Message from the Author: I apologize for another long wait. I've had a lot of things to deal with, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks for continuing to read and stay safe.

Personal Courage

"So, you think you're hot shit now, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Quit playing dumb. You come here fresh from BOLC and qual' with a perfect 40. You trying to show me up?" SFC Harrison was just harassing his new Platoon Leader, 2LT Joseph, after the qualification range.

"No, sergeant. But I do feel pretty good outshooting a seasoned veteran like you." The lieutenant had scored 40 out of 40 on the rifle qualification course, earning an expert badge for the M4. His NCO counterpart had shot 35, just short of expert.

"Well, don't feel too good. It just means I'm getting old. Besides, hitting targets when they shoot back is a much more useful skill. I've had extensive experience doing that, clearing houses room-to-room full of towelheads with AK's hiding in every nook and cranny. Scared me shitless. Thank God they can't aim for shit."

"Once we breech this door, we go hot. We move fast to that interrogation room. Roger?"

"Yes, sir." 2LT Joseph and CPL Ku were stacked outside a side door of the building containing interrogation and isolation chambers. The pair had managed to move to it undetected so far. 2LT Joseph counted down visually with his left hand, staring from three. When he reached zero, he kicked the door in and quickly moved through the 'fatal funnel' and into the room. CPL Ku followed quickly behind.

"Clear." The pair entered a large utility closet, nobody was inside it. The lieutenant pointed at the door out of the closet. The pair stacked around it. The lieutenant tried the door.

"Locked."

"I'll kick it in."

"No, it opens inward, you can't kick it in from this side. See if you can find something to cut through this door, like an ax or…"

"This?" The corporal grabbed a sledgehammer that was in the closet.

"Yeah. Bust a hole in the door, I'll toss a grenade in." The corporal wound up and heaved the head of the sledgehammer into the center of the door, busting a fist sized hole into it.

"Fire in the hole!" the lieutenant yelled as he shoved a primed grenade through the hole. The pair stacked on either side of the door. The grenade exploded, forcing the door in. 2LT Joseph, now exposed, raised his rifle to his shoulder and peered into the next room. Two North Korean soldiers were lying on the ground by the doorway, shredded by the grenade.

"Let's GO!" the lieutenant yelled. The pair rushed down the corridor to a left turn. The lieutenant shouldered his rifle and peeked the corner. He eyed four enemy soldiers rushing down the hallway, probably in response to the recent explosion.

*BANG BANG BANG*

He opened fire on them, killing them all before they had time to react. Loud sirens started going off. The pair rushed down the hallway.

"Which way to the interrogation rooms?" 2LT Joseph asked. The pair stopped at a T-intersection.

"If I remember correctly, it should be to the right." CPL Ku replied.

*Bang Bang*

Shots rang out from the right hallway, the pair stacked up on the wall. The corporal peeked the corner, holding his rifle left-handed. He dumped his full magazine down the hallway on full auto. Once his rifle was empty he slid back from the corner to change magazines. The lieutenant swapped positions and peeked the corner himself.

*Bang Bang*

One of the bullets struck the wall just short of the corner, sending fragments flying towards the lieutenant's face. He closed his eyes, fragments hitting his face. He ducked behind the corner for a second and wiped his face. He peeked once again, the enemy who fired at him back behind his respective corner of the wall. He raised his rifle and waited. The man peeked the corner.

*BANG*

The lieutenant fired a round, putting a round right through the enemy's head. He slumped against the wall, slid down it, and rested face first on the ground. The back of his head was blown out and there was a large bloodstain on the wall behind the enemy. No other enemy soldiers within sight were capable of fighting back, all either wounded or dead.

"Clear!" 2LT Joseph said, yelling to be heard over the sirens. He looked back to CPL Ku, who nodded in reply. The pair continued on.

"You have not been very cooperative." the North Korean commander said to Renamon, still in the interrogation chair. "But, you are a mere means to an end, a tool. When your 'partner', the American, shows up, I'll lock him in here with you. He'll have to answer my questions. If he refuses, I'll break him."

"You won't break him." Renamon said, weakly.

"But I will. That sentimental fool is coming here to save you. When he does, I'll lock him in here and make him watch as I painfully shock you remotely, from that room over there." He pointed to the window of the observation room. "He'll break, I'm sure. If that wouldn't break him, that means he doesn't care about you. If that's true, he will never come to rescue you at all."

The thought sunk into Renamon's mind. What if he doesn't care? What if he never comes? The thought scared her.

"I think-" the commander was cut off by the sound of alarms going off. "Well, looks like he came. I'll be waiting in the observation room, you just sit tight." He laughed at his own jest and left the room. Renamon was relieved at the notion that her partner came to rescue her, but she feared for his life.

I hope he makes it here and it all works out.

"There's one of them." the corporal said as they made their way down another hallway. He pointed to a sign above the door, which was in Korean. "That says: 'Interrogation Room'."

"Good, we made it." the lieutenant said. The door looked like a bulkhead door on a naval ship, made of thick steel and having a large, robust locking system. There was a small, round window at eye level on the door. CPL Ku looked inside.

"Renamon is in there."

"Really?!" The lieutenant looked inside. "Okay, help me get this door open." The pair spun the large lock wheel and pulled the door open.

"Sir, I'm going to go find Veemon." The corporal turned to leave.

"Corporal, wait. Help me with Renamon first."

"No, sir. You go help your partner; I need to help mine." He left.

"Damnit." The lieutenant wanted to stick together but respected the corporal's reasons. He rushed into the room to Renamon. "Renamon?"

"Mmmh." she groaned. She was in poor shape, with visible lacerations all over her body. She was locked onto an interrogation chair by thick metal cuffs that wrapped her wrists, shins, and waist. Her head was slumped back onto the headrest. 2LT Joseph grabbed her shoulders and shook her to rouse her awake.

"Renamon, please wake up." She groaned once more. "Renamon, its me, Michael. I'm came to save you." He shook her once more.

"No!" He quickly stepped away from her. She slowly opened her eyes. "I, ugh… Michael." Her eyes shot open. "Michael! You're here! You came!" She began to tear up.

"Of course I did. I'd never leave you." He looked her up and down, tears forming at the base of his eyes. He stepped up and embraced her in a tight hug. "What did they do to you? You poor thing." he whispered into her ear, tears falling from his eyes.

"Michael. This is a trap. He- AHHH!" Renamon screamed out as she was shocked with electricity. Michael, holding her at the time, was also shocked. He jumped off her.

"It seems my live bait drew a big fish." A voice with a thick accent blared through the intercom system. "Isn't a reunion with old friends so sweet?" The door slammed shut and locked.