Love Under Fire

Chapter 2 - Head-on

The air was still and early in the morning, it was still unbearably hot. Head down and reviewing documents on the desk, the silence of the morning was pierced by the phone ringing. Captain Ri answered after the 2nd ring.

"Morning, are you approving the stuff that Yoon Se Ri sends out? I mean she is keeping you in the loop of what she is doing, right?"

"She is supposed to bring me stuff; she told me she would show me her reports. Why?"

"Man she just sent out her first report, and she is wicked smart about a few things, and I want to make sure you know what she has come up with. It will make you look really good if you are in lockstep with what she is talking about."

"What do you mean she sent out her first report? When did you get a report from her?"

"It was in my inbox this morning, I just finished reading it. So I would take it with the time difference and all, she sent it late last night. Are you saying you haven't seen this yet?"

He slammed his fist down on the desk, "Fuck! Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. She was in my office yesterday and got into a pissing contest with me and stormed out. I can only guess she was going to show me the report and then after our little tiff she forgot about it."

"Jeong Hyeok, you can't fight with this woman. I know you have said you don't want her there, but I've told you she is smart, and it would be in your best interest to get on board with this. She has said in this thing that she isn't ready to implement changes until she can run impact scenarios but she has some strong points." Henry stopped talking and could tell that Jeong Hyeok was trying to level his breathing and his emotions. "You haven't slept with her, right? I mean that isn't what the argument was about, was it?"

"Good grief, Henry! Hell no I haven't slept with her – what kind of a guy do you think I am?"

"Well, you are a single good-looking man who has been in a desert way too long. Women generally throw themselves at you – I figure you would just do what comes naturally." The humour was thick in his voice.

"Even if I was interested in her, and that is huge if, do you know who her dad is? No, I guess you don't so let me tell you, she is Brigadier General Yoon's daughter?"

Henry sat up straight in his chair, "You are kidding? I mean I knew her name was Yoon, but I didn't know of the connection. Holy shit, no wonder she is so damn insightful and smart."

"I don't care how smart she is Henry, I don't want her here! She makes me nervous. I am not sure what her end-game is and now that I know she turned in a report without me seeing it first; well it makes me even more resolved to get her off my base." His voice rose with hostility towards Se Ri. He knew that it was not Henry's fault, but he happened to catch the wrong end of it since he was on the other end of the line.

"Jeong Hyeok, take a deep breath and don't do anything stupid. Give her a chance to explain; and if that doesn't work, kiss her until she melts and then moves on."

Captain Ri hung up the phone with authority. Henry was right in one sense; he did not need to go see her when he was angry as it would not go well. He had to watch his step and did not want to get on the wrong side of her father even if was no longer active in the Corps. He began pacing back and forth behind his desk, trying to determine the best way to approach this when he finally decided to just take it head-on.

He walked out of his office and walked with determination over to her work area. He pulled the door open and when the Marines in the area noticed it was him they stood to attention. Not Se Ri, she kept her head down reviewing the maps and documentation laid out across the table. She did not acknowledge his presence at all. Captain Ri motioned for the door with his head, and all of the Marines quickly filed out of the room. Se Ri still did not acknowledge that he was there.