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There’s nothingor funny about the way she says it As if she’s stating a fact, like it’s cold outside

"I’ll spread the word," I say

"And when I’er that Anything else?"

She pauses, staring at me from across the room I feel myself tense up What next? "I like to play chess Do you play?"

I shake my head Holler at the boys, "Any of you pervs play chess?"

"No," Flint calls back "But if she’s in the mood for soet two inches off thehis legs like a sto over hi, sexist, pseudo-macho remarks"

"You’re cool!" Teacup blurts out, and sheMight not be such a bad arrangeirl around

"That’s ten days half rations for what you just did," I tell her Maybe Flint had it co, but I’er needs to know it

"Are you writing

"I’"

She nods, steps away from Flint, brushes past me on the way to fetch her toiletry kit She sirl, and for a second I’ easy on s, "when they make me Fifty-three’s new squad leader"

50

A WEEK AFTER Ringer arrived, Squad 53 moved up froed past Squad 19 to take fifth Then, with only teeks to go, we hit a wall, falling sixteen points back from fourth place, a nearly insurmountable deficit

Poundcake, who isn’t much for words but is a boss with nuory except one, there’s very little room for improvement: We’re second in obstacle course, third in air raid and the run, and first in "other duties as assigned," a catchall that includes points fora unit of the armed forces" Our downfall is marksmanship, where we rank sixteenth, despite kickass shooters like Ringer and Poundcake Unless we can pull up that score in the next teeks, we’re doomed

Of course, you don’t have to be a boss with numbers to knohy our score is so low The squad leader sucks at shooting So the sucky-shooting squad leader goes to the senior drill instructor and requests extra practice tie My technique isn’t bad; I do all the right things in the right order; still, if I score one head shot out of a thirty-round clip, I’et could score one out of thirty She tries hard not to show it, but un pisses her off Her forned, she’d be guaranteed to graduate with the first class and be first in line for a pair of sergeant stripes

"I’ve got a proposition for you," she says onea headband to hold back her silky bangs Not that I notice their silkiness "I’ll help you, on one condition"

"Does it have anything to do with chess?"

"Resign as squad leader"

I glance at her The cold has painted her ivory cheeks a bright red Ringer is a quiet person--not Poundcake quiet, but quiet in an intense, unnerving ith eyes that seeical knives

"You didn’t ask for it, you don’t care about it, why not lether eyes on the path

"Why do you want it so bad?"

"Giving the orders is h I want to tell her what I’ve learned Vosch said it; I knew it to the botto to die This wasn’t about survival It was about payback

Following the path that snakes out of the yard and across the hospital parking lot to the airfield access road In front of us now the power plant barfing its black and gray sest "You help less offer We’re recruits It isn’t our call who’s squad leader; it’s Reznik’s And I know this really isn’t about who’s squad leader anyway It’s about whosquad leader doesn’t guarantee a promotion, but it can’t hurt

A Black Hawk thunders overhead, returning froht patrol

"Ever wonder how they did it?" she asks, watching the chopper swing off to our right toward the landing zone "Got everything running again after the EMP strike?"

"No," I answer honestly "What do you think?"

Her breaths tiny white explosions in the frigid air "Underground bunkers, it has to be That or…"

"Or what?"

She shakes her head, puffing out her cold-pinched cheeks, and her black hair swings back and forth as she runs, kissed by the brightsun

"Too crazy, Zoot, football star"

I’m four inches taller than she is For every one stride I take, she has to take two So I beat her

Barely

That afternoon we hit the range, bringing Ooer watches me fire off a few rounds, then offers her expert opinion: "You’re horrible"