"CARTER!" Peggy blinked rapidly as her name was screamed in her face. Her blood rose and she was about to tell the bastard off that she could hear him just fine without him screaming in her face. But then what the man was wearing caught up to her brain, and she realized he was the Sergeant in charge of the new requites.
"SIR. YES SIR!" She yelled.
"You are only strong as your weakest link. Seeing how Private Carter has decided that she is the weakest link here. You all are going to be running twenty miles in full gear." The Sergeant kept his eyes firmly locked onto hers.
She heard the groans from her fellow men. She watched as the smallest twist on the Sergeant's lips twitched up for a smirk before laying thin once more. "I fully expect you men to have your miles completed in four hours. If even one of you are just one second late – that will mean another twenty miles."
Peggy's eyes squinted. But she remained ramrod straight.
"You have thirty minutes to get fully geared up then you all must begin at the same time." The Sergeant finally stepped out of her personal space. "I look forward to seeing you work as one." He marched away.
"Thanks a lot Carter." A voice spoke to the right of her.
"Damn it I knew this was going to happen when they allowed a woman in." Another snide voice spoke from behind her.
Peggy felt her face flush in anger. But giving into the anger was just a waste of energy. Energy that she needed for the twenty mile run that was ahead of her. One that she had to complete in four hours. Instead of responding to any of the so called men taunts she turned to the right and marched towards her bunk.
"If you come in last Carter; then your life will be a living hell for the rest of boot camp. Even worse then what we all ready have in mind." A twenty year old snared into her face as his shoulder crashed roughly into hers as they made their way to the starting point.
Peggy was very tempted to give back an equal shove on his shoulder; only she would make it hurt ten times worse. But she refused to stoop to his level. She kept her eyes firmly in front of her as she took in a deep breath to calm herself.
"Come on ladies." The Sergeant barked out. He looked pass Peggy and looked at the solider whom had crashed into her so roughly. His eyes slanted. "The first one back will be rewarded. But like I said if the last one back is just one second late – then everyone – even the first one will be running another twenty miles." His eyes glared into Peggy's brown. "I'm suggesting you all run your best."
Taking a deep breath. "Get the hell out of my sight now magnets."
With that Peggy and the men surrounding around her started down the road. She felt the boys around her trying to crowd her into a tight hold. She knew this track very well. After all this isn't the first time that she had run with a group of boys. She moved forward as she felt the other bodies try to touch her. She was soon a little ahead of the pack. The way she liked it. She would set her own pace and if the boys kept with her that was fine. But she wasn't going to waste any breathe on the tricks in their pee shaped minds could come up with. There were the twenty miles that had to be done after all. She wasn't going to waste any energy on trying to figure out what the boys had in store for her – and to deflect them. She would do the run and in good time. Then she would deal with boys. In her own way.
The hours slipped away and sweat rolled down her back and face. She wanted to slow down and be able to wipe some of the sweat from her face; and eyes. But the finish line was just up ahead. She felt the glares of the boys on her back. She knew that even though she would lead the pack back to base; that they wouldn't respect her. That they would still plan on making her life a living hell. She didn't care. Not one bit. She was strong. She would survive whatever they had planned for her. On top of what the Army had planned for her.
She would survive boot camp. She would protect Angie out in the battle fields. She would stop Hitler from ever trying to get to America. She'll protect Angie. She was strong for both of them. "You can stop running now Private Carter." The Sergeant was suddenly to the right of her. She breathed in deeply as she fought to catch her breathe.
"Not bad. You are the first one back Private Carter." She could hear the respect in the Sergnant voice. "Don't expect any special treatment." He was suddenly in front of her. "You will be treated just as the other men are treated; Private Carter. There is no special treatment in the Armed Forces."
"I don't expect any. Sir." Peggy breathed. Her eyes straight forward as she stood at attention.
"I had to call you four times before you came around." The Sergeant spoke. She looked straight into his green eyes. "Whomever is in your thoughts; Private Carter; you need to lock them behind a door. Lose the key. Cover the wall with brinks. Then finalize the wall with cement. You lose your force for one second in the battle field – then you or whomever you are covering can be killed."
"Yes sir." Peggy back tightened. "It won't happen again Sir. I won't allow it to happen again." Her brown eyes never leaving his green eyes. In order to protect Angie I have to be one hundred percent forces. I can't let my guard down for one second. If I die then Hitler will come after Angie.
"ABOUT TIME YOU JOINED US LADIES!" The Sergeant screamed as he marched pass Peggy. "I DON'T SEE EVERYONE YET. THERE IS STILL TIME. TWO MINUTES. THE OTHERS BETTER BE RUNNING THEIR FEET OFF SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANOTHER TWENTY MILES TO RUN TODAY."
Peggy had turned about face to face her squad. She noticed the dark looks from the boys whom glared over at her. She also saw the looks of impressed and awe on quite a few of the boys looks. She filed those away. But she didn't count on them giving her any quarter during their boot camp training. Her hands folded behind her back as she stood at attention. She prepared herself for the second twenty miles that they would be running. She fully knew that the Sergeant wouldn't give them much rest before he ordered them back on the road.
Soon the boys surrounded her. They waited to see if they had to run those miles once more. Peggy could feel the tenseness of the boys. She knew that she would be able to run another twenty. She was sure she wouldn't be first once more. After all even she couldn't run forty miles without feeling the strain. Especially after ten minutes break after the first twenty. She would be able to finish. She had to finish. After all Angie was counting on her to be strong enough to finish boot camp; and be strong enough to face the battle zone. She would finish. She would just have to rely on her love for Angie to see her through this extra.
"LADIES AND MAGNOTS I HAVE BAD NEWS FOR YOU." The Sergeant turned to face them as the last boy got back in line. Peggy gathered her strength for what was coming. "YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ENJOY THIS BEAUTIFUL NIGHT WITH A TWENTY MILE RUN." Peggy felt her chest ease as her breath returned to normal. "NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS. PRIVATE CARTER WAS FIRST BACK. SO SHE GETS REWARDED." The Sergeant stood ram rod in front of her. "SHE'LL GET THE FIRST PICK OF TOOTHBRUSH FOR THE CLEANING OF THE BATHROOMS THIS EVENING."
"Red, Sir." Peggy's clear voice spoke in high volume.
"I expect you all to be cleaned and fresh in the mess hall in an hour. After that pick up your toothbrushes; and start on the bathrooms this evening. I expect them to be done and you in your bunks at 0:600 hours tomorrow morning." The Sergeant grinned a thin line. "Dismiss."