Warriors in Paradise Read Online Free PDF Page A

American because I study and work. But I am also a nigger, because I think that we deserve special treatment to compete with you on an equal basis.”
    Before they could retort, Charlie walked up to the group and asked Caleb: “How you doing? How is the school treating you?”
    He then turned around and asked the seniors, “What are you guys doing? Do you know that this guy is one of the best lacrosse players I have ever seen? So, I am asking you again, what the fuck are you guys doing?”
    The seniors just looked at Charlie and Caleb, and, without saying a word, they turned and walked away. Even the seniors feared Charlie.
    Caleb was upset, and he told Charlie angrily, “I didn’t ask for your help. I didn’t need you; I had everything under control!”
    Charlie answered: “I knew that. I know you don’t need my help to deal with those clowns. But this is not about you, it’s about me. I need your help. We really need you on the team!”
    Caleb was silent for a moment. Suddenly, the angry face faded into a smile, and he responded: “Yeah, OK, but only because you ask so nicely.”
    They had been best friends ever since that moment.
    They both liked weightlifting and tennis. Charlie also did some jujitsu and Muay Thai boxing. Though he still liked lacrosse, he had grown out of it by now.
    Caleb liked everything from running to weightlifting. However, he didn’t practice anything on a regular basis. He enjoyed weightlifting and basketball because of the social aspects. He was fond of training and shooting hoops with friends. He also loved tennis because he relished competition on a one-on-one basis.
    Whatever Caleb did, apparently he was successful at it—not only because he liked winning, but because he couldn’t lose. He was a natural, with the right brain wiring to go with the right body type. It wasn’t hard to imagine him doing twelve reps with three hundred pounds or even running a hundred meters close to or under ten seconds. His body was an extension of his mind. His mind had untapped resources, and his body had sheer animal strength and grace.
    I thought, I was lucky yesterday that Charlie chose to be the first.
    After high school, Charlie joined the army, partly driven by the death of his father and partly because it was a family tradition. Caleb also joined, partly because he thought it was the right thing to do—and mostly because Charlie joined. They volunteered for infantry, airborne, and ultimately army rangers. Their training took just short of a year.
    They pulled two one-year tours in Afghanistan on the Pakistan border at remote mountain outposts, dealing with Afghan and Pakistani forces who were constantly changing allegiance to the highest bidder. They excelled at dropping behind enemy lines and in close combat in difficult terrain. Half of the time, they were doing back-to-back missions, rolling outside the wire and getting into firefights several times a night. The other half, their days were spent training out at the range, playing video games, and knocking out some college courses online.
    They specialized in conducting raids, ambushes, and seizures. As a two-man team, they pulled terrorists out of their beds and flex-cuffed them before they even woke up.
    After three years in the army, they decided to get out and pursue their academic interests under the GI Bill. They were not disillusioned—just frustrated by the dysfunction of war.
    Charlie decided to study law at American University in Washington, DC, one of the best law schools in the country. It was also located close to the public office he so aspired to.
    Caleb was more inclined to mathematics and physics. He chose Georgetown University, which met two of his requirements. It had a good science and physics school, and it was close to Charlie.
    They rented a nice two-bedroom apartment in Arlington, Virginia, a few minutes away by Metro from their campus.
    They came to Mexico, before starting university, to decompress from their last