Airman First Class Stephanie Plum ran through the circuit on a dry Tuesday morning for the fourth time. The lack of breeze and humidity made it feel hotter than the 90F temperature the weatherman promised. She wanted to conquer the wall near the end of the course. The ache of her muscles intensified her disappointment.

Stephanie felt annoyed by her lack of improvement as she ran the circuit multiple times. The course was slightly different from previous years. All the components were the same, but it was a different order. It shouldn't be that difficult. "Why can't I get it?" she mumbled.

"You're lifting your knees too high," a man replied as he approached. He wore Air Force fatigues, matching the ones Stephanie wore.

"What?" Stephanie stopped her routine and waited for the man to approach. She didn't understand what he meant. His tanned skin displayed his Hispanic heritage. The man's green eyes twinkled in amusement. Stephanie briefly wondered about his nationality. His naturally blond hair was too short to style. She noticed he was incredibly handsome. Stephanie wondered how many hearts he had broken over the years.

"During the tire run, you should lift your knees that high. But not when running around the cones. You're expending energy you need to conserve to climb the wall," the man explained. Stephanie wondered who the hell he thought he was. He was wearing a wife beater shirt. She couldn't see his name or rank. Stephanie had her shirt stuffed in her backpack.

"Senior Airman, Lester Santos."

"Airman First Class, Plum," she replied. They shook hands. "Can you show me?" Stephanie asked. She watched Lester run through the tires before maneuvering around the orange cones.

"Now you try," he ordered. Stephanie smiled and repeated the two obstacles. Her knees were too high again. "Lower your knees, soldier," Lester screamed.

Stephanie immediately followed his instructions without thought. She ran around the orange cones, then crawled beneath the razor wire on her stomach. It was hardly a challenge since there was plenty of space between her back and the razor-sharp wires. Stephanie ran across the log with ease. Then she launched herself at the rope hanging off the wall. She barely relied on the rope to make her way to the top. "I did it!" Stephanie shouted victoriously. "Thank you, Santos."

"I'll catch you," Lester promised. Stephanie dropped off the wall into his arms. She instinctively kissed his lips. They were softer than she expected, but their kiss lacked sparks. Nothing. Nada. Stephanie felt embarrassed for kissing a stranger.

"Sorry," she mumbled. Lester touched his lips in confusion. It felt wrong. He didn't feel a connection or a sexual attraction to the gorgeous brunette.

"Why did you kiss me?" he demanded.

"I didn't mean to. But don't worry about it happening again. It felt like kissing my brother," Stephanie retorted.

"Do you even have a brother?" Lester asked as he narrowed his eyes. He suspected Stephanie didn't have a brother. Stephanie thought he was serious until she saw the glint in his eyes.

Lester was teasing her. She felt he deserved an answer. "No, but I have male cousins. I kissed Vince once. It's the same as kissing a brother, though. I was uncomfortable, and it was gross," Stephanie laughed.

"Do you know anyone in the military?" Lester asked. Women don't join the military unless they have an uncle, brother or father serving.

"My dad's in the Army," Stephanie confessed. She didn't mention that her cousin Vince Conti was in the Army, too. Vince got deployed a few months earlier for a two-month mission. He hoped to join the Rangers within a few years. Stephanie knew Vince should be returning any day. She wanted to spend time with her favourite cousin before he left for another deployment.

"Why didn't you join the Army?" Lester was curious about the woman with gorgeous blue eyes. He thought it was a shame that her kiss felt uncomfortable like he was kissing his sister, cousin, or mother.

"I always dreamed of flying," Stephanie said, her eyes glazed with excitement. Lester listened as Stephanie explained how she had jumped off the garage roof, hoping to fly like Peter Pan. "A year later, my dad took me to watch the Wonder Woman movie. She could fly an invisible plane. I decided that I wanted to learn how to fly various aircraft."

"Have you passed your solo pilot's test?" Lester asked. He knew many people who waited before taking their solo voyage. Lester was one of those people. It took several more years of training before you could fly passengers. He was more interested in becoming a jumpmaster. The rush of adrenaline as the air whooshed past your body. Then, the perfect timing to pull the ripcord and the sudden tug from the wind catching the ripstop nylon of the parachute to help you drift safely toward the earth into the landing zone.

Lester thought Stephanie mocked him when she scoffed and burst into laughter. "I had my pilot's license before I learned how to drive." Her peals of laughter were infectious. Lester joined in her amusement.

"I didn't get mine until last month. How old were you?" Lester asked. He assumed she was eighteen when she got her driver's permit. Lester could picture them being friends for life.

"Hmm. I was sixteen when I got my student pilot permit and didn't get my driver's license until I turned seventeen," she replied, surprising Lester. Stephanie grinned at the attractive man. "My uncle owns a Cessna Citation VII and taught me how to fly when I turned eight. I couldn't fly solo until I was at least sixteen. It took a few months before I plucked the courage to try."

