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enin。 So whenever possible he'd avoid injuring kids。 He rationalized that this would enhance his sympathy in the munity he was seeking to liberate。
〃Yeah。〃
〃So what have you seen？〃
〃They got a maid black o'course。 Fine…lookin' woman； drives a Chevy。 There's somebody else in there now。 He's a white dude； big guy； an' he walks funny。〃
〃Right。〃 Alex made note of the former and dismissed the latter。 The man was probably a family friend。
〃The cops state cops are back here every two hours minimum。 One of them asked me what we were doing yesterday afternoon。 They're keeping an eye on this place。 There's an extra phone line into the house gotta be for an alarm pany。 So they got a house alarm and the cops are always close。〃
〃Okay。 Keep your eyes open but don't be too obvious。〃
〃You got it。〃
〃Home；〃 Ryan breathed。 He stopped the car and got out； walking around to Sally's door。 He saw that the little girl wasn't playing with the seat…belt buckle。 He took care of it himself； then lifted his daughter out of the car。 She wrapped her arms around his neck； and for a moment life was perfect again。 He carried Sally to the front door； both arms clasping her to his chest。
〃Wele back。〃 Skip had the door open already。
〃Where's my surprise？〃 Sally demanded。
〃Surprise？〃 Tyler was taken aback。 〃I don't know about any surprise。〃
〃Daddy！〃 Her father got an accusing look。
〃e on in；〃 Tyler said。 Mrs。 Hackett was there； too。 She'd gotten lunch ready for everyone。 A single mother of two sons； she worked hard to support them。 Ryan set his girl down； and she walked to the kitchen。 Skip Tyler and her father watched her stiff legs negotiate the distance。
〃God； it's amazing how kids heal；〃 Tyler observed。
〃What？〃 Jack was surprised。
〃I broke a leg playing ball once damned if I bounced back that fast。 e on；〃 Tyler beckoned Jack out the door。 First he checked out the stuffed animal in the car。 〃I heard it was some kind of bear。 That one must have played in Chicago！〃
Then they went into the trees north of Ryan's house。 Here they found the surprise； tied to a tree。 Jack loosed the chain and picked him up。
〃Thanks for bringing him over。〃
〃Hey； no big deal。 It's good to see her home； pal。〃
The two men walked back into the house。 Jack peeked around the corner and saw that Sally was already demolishing a peanut…butter sandwich。
〃Sally 。 。 。〃 he said。 His wife was already looking at him with an open mouth。 His daughter's head came around just as Jack set the puppy on the floor。
It was a black Labrador； just old enough to be separated from his mother。 The puppy needed a single look to know to whom he belonged。 He scampered across the floor； mostly sideways； with his tail gyrating wildly。 Sally was on the floor； and grabbed him。 A moment later； the dog was cleaning her face。
〃She's too little for a puppy；〃 Cathy said。
〃Okay； you can take him back this afternoon；〃 Jack replied quietly。 The remark got him an angry look。 His daughter squealed when the dog started chewing on the heel of one shoe。 〃She's not big enough for a pony yet； but I think this is just the right thing。〃
〃You train it！〃
〃That'll be easy。 He es from good stock。 Champion Chesapeake's Victor Hugo Black for a father； would you believe？ The Lab's got a soft mouth； and they like kids；〃 Jack went on。 〃I've already scheduled him for classes。〃
〃Classes in what？〃 Cathy was really befuddled now。
〃The breed is called the Labrador Retriever；〃 Jack noted。
〃How big does it get？〃
〃Oh； maybe seventy pounds。〃
〃That's bigger than she is！〃
〃Yeah； they love to swim； too。 He can look after her in the pool。〃
〃We don't have a pool。〃
〃They start in three weeks。〃 Jack smiled again。 〃Doctor Schenk also said that swimming is good therapy for this kind of injury。〃
〃You've been busy；〃 his wife observed。 She was smiling now。
〃I was going to get a Newfoundland； but they're just too big one…fifty。〃 Jack didn't say that his first wish had been to get a dog big and tough enough to tear the head off anyone who came close to his daughter； but that his mon sense had prevented it。
〃Well； there's your first job；〃 Cathy pointed。 Jack got a paper towel to clean up the puddle on the tile。 Before he could do it； his daughter nearly strangled him with a ferocious hug。 It was all he could do to control himself； but he had to。 Sally would not have understood why her daddy was crying。 The world was back in its proper shape。 Now if we can just keep it that way。
〃I'll have the pictures tomorrow。 I wanted to get them done before the trees fill in。 When they do； you won't be able to see the house from the road very well。〃 Alex summarized the results of his reconnaissance。
〃What about the alarm？〃
Alex read off the data from his notes。
〃How the bloody hell did you get that？〃
Dobbens chuckled as he popped open the beer。 〃It's easy。 If you want the data for any kind of burglar alarm； you call the pany that did it and say you work for an insurance pany。 You give them a policy number you make that up； of course and they give you all the information you want。 Ryan has a perimeter system； and a backup intruder system 'with keys；' which means that the alarm pany has keys to the house。 Somewhere on the property they have infrared beams。 Probably on the driveway in the trees。 This guy isn't dumb； Sean。〃
〃It doesn't matter。〃
〃Okay； I'm just telling you。 One more thing。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃The kid doesn't get hurt this time； not the wife either if we can help it。〃
〃That is not part of the plan；〃 Miller assured him。 You bloody wimp。 Sean had learned a new word in America。 What sort of revolutionary do you think you are？ he didn't say。
〃That's from my people；〃 Alex continued； telling only part of the truth。 〃You gotta understand； Sean； child abuse looks bad over here。 It's not the kind of image we want to have； you dig？〃
〃And you want to e out with us？〃
Dobbens nodded。 〃It might be necessary。〃
〃I think we can avoid that。 It just means eliminating all the people who see your faces。〃
You're a cold little cocksucker； Dobbens thought； though his words made perfect sense。 Dead men told no tales。
〃Very well。 All we have to do now is find a way to make the security people relax a bit；〃 the Irishman said。 〃I'd prefer to avoid brute force。〃
〃I've been thinking about that。〃 Alex took a moment before going on。 〃How do armies succeed？〃
〃What do you mean？〃 Miller asked。
〃I mean； the great plans； the ones that really work。 They all work because you show the other guy something he expects to see； right？ You make him go for the fake； but it's gotta be a really good fake。 We have to make them look for the wrong thing in the wrong place； and they have to put the word out。〃
〃And how do we do that？〃 After two minutes： 〃Ah。〃
Alex retired to his bedroom a few minutes later； leaving Miller in front of the television to go over his material。 On the whole； it had been a very useful trip。 The plan was already beginning to take shape。 It would require a lot of people； but that came as no surprise。
Curiously； his respect for Alex was now diminished。 The man was petent； certainly； even brilliant in his plan for a diversion but that absurd sentimentality！ It was not that Miller reveled in the idea of hurting children； but if that was what the revolution took； then it was a necessary price to pay。 Besides； it got people's attention。 It told them that he and his organization were serious。 Until Alex got over that； he'd never be successful。 But that wasn't Miller's problem。 Part One of the operation was now outlined in his mind。 Part Two was already drawn up； already had been aborted once。 But not this time。 Miller promised himself。
By noon the following day； Alex had handed him the photos and driven him to an outlying station of the D。C。 Metro。 Miller took the subway train to National Airport to catch the first of four flights that would take him home。
Jack walked into Sally's bedroom just before eleven。 The dog his daughter had named him Ernie was an invisible shape in the cor