“Is that a fact?” Sam aimed the paintball gun and fired. The paintball hit Pappy on the shoulder. “It doesn’t pay to lose sight of one’s mission. Just for the record, this is a pretty silly game. It’s for teenagers. Guess you don’t want my help, huh?”

Pappy clenched his teeth. “I gave you an order, Rainford. Call Hawkins.”

Sam sighed as she shrugged. “Hey, Hawkins, our fearless leader is in need of your help.” When there was no response, she looked down at the man hanging on to the vine. “Guess he can’t hear me.” She dropped to her haunches until she was eyeball-to-eyeball with Pappy. “You got a thing about women, huh. Right now, I’m all you’ve got. I’m getting kind of tired of this whole thing. I’m going to count to three, then I’m walking away. You want my help, ask for it. One. Two…”

“Okay. Help me up, Rainford.”

Sam threw her hands in the air. “I don’t have a rope. Wait a minute, I have an idea!” She ripped at the flight suit’s Velcro fastenings. She stood tall in bikini underwear and lacy bra.

Pappy stared, his eyes almost popping out of his head. “The combat boots make the outfit.” He laughed in spite of himself.

Sam twisted the flight suit into a tight, thick rope before she shoved the legs toward Pappy, who grasped them with his right hand, his left secure on the vine. Sam held on to the arms as she dug the heels of her combat boots into the damp bed of pine needles. She used every ounce of strength to pull her tormentor over the top. Twice she slipped, righted herself, and pulled harder. “Damn you, help me here. Give it some muscle, don’t make me do it all. Use both hands, you ass!” Sam commanded.

“What, so you can let go!”

“I’m not you, Havapopulas! Now, damn you, let’s do it.” Sam gave a mighty tug, her upper arms bulging with muscle, her chest rippling, and Pappy was over the top. She took one long look at the man she’d just rescued before she walked away in her underwear. “We’re even now,” she called over her shoulder.

When Sam walked into the clearing, Pappy behind her, admiring her wiggling derriere, she eyed the recruits and the staff with her head high. “Don’t ask!” she said as she clomped her way to the Omega Three building.

Alpha, who was sitting on the steps of the building, threw back his head and howled, an ungodly sound that seemed to reverberate over the mountain. Sam stopped on the top step, looked at the dog, and said, “Shut up, you…you male!” It might have been her tone or her lack of clothing. Whatever it was, the wolf-dog slunk down the steps and across the compound to where his master stood.