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Sgt Chris Fellows laughed and slapped Jim Ellison on the shoulder, "Tough luck, Ellison," he guffawed, "Looks like you get to show the kids what it is to be a soldier." "Sarge? You know I don't get along with kids, why does it have to be me?" Jim groaned. "Because you lost the toss, I'm a Sergeant and you're a grunt. So you get to do it," Chris grinned, "Look, all you gotta do is show them around, answer a few questions then take them over the assault-course, put 'em off the army for life and you're done. It's only for five days, you'll survive. Okay?" "Okay."
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Eight fidgety young men sat in the makeshift classroom, nervously glancing around and occasionally wincing as the sound of the officers yelling drifted through the walls. "Oh man, why did I let you talk me into this?" Blair Sandburg grumbled. Michael Redmond glared, "What? You were the one who wanted to see what it was like to be an 'all action hero' remember?" "Yeah, but you signed us up for this. Man, this is *not* my thing," Blair peered around the room nervously. "Oh quit complaining, you only came to impress Sarah." "Did not!" "Did too." Suddenly the bickering was interrupted by the presence of a large soldier entering the room. "Morning," Jim Ellison said as he glanced around at the eight young faces, "My name is Corporal Ellison and I'm going to be your guide. You all signed up to find out what it was like to be a soldier in this mans army, well I'm going to show you. Let's start with your names. I will ask you your name, you will reply, Sir,your name then finish with 'Sir'. Have you got that? Good," he strolled to the front of the class, looking down at the first boy, he caught the young man in his steely gaze, "You start, what's your name?" "Er...Blair.." Blair stuttered, blushing furiously, " er...Sandburg." "That would be: Sir, Blair Sandburg, Sir." Jim stated impatiently. "Oh..yeah.. sorry," Blair mumbled. "Well? Get it right, boy." "Oh..Sir, Blair Sandburg, Sir." Jim's expression softened, this *was* just a kid, not a soldier, "That's better," he smiled. The boy looked up and attempted a smile. He was a quite lovely looking young man, big blue eyes and full lips which were attempting to curve into a smile. His unruly mop of curly hair was just creeping south of his ears and he was showing first signs of facial hair across his chin and upper lip. Jim nodded and moved on, but he could almost *feel* the trembling from the boy and would later swear he could hear the wild, nervous beating of his heart. After the roll-call was completed, Jim ran through the safety measures before he took them out into the compound. "You will stay with the group at all times, you will *not* wander off on your own and you will do *exactly* what I say, is that clear?" The boys nodded. "I said is that clear? You will reply, Sir, yes sir!" "Sir, yes sir," they chanted. "Excellent. I'll just go and check that it's prudent to take you into the briefing room," Jim looked down at the young man he now knew as Blair Sandburg, "Wouldn't want you to see something you shouldn't. I'd have to shoot you," he smiled. Blair flushed red and began to shake. He nodded slightly and averted his eyes. As Jim left the room, Michael laughed, "Man, he's got it in for you, Blair," he nudged his partner. "Yeah, I noticed. Fuck, he scares me, Mike," Blair replied. "He's good looking though, huh?" Michael grinned as Blair blushed even further, "Come on Blair, your secret's safe with me. I've seen you getting hard looking at those 'soldier' magazines. Hell, they get you up quicker than 'Playboy' ever will." Blair's eyes pleaded, "Michael, don't you *dare* say anything to anyone... especially here. Please?" "Hey, you're my best friend, I wouldn't do that. I just noticed how you can't look at that guy. You, er...you think he's hot?" Shuffling with growing discomfort, from both the conversation and the tightness of his pants, Blair shrugged. "Come on, do you?" "Yeah, he's pretty hot, but I swear, if you..." "I'm not going to say anything. I swear." Burying his still red face in his arms, Blair sighed, "Oh man, I want to go home."
