Tiny clear sweat beads slowly rolled down the dark brown skin of his forehead as Jamal walked into the captain’s office. A cold breeze from the air conditioning vents in the well-decorated office welcomed him as he closed the heavy metal office door. It felt a lot cooler in the office than it did in the barracks. Sergeant Major Roger Wilson was sitting in a brown leather office chair with his back to the door as Jamal slowly approached the wooden cherry wood desk.

‘Private Walker reporting as ordered.’ he said laboring to catch his breath.

The sergeant major slowly revolved around in the noisy leather chair and just looked over his black military issued glasses at him for about three minutes. The sergeant major was a tall thin but muscular brown-skinned man. His muscular chest was a colorful billboard full of various military decorations. His Army issue camouflaged uniform was crisp and very well ironed. His fading reddish brown hairline and military issued black plastic glasses made him look like Malcolm X. Two quick seconds and a few giant steps later; he was three inches from Jamal’s perspiring face.

Sergeant Major Wilson loudly replied, ‘Damn, it is about time you got your sorry worthless ass here, private. Do you think Captain Bates has all day to wait on a lazy good for nothing maggot like you, private?’ His deep dark brown eyes stared directly into Jamal’s coal black eyes. He could see how time and the harsh conditions of thirty-five years of military service had harden his disfigured face. The long black scar on the side of his face was displayed like a badge of honor. His bombardment of insults continued for what seemed like eternity. Every time the sergeant major opened his mouth to insult Jamal with his words, missiles of his spit exploded on Jamal’s already soaked face.

As the frosted glass inner office door slowly opened, a young tall, lean and mean Chinese American officer emerged. Captain James Arthur Bates or Captain Jab, as the soldiers called him, was in his late thirties and a proud graduate of West Point Military Academy. He had been the base boxing champion for the last three years. Methodically, he straightened his tie and shirt and sauntered toward the sergeant major. He gently placed his hand on the sergeant major’s shoulder. Jamal quickly snapped to attention. By this time, his face was drenched in perspiration and a layer of the sergeant’s saliva.

‘I am pleased you could make it, Private Walker,’ he said sarcastically as he gestured to him to take a seat in the chair. ‘I understand that you graduated in the top 5 percent in your class.’

‘Yes, sir,’ Jamal quickly and proudly responded. ‘Sir, I am trained to be the best at what I do.’

The captain continued, ‘It is easier to shoot at a target than it is to kill a moving man. Do you have what it takes to be a ranger, private?’

Jamal stared deeply in the hazel eyes of the captain. ‘Yes, sir,’ he quickly answered again ‘Sir, I will do what ever it takes to get my job done.’

‘We will see about that,’ retorted the sergeant major. He reached and retrieved a crystal glass from his desk and took a loud sip.

‘Captain Jab, he is still green behind the ears. He is a virgin when it comes to killing people. I will bet a month’s pay that he goes green as soon as he sees blood,’ he implied.

Smiling, the captain laughed and replied, ‘Wilson, everyone goes green the first time they kill a man. Let us see what he can do. ’

The captain educated Jamal about his mission. At 2200, he was to meet his unit sergeant and another soldier on the helicopter pad. He was assigned as the team scout and point man. His job is to take out the enemy guards at the guard shack. After that, he was to backup the team as they break in the complex.

The sergeant major laughed and added, ‘Don’t get a yellow streak in you and bring back prisoners.’

‘Yellow streak, my ass,’ Jamal thought to himself. His first inkling was that he would not to let what Sergeant Major Wilson said irritate him. Jamal abruptly jumped to his feet, saluted Captain Jab, and marched to the door. He could still hear the sergeant major’s voice as he stepped out of the office.

The voice loudly proclaimed, ‘He is just a boy, Captain Jab. He does not have the guts to do the job.’ Those words would ring in his ears while he was on the mission.