Chapter 16

16

DEAN

A t the end of the week, I caught word through the grapevine that the new UPT pilots were going to have their survival training a full month earlier than usual due to a scheduling conflict in Washington. It was a change that raised some concerns for me, especially when it came to Sarah. I didn't know if she was ready. If she washed out, she was going to be destroyed.

Survival training wasn't something to be taken lightly. It wasn't just about physical endurance but mental resilience, resourcefulness, and the ability to keep a cool head in the face of danger. It was the make-or-break moment for many people's careers. Some of the toughest guys I knew broke down.

I remembered my own experience with survival training vividly. I was in the best shape of my life at the time, and yet it still rattled my cage badly. It pushed me to my limits and beyond, testing every ounce of strength and determination I had.

After spending a week around Sarah, I couldn't help but wonder if she was truly prepared for what lay ahead. She was talented, no doubt about it, but survival training was a whole different beast. It was about surviving in the harshest of conditions, against the odds. She was tough when she was in a bar surrounded by safety nets. She knew no one was going to let a dude beat the shit out of her. Someone would stop it. And getting your ass kicked by a drunk dude was still not as bad as what the survival training would be.

I'm not sure if Sarah is going to be able to hack it. And if she can't? Well, then we have a problem.

I've been tasked with mentoring her, guiding her through this program, and helping her reach her full potential. But if she's not up to the challenge, if she can't handle the rigors of survival training, then maybe it's time to reevaluate this arrangement.

Maybe Mo would let me off this assignment sooner rather than later. After all, there was no point in wasting my time and energy on someone who wasn't cut out for this job. And if Sarah couldn't handle the heat, then maybe it was time for her to find another path. One that didn't involve putting her life—and the lives of others—at risk.

I sipped my coffee and ate my usual spinach and eggs while lost in thought, staring into the backyard. I could hear the usual sound of jets taking off in the distance. My eyes drifted around the small kitchen and the living room. I could afford more, but I didn't see any reason to waste money on a nice apartment off base.

I didn't want to buy a house here. As soon as I was done with Sarah, I was out of here. I didn't know if my position in London was still an option, but wherever I landed next, I would think about my living situation.

Part of me dreaded the process of rebuilding my life because I didn't want to risk losing it all again. I had no plans to marry again. Margaret taught me a lesson. She pointed out the fact I wasn't marriage material. She was probably right. By the time I hung up my wings, it would be too late. Any thoughts of having a family were out the window.

I finished my breakfast, cleaned up my dirty dishes and left the duplex for another day of training. I strolled along, nodding at people as I went. I had kept to myself since arriving on base. I didn't want to get involved in base politics.

I rounded the corner of the training grounds and caught sight of Sarah. She was running drills with some of her fellow students, who struggled to keep up. Sarah thought she was giving them hell, running them on the easy section of the course. I couldn't resist the opportunity to shake things up a bit.

She looked at me with that same challenge in her eyes. "Need something?" she asked. "Checking to see if I'm breaking any rules?"

"Why don't you let me to take over?" I suggested with a sly smile.

"Take over what?" she spat.

"Let me put you through my fitness drills," I said. "Mine are far more challenging. We'll see if you are really in shape."

She paused, eyes scanning me up and down before a smirk danced across her lips. "Sure. You think you're going to break me?"

I chuckled. "Only one way to find out."

"You guys want to show this old fart what we're made of?" Sarah asked her friends.

They looked concerned. She should have shared their apprehension.

"Just know, you can quit if you can't hack it," I teased.

She rolled her eyes. "I think you're a lot of talk."

"Have you guys warmed up?" I asked.

"Yes, sir," they replied in unison, each of them casting a sidelong glance at Sarah.

They were probably wondering what she just got them into. I couldn't wait to push them beyond their limits. This was the awakening Sarah needed.

"Good." I moved toward the more intense section of the obstacle course. "Let's take things up a notch."

I explained which obstacles to run and in which order. It would be a grueling combination of strength, agility, and endurance that would put every ounce of their physical abilities to the test. Even as I walked them through the maneuvers, the looks on their faces told me they understood what they were in for.

I walked them back to the first obstacle, a wall of planks and rope, and eyed the four of them. They look scared. Except Sarah. She looked like she was preparing for a fight in the ring. She was bouncing back and forth on her feet, rolling her shoulders with a look of sheer determination.

"Ready?" I called out.