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Jim wandered down the corridor, a straggling line of bored looking teens followed close behind like baby elephants, trunk to tail. He went through the spiel like an automaton, giving the kids the 'official' version of what it was to be a soldier. The honor, the camaraderie... the bullshit. He felt his gut tighten when he thought of these innocents believing all this shit and maybe, one day, signing on the dotted line just to stand in line and get shot at. But, hell, someone had to do it and since he'd been 'dumb enough' he wasn't in a position to judge anyone else's decisions. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Sandburg kid watching him. He was a strange one. On first appearance, he'd thought that the kid was going to be way too soft for all this, but he was at the front of the line and appeared to be eagerly taking in every word. He was also unbelievably lovely. Jim clamped down on that thought immediately, this kid was *fifteen* and James Joseph Ellison should be locked away for having those kinds of thoughts about a *child*. "So, Sandburg, you want to join the army?" Jim asked suddenly. Blair's scared face turned up to take in the older man's gaze, "Er..I dunno.." he muttered. "What you doing here then? Or was this to impress some girl?" Blair flushed as Michael sniggered next to him, "No, I..I.." Jim smiled, "It's okay kid, I was fifteen once. I still remember what it was like," he placed a hand on the boys shoulder, "These will be your sleeping quarters for the duration of your stay here and lucky old me gets the bunk at the end, just in case someone needs a bedtime story." Jim gestured through the door into a long, barren room, bunks dotted along each side, no carpet or wall covering. "A real home from home, huh kid?" Jim looked down at Blair again, he could feel the heat from the boy searing his skin through the shirt, or should that be *shirts* that he wore. Blair ducked his head and nodded. The heat nestled in his groin at the thought of this beautiful big man in a bed, in the same room. "Today you will familiarize yourselves with some basic equipment, tomorrow you get to go on a nice *long* hike, starting at four a.m. and learn how to use it," Jim instructed, looking at the horrified faces peering at him, he grinned slyly, "What? You expect a continental breakfast and coffee, then a stroll into town to shop?" "Four a.m?" a small voice gasped and a grumble ran through the group. "That's right. Just think of it as a nice jog before breakfast." "*Before* breakfast?" another voice squeaked, and Jim was sure he heard someone faint.
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"Oh man, it's only been *one* day and I think I'm dying," Blair complained, painfully forcing off one sneaker and gripping his aching toes, "No *way* am I gonna make four a.m." Michael fell back on his bunk and groaned, "You think he was joking, Blair?" "No, I wasn't," Jim's voice boomed suddenly behind them. Blair almost fell backwards onto the floor, just reaching out in time to steady himself and accidentally gripping a huge muscular thigh. Jim leaned over and lifted the kid back onto his bunk, Blair's terrified face turned slowly up towards him and he was forced to smile. "S...s...sorry." "That's okay, just take it easy, kid. I don't bite," Jim smiled, bending over to whisper, "Not hard anyway," into the young mans ear. A tremble started in Blair's toes and quickly spread like wildfire through his body. "You boys should have your kit ready for inspection before we leave tomorrow. And I hope you all brought walking boots, *not* sneakers for the hike?" Jim looked around the room at all the tired faces looking pleadingly in his direction. In his hand he had a bag and with a feral smile he looked down at Blair, "Sandburg, you just volunteered to be the medic tomorrow. You'll carry this med-kit with you and be prepared to administer first-aid to anyone who needs it. Clear?" Blair nodded and took the kit from Jim's grasp. "Okay, lights out in five minutes, get cleaned up and into bed. I'll come 'tuck you in' when I've made my report," Jim grinned at the pained expressions and wandered out of the room. Michael glanced over to where Blair was still staring at the med-kit, he had it pulled tightly into his groin and he was rocking slowly, chewing on his lower lip. "You got it bad, huh Blair?" "Oh yeah."
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The lights had gone out and the sound of sleeping teens made Jim smile. Truthfully, the idea of this week had horrified him beyond words. What the hell was he going to do with eight teenage boys and a bunch of army rules for an entire week? He wasn't a teacher, he was a soldier. A grunt. Turning over in his bunk, he tried to get comfortable and let himself relax into sleep, but the visions of Blair Sandburg kept appearing before him. Young, beautiful...naked. Jim could almost see the boy's slim young body, the first peppering of body hair appearing. He would be an exquisite man when he matured. Not tall, but with work, he could carry muscle. And he was *so* damned pretty that it was a crime. How sweet must those lush young lips be? Jim turned over angrily and pulled the cover up to his chin. This was *not* a road he wanted to travel, he'd been entrusted with these kids and he wasn't about to abuse that trust. Yet still, the last vision in his mind as sleep claimed him, was of a pliant and willing young man.