"Must be nice to have wealthy relatives," Lester mumbled. Stephanie's face hardened at his words. She shoved Lester to get his attention.

"Listen, asshole. I don't care if you outrank or report me for insubordination. My relatives are not wealthy. Uncle Joe is my godfather and not genetically related to me. His family has money, which is why he owns an airplane. I hate when people make assumptions regarding my family without knowing us." Stephanie pressed her finger into his chest. "When you are unsure about something, ask. Never assume. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," Lester replied. He was impressed with her quick reflexes. "I won't report you." Stephanie sighed in relief. "Let's run the circuit a few more times until you can do it in your sleep."

Stephanie appreciated the olive branch he offered. "I'm sorry for going off on you. It's my automatic response when people assume they know about my life," Stephanie explained. Lester felt there was more to the story. He wasn't comfortable asking Stephanie about her life. It would be her choice to share. She ran the circuit twice, with Lester reminding her to lower her knees. The third and fourth times, it had become automatic. Shifting between the two obstacles became easier.

"Does your father still serve?" Lester asked as they walked toward the bench where Stephanie left her backpack. Stephanie opened her bag to grab two water bottles. She passed one to Lester. "Thanks." He twisted off the lid and drank it in a few gulps.

"No problem. My father is still active," Stephanie replied as they returned to the course. She took a few sips of water, replacing the cap when it was half empty. Lester quickly followed up by asking about her father's rank. "General." Her father had just been appointed as a general. After serving for twenty-four years, he wanted to move away from training and mission deployments. Stephanie's father, Frank Plum, celebrated his forty-fifth birthday a few months earlier. She would be twenty-two soon. The days tended to blend.

"No freaking way!" Lester exclaimed. Stephanie stared at him in confusion. "My cousin, Ricardo, joined the Army. His commanding officer is General Plum." Lester knew his cousin preferred his middle name, Carlos and never shared it with people he didn't know.

"Huh," Stephanie replied. "My father isn't training recruits. Sergeant Martin handles the training." When Lester insisted that General Plum was training the men, Stephanie walked away from him and toward her backpack. Stephanie hadn't talked to her father since the beginning of August. They were both too busy with their military careers. She anticipated receiving a visit from him.

Lester watched as Stephanie removed a radio-type device from her pack. "Smoke calling Ghost. Do you copy?" Stephanie asked. She knew the signal would only get picked up if her dad was within a few miles. Stephanie didn't want to use the satellite phone unless it was a farther distance or emergency. Her calls to Frank generally happened from a secured landline.

She tried several times before they heard the reply, "Ghost copy. What's your status? Over."

"Smoke requests the terrain status of Ghost. Over." Stephanie smiled because her father was in Texas.

"Earth. Anything else, Smoke? Over."

"Mountain achieved. Over."

"Good. Papa tango echo? Over."

"Affirmative. Over and out." Lester stared at Stephanie, wondering what the hell she said to Ghost. Stephanie dropped the device back into her bag.

"What the heck was that?" Lester asked. He couldn't understand the conversation. It confused him.

"My father is training the recruits, as you mentioned. I told him I climbed the wall, and he invited me for dinner," Stephanie replied. "We have code speak for everything."

"Right. Because you never know when someone is listening." Lester shook his head. It took a few minutes before he realized something important. General Plum was Ghost, and his daughter, Stephanie Plum, was Smoke. He knew how the General earned his moniker but wondered how Stephanie had earned hers. General Plum could appear and disappear without the enemy being wiser. He was the best of the Rangers before accepting the promotion to General.

Stephanie grinned at Lester. "Sorry, Lester, but that's a story for another day. I have to go home to change." She removed a card from her bag. "It's my phone number and email address. Drop a line when you want to train again. Maybe the Air Force would kick the Army's ass in the competition this year."

"Thanks. I'll email you my digits. Maybe you can teach me to fly a chopper. See you," Lester said. Stephanie waved at Lester before running toward the Jeep parked in the lot. Lester shook his head, tucked the card into his pocket, and ran the training circuit several times.

He thought about the woman as he returned to his barracks. It was his vacation week from training and other Air Force responsibilities. Lester's cousin, Ricardo, was training in Georgia. Stephanie and Lester's stations are in Texas. He wondered how the General and Stephanie would meet for dinner.

Stephanie went to her home off the base. Her father opened the door when she parked the Jeep. "When did you get here?" she asked.

"An hour ago," he replied. "I contacted your training officer. He said you had the week off. Since I had the time available, I hoped you wouldn't mind me visiting."

"I thought you would have gone home to visit Mom or to LA to visit Valerie," Stephanie said. Valerie was pregnant and the doctor didn't want her to fly to Trenton. Pregnancy was not kind to Valerie. Stephanie was surprised her father wanted to spend his spare time with her.

"It's not my home. I filed for divorce a few days ago." Frank didn't want to tell Stephanie, but he wanted her to hear the news from him. Helen would give her some fabricated story to show her in a better light.