"Are you?" Sarah shot back with unyielding confidence.

I nodded and blew the whistle that hung around my neck. "Go!" I commanded.

Without another word, they launched themselves toward the towering wall meant to simulate rugged terrain. Sarah was the first to reach the top. Her fingers gripped the rough wooden edges and she hoisted herself upward with a surprising amount of strength. The others were close behind, their faces strained as they climbed.

They all made it over and jumped down to race toward the next challenge. The field of tires they had to navigate through was tough, especially with Sarah's small stature. Longer legs were helpful on this one, and she was a curvy little thing.

Despite that, she bounced through the tires without getting tripped up. She was a natural born leader, always at the front of the pack. The others tried to keep up, but she stayed a few steps ahead. I was proud of her. Maybe she was in better shape than I'd thought.

Their panting breaths were loud even from where I stood. Sweat dripped down them in rivers, darkening their uniforms. Sarah leaped over the last tire and made her way toward the monkey bars. This was going to be the real challenge. Could she jump high enough to grab the bars and did she have the upper body strength to make her way across? This was where I expected her to falter.

She jumped without hesitation. Her hands caught the bar and she swung her body to the next one in a smooth rhythm. Gliding from bar to bar with an ease that seemed to defy gravity, she didn't look back, didn't slow down. The things that made her a liability in the outside world were her strengths in the Air Force. If I could help her find the right balance, she would be unstoppable.

I watched with a slowly growing grin on my face. Sarah had just raised the bar for everyone else on that course. I had underestimated her, not that I was eager to admit it. She demonstrated tenacity and strength that would have made any instructor proud.

She landed on the other side of the monkey bars with a triumphant cry that echoed across the field. Her face was flushed as she pumped her fist. My heart stuttered in my chest and I couldn't tear my eyes from her smile, radiating beauty in her victory.

Her friends, who had been trailing behind, were dragging their asses toward the bars. They looked quite a bit less breathtaking, although they were certainly out of breath. And out of gas apparently.

Sarah turned around and clapped. "Come on, you slackers."

One by one, they tackled the monkey bars just as Sarah had done earlier. They all struggled while Sarah egged them on. She thought she was done. I blew the whistle to stop her cheerleading and pointed to the next challenge.

It was a colossal rope net, hung high between two scaffolding towers. Her eyes widened. She had to climb up, get over the top, and slide down the other side. The height was daunting, but the real challenge was handling it after the exhausting obstacle course. It was a test of stamina that most people failed the first time.

"Seriously?" She squinted up at it, then back at me with a look that could have burned me to a crisp.

I stared right back at her. "Are you throwing in the towel?"

Her gaze hardened and her nose wrinkled like the very idea disgusted her. "I'd rather die."

"Then go!" I yelled.

Her friends were practically crawling. They made it through the first course, but I wondered if they were going to make it through the next part. Sarah was struggling but she wasn't giving up. Rolley made it across the monkey bars and quickly hunched over and lost his breakfast, Clay collapsed in a heap on the ground, and Kaylee struggled to catch her breath. But through it all, Sarah remained resilient, her fiery spirit driving her forward.

"Hit it!" I ordered. "Move your asses!"

They managed to get to their feet and dragged themselves to the net. Sarah was already halfway up, moving steadily despite her fatigue. Her fingers clenched the rope, knuckles pale against the strain. She didn't glance back at the progress of her friends. She had a singular focus—reaching the top. That kind of focus was what she was going to need to pass survival training.

Rolley was the next to start climbing. He grappled clumsily onto the rope, heaving himself up with a groan of effort that sounded more like a whimper. Clay followed suit, his hands slipping on the rough rope before he managed to secure his hold. Kaylee lingered at the bottom, staring up at the daunting climb with wide and fearful eyes.

I watched, noting who I thought was going to make it and who was probably going to be searching for a new career. Sarah finished the course and walked back to me with a gleam in her eye.

"That was fun." The color in her cheeks betrayed the exertion she had just endured. "You can report that to my father."

I grinned at her defiance. "Glad you enjoyed it. Same time tomorrow?"

She nodded, determination burning bright in her gaze. "You bet. We'll be ready."

"But tomorrow's Saturday," Clay groaned as he hunched over, holding his side. "Did you mean Monday?"

I raised an eyebrow, giving him a hard look. "What do you think?"

"You heard him, guys," Sarah said. "Buck up. We've got work to do."