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Blair shivered. Even with his two tee-shirts, three over-shirts, heavy jacket, two pairs of shorts and thick jeans, he was still *freezing*. Maybe it wasn't the actual temperature, but the fact that his body was painfully unaccustomed to being active at four a.m.? The backpack felt like it contained a dead body, it seemed to grow heavier with each step. And the incline before them just grew and grew, becoming so steep and unfathomable that Blair thought he might cry. The only upside of this painful experience was that he was directly behind Corporal Ellison and had a wonderfully unrestricted view of his ass, resplendent in those delightful khaki's. It was like dangling a carrot before a donkey and Blair willingly plodded on. Jim turned around to see the line of youngsters stretching out behind him. He had argued with his C.O. this morning that the terrain in that area was too harsh for mere kids and that if the weather closed in, they could be easily stranded. As usual, his complaint had been shot down and he was instructed to continue, assured that his views had been noted in the log...and duly ignored no doubt. He waited for the last couple to close ranks before glancing down at his shadow, Sandburg, and smiling. Shit, that kid was tough. Each time he'd checked to see where everyone was, Sandburg was on his tail, puffing and struggling, but still there, like a terrier at his heels. "Stay together, no one wander off," he called out. "You doin' okay kid?" Blair looked up in astonishment at being addressed directly, "Yeah...oh...er...Yes, sir." Jim's smile widened and he nodded, "Good. You're doin' great." Feeling his jaw drop and his groin tighten, Blair let free a wide smile, "Thanks!" Jim turned back to the trail, looking up at the sky he frowned. He was sure he could feel a storm coming in. He knew there was none forecast, but the strange tingling in his skin and the smell of the air was pure storm weather indication. Suddenly deciding to disobey his original orders and take the boys over the brow of the hill, onto the open land beyond, he headed West and to where he knew there was a supply shack where they could shelter and ride out the weather until help turned up. Pulling out the radio, Jim tried to send a message through to HQ, but the interference was severe and he was unsure that he'd been heard. Sure as hell, the raindrops began to splatter onto the ground, big heavy drops, like someone had just pricked a balloon and it was about to tear, sending forth warning drops before the deluge. In minutes, the thunder had rolled in and the lightning was splitting the sky. The boys were huddled together as the rain began to lash at them. Jim gestured ahead and they could see a wooden building in the distance. Suddenly, one boy yelled. He was slipping down the now muddy incline and dangerously near the edge of a sheer drop. Jim threw down the pack he carried and grabbed the rope from within. Quickly, he tied it to a tree and threw the end over the edge, allowing the boy to grab a hold. "Sandburg!" Jim yelled, "Get the others to the shack and out of this weather, I'll be along in a minute." "But!" Blair was almost rigid with fear, watching as Jim slid away down the muddy slide, holding the rope tightly, trying to reach the panicking boy. "Sandburg, *do it*. You're in charge." Blair nodded and ushered the other teens down the track and into the shack. It was dusty and cold, but they were out of the pouring rain and safe. A small wood burner in the corner was set, ready for use and Blair took it upon himself to light it, giving the room a slightly warmer and more welcoming glow. After all, Corporal Ellison *had* said that *he* was in charge. A radio set sat on the desk in the corner. Blair bit his lip and waited. Ellison would be back soon and he'd know what to do. As the minutes stretched out, Blair became more worried. Suddenly the door burst open and the boy who had almost fallen, stumbled in. "He fell," he sobbed, "Corporal Ellison fell. I accidentally kicked him as he lifted me off the ledge and he fell. Oh God! I think he's on a lower ledge..." Blair's heart leaped into his throat, *he* was in charge, he should know what to do. But, he didn't. Searching around, Blair spotted some climbing equipment, which he bundled into his pack. "I'm going out to see if I can help him, maybe I can lower the med-kit down if he's hurt...or something?" Blair trembled as he spoke. Michael grabbed him by the jacket, "You can't do that, stay here!" "I have to do *something*, I can't just leave him, Michael. You try that radio, see if you can send a