They shook hands, banged fists, then Mitchell took a seat next to him and was handed a beer as the DJ announced that the party had begun and fired up a heavy-hitting remake of Iggy Pop's "Gimme Danger."

"You flew all the way here for this?" asked Mitchell.

"I wouldn't miss it, man."

"How's Mandy doing?"

Rutang rolled his eyes. "Pregnant again. And she's sorry she couldn't make it."

"Wow." Mitchell chuckled. "Congratulations."

"I keep telling her to stay away from the FedEx guy."

"So now you'll have two kids, a beautiful wife . . . that's a good reason to come home. I got a woodshop."

Rutang took a sip of his beer and barely smiled.

"What's wrong? You come to my promotion party, and you look like someone died."

"I don't know--"

Rutang cut himself off as Chris Hobbs, the warrant who kept the tortoises, approached and apologized for interrupting. "We'd like to take a couple of pictures before we get too drunk."

He dragged Mitchell away, and for the next fifteen minutes, Mitchell was subjected to camera flashes and slaps on the back, and shots foisted into his face until he managed to stagger back to Rutang's table, where his friend was still seated, getting drunk alone.

"Sorry, man."

Rutang shrugged. "It's your party. Don't apologize."

"Iraq? Is that what's bothering you?"

"I wish."

"What can I do?"

"Scott, I still don't sleep, man."

Neither did he. "Sleep's overrated."

"I've been going to a new shrink. You know what she told me? She said I need to cut old ties and start fresh."

"What does that mean?"

"She says I shouldn't talk to you anymore. You believe that?"

Mitchell snorted. "Sounds like you need a new shrink."

"Maybe if you and I talked."

"Tang, that's just . . . What happened wasn't our fault. We did our jobs. We move on."

"And it's that easy?" Rutang held up his hand. "Wait. Don't answer that. I'm a selfish bastard. I come here and dump my problems on you. Hell, let's get drunk!"

Mitchell leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. "See, Rutang? There's no problem that can't be solved with sufficient quantities of gunpowder and alcohol."

They clinked beer bottles and took big swigs. But behind Mitchell's grin was a world of guilt and sorrow that he would not share with anyone.

Writer Tim O'Brien had written that famous story, "The Things They Carried," a story Mitchell had read over a dozen times. As a soldier, Mitchell knew he must be able to shoulder so much more than just his pack. As the load got heavier, he needed to become stronger.

Now a living example of that commitment to overcome was rolling directly toward him with a hand extended. Marc Entwhiler was the Black Hawk pilot who had been shot down and paralyzed back on Basilan Island.

In the months following the accident, Entwhiler had sent Mitchell several e-mails thanking him for the hope, inspiration, and courage to go on.

Mitchell took no credit for that. It was Entwhiler's indomitable spirit--a spirit that had allowed him to shoulder the load of his accident--that gave him hope and inspired so many others, Mitchell included. Entwhiler was now working as a civilian consultant, teaching other Black Hawk pilots and engineers the skills he'd learned through a joint partnership between the army and the Rockwell Collins Simulation and Training Solutions facility in Huntsville, Alabama.

"Scott, congratulations, man!"

"Thanks, Marc."

"Sorry I'm late. Couldn't get my damned wheels to spin any faster."

"You might remember Sergeant McDaniel?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." They shook hands.

After sharing a few jokes, Entwhiler updated Mitchell with news regarding his personal and professional life. The details weren't as important as his tone. The guy was a nuclear reactor, and when he rolled off to say hi to a few other colleagues, Mitchell glanced over at Rutang, who just looked at him and nodded.

As the night wore on, and Mitchell was twice dragged onto the dance floor to jump and scream along to AC/ DC's "Shook Me All Night Long," he spotted a tall, slender woman with short blond hair seated alone in the back of the room. He'd never seen her before. The woman's black dress fit her like a coat of paint, and her simple pearl necklace seemed to rise up from the perfectly smooth planes of her neck.

Feeling bold and no pain, he drifted back to her. "Hi, there."

Her eyes lit on him. "Hi."

"Hi," he repeated, then realized what he'd done.

"You're pretty friendly."

"Uh, well, it's my party. You're alone?"

"Yes. And I've been waiting to talk to you."

Mitchell grinned and turned back to his friends still on the dance floor. "Oh, man, oh, man. Those guys put you up to this?"

"I'm not a prostitute--if that's what you think."

"No, no, no, I meant--"

"What did you mean?"

He sighed. "Look, I'm sorry I bothered you."

She snorted. "I said I wanted to talk to you. Have a seat."

"Uh, okay."

He sat and tried to keep his gaze from her cleavage. Mission failed.

"I'm here at the request of Lieutenant Colonel and General Keating."

"Excuse me?"

She offered her hand. "I'm Captain Susan Grey."

He took her hand. "Lieutenant, I mean Captain Scott Mitchell."

She made a face. "I know."

"I drank a little too much. Sorry."

"We've been watching you for a while, and we like what we see."

He wanted to answer, So do I, but instead said, "Who are you? And why have you crashed my promotion party?"

"Sorry about that. My schedule is incredibly tight, and this was the only opportunity I could find before I ship out tomorrow."

"Where you headed?"

"Classified."

"Sounds . . . pretty classified."

"You're cute, Captain, but only half as witty. I'll cut right to the chase before your mouth gets you in any more trouble. You're a captain now, getting ready to lead an ODA team. Well, we've got something else in mind."

"Again, who are you?"

"I'm sure you've never heard of us, and we prefer to keep it that way. We're D Company, First Battalion, Fifth Special Forces Group."

"So you're just another company."

"Mitchell, I think you'd be surprised over the differences between us and the average ODA team."

"Oh, really? You guys saying you're better than us?"

"I already did."

Mitchell grinned crookedly. "Prove it."

Grey stood, reached into her purse, and withdrew an envelope. "We will. In here you'll find everything you need."

"Are you making me an offer?"

"Enjoy the rest of your party. See you soon." She wiggled her brows, then quickly left.

"Who was that?" asked Rutang, arriving at Mitchell's side.

"The most conceited woman I've ever met."

"You get her number?"

Mitchell glanced down at the envelope. "Sort of."

Chapter Eight.

OLYMPIC VILLAGE

BEIJING, CHINA

JULY 2008

People's Liberation Army Captain Xu Dingfa dropped his duffel bag in the apartment's entrance foyer, didn't bother closing the door, and collapsed onto one of the beds. He rubbed his eyes and ran fingers through his crew cut.