Page 36 of My All American Girl

16

DEAN

At 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.