distress signal. Corporal Ellison put me in charge, so I'm making the decision to go back out. *No* one is to follow me, okay? Wait here for help to get to you." Blair pulled up the zipper on his jacket and fastened his backpack up tightly. Without another word he opened the door and set out into the pouring rain. Visibility was appalling, he could see no more than a few feet in front of him and the ground was so slippery he had almost fallen several times already. Managing more by luck than design to find the tree with the rope, he followed it down to the edge. "Sir?" he yelled, "Are you down there, Sir?" Nothing. "Sir? Corporal Ellison? Are you there?" Suddenly a small voice drifted through the noise of the thunder, "Sandburg? That you?" "Yes, yes, are you all right?" "I think I've a broken ankle. Go back to the shack." "But, you need medical attention, I'll come down." "No! Under no circumstances do that, go back." Blair bit down on his lip, but made the decision. He fastened the climbing harness around him and attached it to the rope, then tentatively he lowered himself over the edge. |
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Jim huddled against the overhang, trying to keep out of the lashing rain. At least all of the kids were safe and he was sure that help would come along before too long. He was trying to clamp down on the pain in his ankle when he saw feet appear. "Fuck!" he gasped, "Sandburg!" Blair was dangling at the end of the rope, which was unfortunately, too short by some six feet or so and was muttering prayers and curses under his breath. Jim struggled onto one leg, the pain ricocheting through his body. He grabbed the young man's legs, "Climb back up!" "Can't...rope too slippery...too tired," Blair panted. "Climb back up *now*." "I *can't*...help me!" Swearing, Jim held onto Blair, "Okay, release your grip on the rope, I've got you." With a thud, both men hit the ground. Jim yelled in pain and fell back. "Oh God, oh God...I'm sorry. Oh my God, I've killed you." Blair was near to panic, his hands all over the older man. "Calm down, kid. I'm not dead yet. I just want you to know that this was a *stupid* thing to do. Now we're both stuck down here," Jim replied angrily, trying to place his injured leg comfortably. "I brought the med-kit. I thought you might be hurt. You said I was in charge, so I...I made the decision to come and look for you. But, I left Michael trying to send a distress call on the radio, Sir." Taking a deep breath, Jim looked up at this...child, and let out a sigh. He was fifteen and scared shitless, yet he'd still had the presence of mind to leave the other kids sending out an SOS, while he found climbing equipment and came back for an injured man. If only this man's army had more *soldiers* with that amount of sense, let alone schoolboys. "Okay, Sandburg, you did okay. Stop worrying. Take a look in that kit, see if there's anything we can use as a splint for my ankle." Blair nodded and began to rummage in his backpack. He first pulled out a sheet of thin plastic, shaking it out and covering Jim with it. Then, he searched the med-kit, and with Jim's help, they found enough to bind and immobilize the older man's ankle. "You okay?" Blair said finally as Jim leaned back against the wall of the over hang. "Yeah, I'll be okay, kid. You...you did pretty well here, you know. Showed a lot of maturity and quick thinking, even though I still think you shouldn't have come down here in the first place!" Blair looked down at the ground, the rain dripped from his nose and he was shivering, "I couldn't just leave you down here... alone and hurt." Feeling a smile threatening, Jim reached out and brushed the straggles of hair out of the young man's eyes, "I'm grateful, kid. Really I am. Come under this sheet, out of the rain." He lifted the sheet and pulled Blair beneath, tucking it over their heads and turning it into a makeshift 'tent'. The younger man settled down beside Jim, still shaking from cold and shock. Jim slid his arm around Blair's shoulder and pulled him in close. "Stay close and try to keep warm." Blair nodded and settled into the big soldier's side. "How are you feeling, Sir?" he asked, worriedly. "I'm okay. I just feel cold, probably shock," Jim's teeth began to chatter. Blair reached out and started to rub Jim's arms, trying to warm the older man up. "Don't let me go to sleep, kid. Talk to me, keep me awake...I think I hit my head as I fell." "Oh God," Blair bit his lip, "What...what shall I say?" "Anything. Just tell me, um, tell me about yourself. What brings you here? On this course?" Thinking for a moment, fear almost freezing