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"I'm really proud of her," Diane said

"Me too," I watched Shannie resu; this time she was intercepted by Beetle, who uttered a feords and led her into the office "She threatened to Duck tapetable" Shannie later said Beetle had told her, "You may have packed the chute but it's my ass If anyone finds out, I'et cut off"

"She really trusts you," I told Shannie Shannie bit her lower lip

Diane grabbed my hand as the Cessna made its final approach The warm softness of her touch woke every cell in oosebumps

Shannie and Beetle stood outside the office door, their gazes directed skyward A tinge of jealousy rushed over ether The pilot cut the plane's engine and I looked skyward

"Oh fuck," I id Jumper four had a problem As the jumper fell away it appeared the parachute ernails into my wrist

Then it was over Jumper four was under a full canopy "Thank God for a reserve," Diane sighed

"That's not the reserve, it's the main"

"And you," Pete Condra - the jumpmaster for the student load - said to jureat smile, flawless arch It was so perfect I almost had a perfect load of shit in my pants" Pete's hands flew in ood,' he demonstrated with the back on his hand "Your pilot chute burbled, it got caught in the vacuuo" Ju brunette with a toothy sod ould be killed years later in a plane crash at a skydiving co your arch that you were going to hold it all the way into the ground Don't laugh," Pete told the others "I've seen it happen"

After hearing Pete's explanation, Shannie bea the summer of '88, a year after the Iraqis hit the USS Stark with an Exocet37 American sailors, Count made his first ju, he wasn't talented Ironic, considering two years later, as Shannie and I wereour first jumps, he was stationed at Ft Campbell, Kentucky as a member 101st air assault division, the modern incarnation of my Grandfather's old division