Ride The Rising Tide (The Maxwell Saga) Read Online Free Page A

way you like. Let’s go! MOVE, recruit!”
    The hapless Kumar jumped nervously, gulped, and lunged awkwardly at the instructor. Corporal Shabab side–stepped the onrushing recruit, reached out almost negligently, and tossed him over his shoulder. Kumar landed on the soft sand like a sack of potatoes, arms and legs flailing, breath driven from his lungs with an agonized ‘ Whumpf!’
    Steve couldn’t help frowning at the inept display, shaking his head — and the instructor noticed. “ You! Recruit Maxwell! Why are you shaking your head?”
    Uh – oh , Steve thought to himself as he snapped to attention. “Sir, no excuse, Sir!”
    “ Front and center, Recruit Maxwell! Recruit Kumar, on your feet! Rejoin the platoon.”
    Steve stepped forward and came to rigid attention as Kumar hobbled back into the ranks, gasping for breath.
    “Did you think that was pitiful, Recruit Maxwell? Do you think you can do better?”
    Steve hesitated for a moment, aware that anything he said was likely to backfire on him. Shabab frowned and stepped closer, thrusting his face into Steve’s. “Answer me, recruit! Do you think you can do better?”
    Oh, what the hell!, Steve thought, suddenly reckless. “Sir, yes, SIR!” The last word was a defiant shout.
    Shabab stepped back, affecting a look of surprise. “Did I hear you correctly, recruit?” He glanced over at Robinson. “Would the Platoon Instructor please confirm that my ears didn’t deceive me? Do we actually have a recruit who thinks he can take me?”
    Robinson stood impassively at Parade Rest, arms behind him. “It would appear so, Corporal. I suggest we find out whether he’s right, or just bluffing.”
    “ Aye aye, Platoon Instructor! Awright, Recruit Maxwell, show me what you got. I’m going to attack you with this training knife,” and he plucked the rubber blade from his belt. “Stop me any way you like before I stick it in your gut — but you’d better stop me, because I’m going to stick it in hard, and it’s going to hurt! Got it?”
    “ Sir, aye aye, Sir! This recruit requests permission to ask a question, Sir!”
    “ What is it, recruit?”
    “ Sir, this recruit wishes to know whether there are any rules to this fight, Sir!”
    Shabab goggled at him for a moment, then laughed scornfully. He clearly thought Steve was grandstanding. “No gouged eyes and no broken teeth or bones, recruit. Other than that, anything goes! Stand ready. Here I come!”
    He moved even as he spoke, gliding in with a swift, sinuous motion, knife extended forward in his upturned hand, thrusting fiercely straight at Steve’s navel. Steve didn’t have time to think or prepare; but he didn’t need it. His opponent’s guard was down, probably through over–confidence. He chopped outward, his left hand making a tegatana hand–sword strike to the Corporal’s forearm and knocking his knife out of line. As he struck he twisted to his right, thrust his right hand beneath the instructor’s right armpit, extended his right leg, and catapulted him over his hip in a seoi nagi throw. Even as the Corporal fell, Steve pivoted with him and came down with a knee on his chest, left hand securing his opponent’s knife hand, right hand lashing out in a fist–strike to the joint of his opponent’s jaw–bone, shouting aloud, “ Kiai!” , the sound welling up in a hoarse coughing grunt from the base of his diaphragm. He halted his blow just as it touched Shabab’s skin.
    The Corporal stared up at him, eyes wide with astonishment, but a growing grin on his face. “So you weren’t just full of it! Where did you learn to fight like that?”
    Steve came to his feet, offering his hand to Shabab, who took it and rose with him. Snapping to attention once more, he replied, “Sir, this recruit is ranked nidan in karate, Sir.”
    “ Aw– right! We have a second dan black belt among us! Well done, recruit!”
    Robinson stepped forward. “Recruit, why is your karate qualification not listed in