him to the spot, Blair began, "I'm Blair Jacob Sandburg, I'm fifteen and I'm in high school. I came here with my buddy Michael because we wanted to see what it was like to be a soldier. Corporal Ellison? You still with me?" "Yeah, I'm still here. My name's Jim, by the way." "Jim," Blair almost whispered, "I don't think I want to be a soldier. I want to be an anthropologist. I've been accepted into Rainier University next year." "Kinda young to go to university, aren't you?" "Yeah, but I'm pretty advanced for my age." "You can say that again," Jim chortled, then winced with pain. "I er, " Blair desperately tried to find things to say, but his mind was seizing up through a mixture of fear and cold. "How did you know what equipment to use, to climb down here?" the soldier asked suddenly. "I learned to climb last summer. My Mom's boyfriend taught me, he was the sporty type and he figured that I spent too much time with books and not enough time on exercise. He said I was too skinny and that I'd turn out to be a geek." Turning his head in Blair's direction, Jim noted that the boy looked sad and maybe a little angry, "Well, I'm grateful to him for teaching you how to climb. But, someone should kick his ass for saying those things to you." "No, he's right I guess. I am kinda geeky. I have to wear glasses sometimes and I *do* prefer to read than to play football. But, I'm pretty hot at basketball, for a little guy," Blair smiled shyly. Jim felt himself melt. If only this kid could see what he saw. "Kid, you're *not* geeky, you're very good looking. I'll bet you're breaking a few girls hearts right now, huh?" "No," Blair blushed. "And at your age, I liked to read more than play football too. It's no big deal, doesn't make you any less a man." Watching the big man speak left Blair spellbound. He couldn't think of a more beautiful sight than this huge, muscular man, who was everything he himself longed to be. "Well, I...I think I might be...gay," he whispered, then sat back, horrified at the revelation he'd just made to a stranger. Jim's face was emotionless, "What makes you think that?" "I...I like looking at men." "Lot's of young guys like looking at other men, doesn't necessarily mean that they're gay." "But, I *prefer* looking at men. I like girls and I've got lots of friends who are girls. But I really, *really* like looking at men!" Smiling Jim reached out and squeezed Blair's arm, "Just don't worry about it and don't be ashamed. We've all got our secrets, kid," he said with a smile, wishing he could be honest with the boy about his own feelings. "It scares me a bit. I...I don't want to be different, I want to be able to fit in, especially when I go to college. And I guess I don't really *want* to be gay." "Blair? No one 'wants' to be gay, just as no one 'wants' to be straight. It's not that simple and you'll learn that nothing in life *is* that simple, ever!" Jim sighed, plagued by his own nagging fears and doubts he could empathize with the boy so easily. Slumping down beside Jim, Blair wiped his still dripping hair back with his hand, "You don't know what it's like, " he mumbled. Jim bit down on his lip. He wasn't sure if it was the pain and the shock or just an irrational trust in this boy that made him want to say this. "I do understand, more than you realize," he whispered, "It's not easy being bisexual and in the army. And for what it's worth, I still get scared." Blair's eyes widened in surprise, "You?" "Yeah, me." "But, you're so...so...straight looking." "Something else you'll learn, kid. Looks can be deceiving." "Wow." Jim suddenly pressed his head back against the muddy wall, his head was swimming and he felt *so* tired. "Jim? You're not going to sleep are you? You said you shouldn't do that. Jim?" Blair grabbed his hand and gently shook the big man. His hand was cold and clammy, "Oh God, oh God, please don't die. What shall I do?" "Cold," Jim mumbled as he began to shiver. "Oh no...oh no...er...." Blair began to frantically think what he could do. He remembered reading that it was important to keep the patient warm when he was in shock, but what could he do, stuck here on a ledge, in the pouring rain and cold, with nothing more than a plastic sheet for cover? Body heat. He remembered that some climbers who were stranded for days on a snow swept mountain, relied on their body heat to keep them warm. "Oh...Jim, I don't know if I should do this, but I'm so scared that you'll die." Unzipping his jacket, Blair sat up and straddled Jim's body. He gingerly unfastened the soldier's jacket and shirt, until he was down to a thin tee shirt. After unbuttoning his own clothing, he slid his