and waited to see what he would do next.

It was at this point, I realized that my opponent had no training or skills at all. He used brute force and his size to overpower his opponents. I knew then that I could end this easily, and do it without maiming anyone or putting some of Jeb's kin in the hospital. I knew at that point exactly what he was going to do next, and planned my next move carefully to end it. I wanted to end it without doing anything more than breaking a few more ribs so he wouldn't be able to fight anymore today, or for several months to come. I would have to be careful and not drive a broken rib into a lung, but this was a move we had drilled into us, to maim and disable an opponent without killing him. I waited, and sure enough, I watched as he set himself to come at me to try for a bear hug. He ran toward me, and I stood and waited till he was almost upon me before dropping to my butt and bracing myself with my arms flat on the ground. I did a double kick into the center of his chest, with his momentum carrying him over my head in a complete flip. When my feet connected, I felt the ribs give and the crunch of bone on either side of his chest. I got up, brushing myself off, and headed out of the pit. When I went by him, he was trying to get up. I already knew that wasn't going to happen for a few months. Maurice met me at the top, and offered his hand to pull me up. When we got to the top, my men were chanting, "Wolf, Wolf." I took my shirt, and they all pitched in and got me all brushed off as I donned my shirt and sash. When I was handed my Kepi and put it on, they all came to attention and saluted me, which I immediately returned. I dismissed them with a laugh and a warning that I would whip the next one who got into trouble. The were all laughing, and talking about the fight, and of course Maurice had to have the last say in the matter.

"Oui, Jon, you have not lost your touch, have you my friend? You always were one of the best I ever trained, so many years ago. We all thought that they were wrong in letting you go because of a few wounds. It has been my honor to fight by your side again. Now I have worked up an appetite, and I think you have a couple of mad women to face. I will disappear before they get here."

He was gone and I was facing Kat, Sally and Myrna. They were all headed my way, and Kat looked like she had murder on her mind. I started to turn to get away and give her some time to calm down, but Tiny, Jeb and Carver were blocking my retreat. I heard Carver whisper to me; "This time you're gonna have to face the music, my friend."

All three were chuckling as Kat came up in front of me and stood with her hands on her hips. I quickly looked at Myrna, then Sally, and both of them looked like they were mad too. Oh God, I thought, there goes the wedding. She's gonna kill me for sure.

"Jon Morgan, if you tore your wounds open again and ruined my honeymoon and wedding, you better go back to France and re-enlist."

I just looked at her in shock, and they all started laughing. She jumped in my arms and kissed me, and I felt my legs buckling when she broke the kiss. All of them were laughing and smacking me on the back. I found out later that they all had made several hundred dollars apiece, betting on me in the fight.

"Jon, darling, where did you learn to fight like that? I was watching the whole thing, and you looked like a ballet dancer in motion. It was so smooth, and it looked like it was in slow motion. I was worried, until Carver said to watch and learn a few things about the man I loved. Tiny said that trash didn't stand a chance from the beginning, because he said you frogs, as he put it, didn't fight like normal soldiers. I have never seen anything like that before, and you didn't even get your uniform dirty."

They escorted me over to the food, where we all filled or plates and sat down to eat. There must have been at least fifty people who came over, and congratulated me on teaching that trash a lesson long overdue. I found out, that when Maurice finished his man off, he came up to where Kat and the rest were standing. He told them not to worry, because I was one of the most methodical fighters the Legion had ever taught. He also told them that I had never been beaten in hand to hand combat, the last four years of my enlistment. Myrna hadn't said a word, but she had a grin on her face like a proud mother. Then Sally spoke up. What she said almost made me choke, because I had just taken a mouthful of food.

"Dad, since I'm a French citizen now, can I join the Legion when I get old enough?"

By the time Myrna and Kat quit beating on my back, I felt like I had been run over by a truck.

"Sally, the Legion doesn't accept women and probably never will. If you want a career in the military, I suggest you start taking ROTC classes in school and then when you go to college. When you graduate, you can be an officer instead of a ground pounder like the rest of us."