"Why? It's not because of me, is it?" Stephanie asked. Tears filled her eyes. She hoped her father didn't blame her for his marriage ending. Stephanie and her mother constantly fought and never saw eye to eye. Helen Plum wanted Stephanie to live in Trenton, marry, and have children.

"You have nothing to do with it, pumpkin," Frank reassured her. "Your mother expected you to visit this week. She had arranged for Dickie Orr to be your dinner guest on Saturday after I warned her not to interfere." Frank didn't tell Stephanie about Helen's ongoing affair with Mr. Piroska. That was between him and Helen.

Stephanie groaned. "I wish she'd stop that. Why does she want me to be a Burg wife? That lifestyle will kill me." Stephanie grumbled about her mother making plans without her approval. She stopped ranting and asked, "How did Mom know I had the week off?"

"Have you talked to Valerie recently?" Frank asked.

Stephanie thought for a few minutes, then lowered her head, ashamed she fell into Valerie's trap. "I talked to her two months ago. My friend saw Steve out with another woman and asked if Valerie and Steve were separated. I called Valerie to tell her. Valerie was upset and promised to investigate. I never heard from her until she left a message begging me to call a few nights ago. I may have mentioned I had this week off and could fly out to LA to visit her."

"What made your mother think you were going home?" Frank asked.

"Valerie said I should visit Mom since her morning sickness was bad," Stephanie replied. "I never promised to visit Mom. Every time I go home, Mom has another Burg man waiting to date me." Stephanie rolled her eyes in annoyance. Frank pulled Stephanie into his arms.

"I'll give you a few minutes to shower and change. We're going to Taqueria Vallarta."

"Mmm. Mexican food. I'll be ready in fifteen minutes," Stephanie called over her shoulder. Having short hair made it easier for Stephanie to style after her shower.

"What's the special occasion?" Stephanie asked when she returned.

"Happy birthday, pumpkin," he replied. Stephanie glanced at her watch. The date beneath the minute hand showed it was her birthday. October 12.

"I knew it was soon. How did I forget today was my birthday?" Stephanie asked.

"It happens while you're busy serving the country," Frank explained, laughing. She grabbed her father's arm as they exited her house. "Do you want to come back with me?"

"To Georgia?" Frank nodded. "Sure. Do you have a chopper for me to fly?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

"You know I do. My only request is that you fly it back here on Saturday for Ace to bring home," Frank replied.

"I love my birthday gift. Thank you, Daddy." Frank laughed at his daughter's reaction. It wasn't her present. He purchased a house for Stephanie in Ewing, New Jersey. The deed to the property was inside his safe in Fort Benning.

Frank wanted to introduce Stephanie to Ricardo Manoso. He came across some interesting information and thought with Stephanie in the ideal place, Manoso could retrieve the intel and report to the FBI. They worked to infiltrate the establishment, but their female agents got caught and terminated. The FBI was running out of time to arrest the suspects. They only had five years to apprehend the criminals before they moved to another city to start over. Unfortunately, it would take a few years before the business relaxed its guard around a new employee.

"What's on your mind?" Stephanie asked as I drove toward the restaurant.

"My buddy, Matt Meyers, at the FBI, has a case to solve, but he can't find enough evidence to indict the person of interest. Meyers has five years to arrest the criminal before the crime ring gets moved to another city," Frank replied. She instinctively knew her dad was asking for help.

"Would it hurt people if you don't stop them?" Stephanie asked.

"Yes. The business owner has an agreement with a man in Mexico. It would entice this drug cartel lord to move his business close to home if the company missed a protection payment," Frank replied. Stephanie waited for him to explain more. "The Mexican man is known to sell women and children into the sex trade."

"I'll help," Stephanie immediately said. "But I want men I can trust to watch my back."

"I wouldn't have it any other way. We have two to three years to get you deep undercover. You need to let your hair grow longer." Stephanie rolled her eyes. Her shorter hair was easier to manage. "I'll get Alexander from the Quaker Bridge Mall to recommend hair products to tame your curls." Frank sweetened the deal by adding, "I'll pay for them."

"Thanks, Daddy." When Stephanie volunteered, she had imagined the man selling her niece, Angie, into the sex trade. She wanted to protect her niece.

Stephanie and Frank enjoyed their meal. She asked her father about the men he had in mind for the mission. "One is a promising soldier. He would make an excellent Army Ranger. I hope he will apply for the program in the spring. It won't impact the operative since you must complete your business degree. I've enrolled you into the courses required to graduate," he said. Stephanie groaned.

"I didn't like college the first time. Could I take the classes here?" Stephanie asked.

"The company won't hire you without one," Frank warned. "I enrolled you in Douglass." Stephanie groaned. She didn't like Douglass College. "At least you won't have to live in the dorm, but you would need to commute."

"I'm okay with that," Stephanie replied. "Do I get a stipend for a hotel if needed?"

"Anything you want is covered." Stephanie could live with that option.