arms around Jim's torso, so that his chest could rest against the bigger man. All the time, he rubbed his hands up and down Jim's arms or back, trying to elicit warmth to thaw the chill. "Jim? Can you hear me?" he asked. "Mmm?" "Please Jim, talk to me? I'm trying to keep you warm, trying to stop you getting sleepy. Please talk to me, Jim. I'm *so* scared." Blair watched as the big man struggled with consciousness, as though he was fighting to open his eyes. "Oh God, please forgive me?" he mumbled a prayer to whoever was watching over him and reached up, touching Jim's lips with his own. They were icy cold and as he covered the older man's mouth, he shivered. Blair kissed Jim Ellison. He kissed him, on the lips, and despite the danger and the fear, it felt *incredible*. Suddenly he felt Jim stir slightly, responding to the assault on his lips. Blair hadn't realized that he'd begun to move his body against Jim's, gently undulating his hips, building up friction, sparking heat in both bodies. Jim was now kissing back, only gently, but he was *there* and he was alive. His hands suddenly slipped around Blair's waist, one curled under the young man's ass to pull him closer. Blair moaned as the sensation burst free like an eruption, showering his nerves with pleasure as Jim's cold hands found their way beneath his tee shirts. His hips began to move faster, he could feel a hardness beneath him as Jim became aroused and thrust back at him. Now the older man was sliding his fingers between Blair's ass cheeks, stroking across his hole, still damnably covered by heavy denim, but the effect was mind shattering. Jim's tongue was inside Blair's mouth, tasting and teasing, his other hand sought out the boy's desperate erection and brushed it over lightly, causing Blair to jerk and groan. No longer in control of what he was doing, Blair's fingers fumbled at Jim's pants, slipping open the button and lowering the zipper, reaching in, he touched Jim's hard cock, making the big man moan and kiss harder, driven by need. Almost in a dream, Blair found himself pushing the khaki's aside to let Jim's cock spring free, all the time Jim was working his hands beneath Blair's clothes, and partially undressing him, until they could touch flesh to flesh. Both heavy with arousal they rubbed the heated shafts together, the younger man whimpering with pleasure, Jim sucking desperately at his neck and throat. "J...Jim! Oh! Gonna...Oh!" Blair felt the orgasm building. This was nothing like jerking yourself off in the bathroom, this was *sex*. "Shh, relax...just come...." Jim mumbled as his hard cock dug into the boy's belly and he felt his own release imminent. With a strangled yell, Blair released, coating Jim's chest with semen only moments before Jim returned the favor. They both lay back against the rocky, mud washed wall, Blair still spread across Jim's chest, sticky and sated. "Hell of a way to bring me around, kid," Jim smiled, gently kissing the top of the young man's head. "Um, didn't know what else to do," Blair replied sleepily. "Better pull your clothes back together, wouldn't want them to rescue us like this, huh?" the older man pulled Blair's shirts down and smiled as he tucked himself away, zipping back up with a blush. "Come here, you can lie back down, keep me warm." Settling back into Jim's arms, Blair relaxed, "Did I do wrong?" he whispered. "I should say 'yes', but no Blair, you did okay." "Did...did you.." "Did I enjoy it? You know I did. But, you're fifteen..." Sitting up, Blair looked down at the man he'd just made love to, "I know, Jim. I'm not a child, I understand that what we did wasn't 'legal', even though it felt 'right'. And I'm not going to tell anyone, you have my word." Jim regarded this 'child', with the mind and capacity for love beyond any man he'd ever met before. Blair had a point, it *did* feel 'right'. And thankfully, he was sensible enough to understand that society as a whole wouldn't see it that way. They'd see a twenty-five year old *man* taking advantage of a *boy*. But, they were wrong. Suddenly Jim heard a shout from above. "Corporal Ellison?" "Yeah, we're here!" Jim yelled back. "We'll send someone down for you in a few minutes. Is the boy with you?" "Yeah, he's here and he's fine. I think I have a broken ankle though." "We'll be with you as soon as we can." Jim looked at his young companion and smiled, "Thanks for everything, Blair." "My pleasure," Blair grinned cheekily. "I hope we meet again someday. Sometime when..." Blair placed a hand across Jim's mouth, "We will, Jim," he said with a wide smile, "I *know* it."
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