Page 37 of Confessions of an Apache Pilot

I grabbed his finger and bent it backwards. His scream was louder than expected, especially since I hadn’t broken it. Yet. My ears rang with the high pitched sound, further irritating me.

“Ow, fuck! What are you doing?” he cried.

I pushed against his twisted finger and started walking him backward. Getting him away from Jen was my only thought. Once that was accomplished, I planned to explain, in painful detail, how he was going to leave her alone from now on.

“Mark, knock it off.” Jen was trying to get into the middle of us again.

With my free hand I put my palm against her waist and gently, but forcefully, moved her aside. “Artie!” I called out.

“Yeah, boss?” Artie appeared out of the shadows. I knew he’d be nearby; he always was when I was about to get into a fight. It was like he had a sixth sense about these things.

“Hold her please.”

“Sure thing.” He wrapped his arms around Jen’s waist and lifted her off the ground.

“Mark, I swear to God.” She struggled in Artie’s grip, but I knew he wouldn’t let her go. He also wouldn’t hurt her. It allowed me to focus on my mission.

I turned my attention back to asshole. I let his finger go. He jerked his hand toward himself and cradled it. “I’ve had enough of you. Leave. Leave Pamir, go back to Bagram. Don’t ever show your face around Jen again. She’s mine. Understand?”

Now that I had let go of his hand and he wasn’t in agonizing pain he got his courage back. He was still massaging his finger. “Fuck you, Chief. I’ll give you a choice, walk away, or I round up my guys, beat your ass, then ruin your career.”

“Ooohhhh bad move there, Ace.” I heard Artie chuckle. “Hey! No biting.”

I knew Jen was just trying to keep me from getting into a fight. It was hard to hold that against her, but she needed to realize that there were going to be times where I had to put my fucking foot down. This was one of them. I was done dealing with this piece of shit trying to get back with her. He was going to learn today not to fuck with what belonged to me.

My hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat. I squeezed and lifted him so that he was on his tiptoes. Staring at him, I silently counted to ten.

He gasped and flailed, slapping uselessly at my arms. “You’re choking me. I can’t breathe.”

I got to ten before I responded. “You’re talking, means you’re breathing.”

“Mark! Let him go!” Jen yelled again.

“No. Asshole needs to learn his place.” I shot her a quick glance before I turned my attention back to him. “I’ll give you two options. Leave Pamir and go back to Bagram and never speak to Jen again. Or I squeeze harder until you agree, or you pass out. Your call.” I moved my fingers another quarter inch, squeezing harder, making his face start to redden like a tomato.

He coughed and tried to choke in more air. I’ll give the little bastard some credit, he was holding out longer than I thought he would. But a few seconds later, he broke.

“Fine!” he gasped. “I’ll go.” I could have made him beg, but I’d made my point. If I continued to embarrass him he’d end up doubling down on the bad decisions he’d made here today. I let go. He collapsed down onto his knees and started gulping in air. Now who was being dramatic?

“Well?” I asked after a few seconds. “What are you waiting for?”

He looked up at me wide eyed, then turned and crawled a few feet before getting to his feet and staggering off. He made it to the corner of the building and ran straight into Brady.

“Dude, you look like shit!” he mocked, as asshole stumbled past. Brady watched him go and then continued on his way. He stopped a few steps later, looking from me to Artie—who was still holding Jen. “What’d I miss?”

Artie let go of Jen and started laughing. Brady just scowled and kicked the ground in his usual way. “I always miss the good shit; why didn’t you call me?”

As much as I would have loved to torment him, I had to bring my focus back to Jen. She was already storming off toward her helicopter. I grabbed her forearm and spun her around to me.

“Let go of me. I can’t believe you.”

“Can’t believe what, Jen? What exactly is the problem?”

“You’re the problem. I don’t need you fighting my battles for me. The last thing I wanted was a showdown with Scott in front of everyone. He already embarrassed me like that once before. I didn’t think you would humiliate me like that, too.”

I let go of her arm. I didn’t know what to say to that. I wasn’t going to apologize. I certainly wasn’t sorry. But, humiliate her? I hadn’t expected that as a reaction from her. Instead, I tried blunt honesty. “I don't know about that, but so long as I am here, I won’t let any man disrespect you.”

“What the hell do you call what you just did? How is that not disrespectful? You’re unbelievable.”

---