Hell, he wasn’t staying hereperiod. “Sir, with all due respect, I’ve done my time in the South. Like to see the rest of the country. The rest of theworld.”
“You want to run away.”
“I want the experience I signed up for.”
“Since the fiancée’s out of the picture.”
“Life changes. Have to change with it.”
“You’re a damn fine officer and an even better pilot. That hasn’t changed. So what are you going to do for your country?”
Aw,fuck.
“Been watching you with the young guys,” Lieutenant Colonel Santiago continued. “They look up to you.”
“So I need to be out there doing my job.”
“Your job could be here, making sure the guys you’ll be flying with for the next fifteen years are getting the best training they can get. Spend three years in the training squadron, you’ll get your pick of assignments after. Italy, Germany, Hawaii…anywhere.”
Lance swallowed the “no fucking thank you” trying to make its way out.
Two problems with the colonel’s scenario.
First, it would take him off the mission. No deployments. No front line.
More time stuck here in that house he’d bought for Allison, three hours from home, six hours from his first squadron. Much as he still loved Bama football, he was ready to see something new, tobesomewhere new. Maybe to besomeonenew.
Second, the colonel saidfifteen yearsas though that was as long as Lance wouldlast.
Wasn’t any way in hell he was planning on serving his twenty and getting out. He’d damn well stay in until he had as many stars on his shoulders as the Air Force would give him, and the stars wouldn’t come until he’d been in at least twenty-five.
But that was only if he was out there, on the front line, doing the mission year in and year out.
Three years here in the training squadron?
Might not be career suicide, but it was damn close.
And a cushy overseas or tropical follow-on assignment wouldn’t change that.
“With all due respect, sir?—”
“Think it over, Captain. Got a couple weeks to get your paperwork in if you want to volunteer.”
“I don’t need a couple weeks.”
“Take them anyway.”
Lance might be stubborn, but he wasn’t stupid, and the colonel didn’t want to hear no this morning.
Fine.
Lance could tell him no just as easily next week.
And because the Air Force was the Air Force, they could just as easily tell him too bad, he had to do it anyway.
The colonel dismissed him with a twinkle in his eye. “And go see your girlfriend,” he said. “I hear she’s an inspiring teacher.”
He was going to break Juice Box’s neck. “Don’t have a girlfriend, sir.”
