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said from behind them.
    The three men filed into the tent and sat, waiting for an explanation. From the smug look on his face they decided things had gone exactly the way he’d expected.
    “First, I have to tell you no one has ever made it that close to the flag before,” Walt said, trying not to let his smile show. “Tell me, is the flag still out there?”
    Ricochet gave his trademark snort then said, “You telling us you don’t even know if there’s a flag out there?”
    “Well, I put one out there three years ago. It hasn’t been touched by human hands since. Like I said, no one’s ever made it that close before.” Walt sat in his chair and stretched his legs out in front of him, then crossed his feet.
    The three men looked at each other then Kong spoke. “Excuse me Sir, but are you going to tell us who that guy is?”
    Walt sat straight in his chair. “Are you telling me you’ll do this job with this team member?”
    “With all due respect Sir, I think the four of us could retrieve anyone from anywhere,” Kong said with conviction.
    “Would you do the job without knowing the identity of this fourth member?” Walt asked.
    “Now hold on a minute,” Ricochet said before Kong could speak. “Is this one of those, ‘now you know who it is and after the job we’ll have to kill you to protect this guy’s identity’? Cause I ain’t down with that.”
    “Sir, do you really expect us to go into battle with someone we don’t know the first thing about? Yeah, he’s got skills, but can we count on him to cover our backs?” Kong asked in a quiet voice.
    “No son, I don’t,” Walt said rubbing his eyes. “I was just hoping.” Walt moved to the front of the table and leaned against it. “This person’s identity has been kept a secret for several years and for good reason. I have to ask you to keep the identity to yourself after the mission is completed. If I get the slightest wind that this team member’s name has been given out you’ll find yourselves discharged from the service so fast you won’t know what happened. Then your military records will show that you were discharged because of mental illness and the only job you’ll be able to get is scrubbing the fryers at the local hamburger joint. Do I make myself clear?”
    “Oh man,” Ricochet said in a high-pitched whiny voice. “I knew it, I knew it. This is one of those ‘I can tell you but then I’ll have to kill you’ things.”
    “Relax Ricochet it’s nothing like that. All I’m asking is for you to help keep this person off the most wanted list of about twenty drug kingpins and mafia bosses across the country, not to mention a whole slew of corrupt people around the world,” Walt reassured him.
    “You have our word Sir,” Kong said.
    “I don’t get it. If this guy is so good, how come he hasn’t been recruited by special ops like us? How come the military hasn’t got him already?” Ricochet asked.
    “There were some areas that he didn’t qualify in,” Walt said slowly.
    “Like what?” Kong asked, concerned. If this guy was a loose cannon, they had a right to know.
    “Like I don’t have the proper plumbing,” Sam said softly from behind them.
    All three men jumped to their feet and turned. Sam stood there confidently. She still wore her mask, not ready to remove it until the time was right.
    None of the men heard her comment. They were too startled at how she managed to creep up behind them without being noticed to pay attention to what she said.
    “Black Smoke,” Boomer said again with his deep voice.
    “Boomer!” Ricochet scolded.
    “He’s right. Gentlemen, meet Black Smoke. I know you think all the stories were just that—stories. But they are real. Now tell me, do you men think you can work with this team member?” Walt asked.

Chapter Four
     
    Boomer stepped forward. “You worked with an old friend of mine a year ago over in China. He told me how you pulled their butts out of the fire a couple of