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〃Of course。 Please tell them that we'd be honored to have them down。 Will they be staying the night？〃
〃Probably not。 It was hoped that they could e in the evening。〃
〃For dinner？ Fine。 What day？〃
〃Friday； 30th July。〃
〃Done。〃
〃Excellent。 I hope you won't mind if our security people plus your Secret Service chaps conduct a security sweep in the ing week。〃
〃Do I have to be home for that？〃
〃I can do it； Jack。 I'm off work now； remember？〃
〃Oh； of course；〃 Bennett said。 〃When is the baby due？〃
〃First week of August that might be a problem for this；〃 Cathy realized belatedly。
〃If something unexpected happens； you may be sure that Their Highnesses will understand。 One more thing。 This is a private matter； not one of the public events for the trip。 We must ask that you keep this entirely confidential。〃
〃Sure； I understand；〃 Ryan said。
〃If they're going to be here for dinner； is there anything we shouldn't serve？〃 Cathy asked。
〃What do you mean？〃 Bennett responded。
〃Well； some people are allergic to fish； for example。〃
〃Oh； I see。 No； I know of nothing along those lines。〃
〃Okay； the basic Ryan dinner；〃 Jack said。 〃I uh…oh。〃
〃What's the matter？〃 Bennett asked。
〃We're having pany that night。〃
〃Oh；〃 Cathy nodded。 〃Robby and Sissy。〃
〃Can't you cancel？〃
〃It's a going…away party。 Robby he's a Navy fighter pilot； we both teach at the Academy is transferring back to the fleet。 Would they mind？〃
〃Doctor Ryan； His Highness 〃
〃His Highness is a good guy。 So's Robby。 He was there that night we met。 I can't cancel him out； Mr。 Bennett。 He's a friend。 The good news is。 His Highness will like him。 He used to fly fighter planes； too； right？〃
〃Well； yes； but 〃
〃Do you remember the night we met？ Without Robby I might not have gotten through it。 Look； this guy's a lieutenant mander in the United States Navy who happens to fly a forty…million…dollar fighter airplane。 He probably is not a security risk。 His wife plays one hell of a piano。〃 Ryan saw that he hadn't quite gotten through yet。 〃Mr。 Bennett； check Rob out through your attache and ask His Highness if it's all right。〃
〃And if he objects？〃
〃He won't。 I've met him。 Maybe he's a better guy than you give him credit for；〃 Jack observed。 He won't object； you dummy。 It's the security pukes who'll throw a fit。
〃Well。〃 That remark took him somewhat aback。 〃I cannot fault your sense of loyalty。 Doctor。 I will pass this through His Highness's office。 But I must insist that you do not tell mander Jackson anything。〃
〃You have my word。〃 Jack nearly laughed。 He couldn't wait to see the look on Robby's face。 This would finally even the score for that kendo match。
〃Contraction peaks；〃 Jack said that night。 They were practicing the breathing exercises in preparation for the delivery。 His wife started panting。 Jack knew that this was a serious business。 It merely looked ridiculous。 He checked the numbers on his digital watch。 〃Contraction ends。 Deep； cleansing breath。 I figure steaks on the grill； baked potatoes； and fresh corn on the cob； with a nice salad。〃
〃It's too plain；〃 Cathy protested。
〃Everywhere they go over here； people will be hitting them with that fancy French crap。 Somebody ought to give them a decent American meal。 You know I do a mean steak on the grill； and your spinach salad is famous from here to across the road。〃
〃Okay。〃 Cathy started laughing。 It was being unfortable for her to do so。 〃If I stand over a stove for more than a few minutes； I get nauseous anyway。〃
〃It must be tough； being pregnant。〃
〃You should try it；〃 she suggested。
Her husband went on： 〃It's the only hard thing women have to do； of course。〃
〃What！〃 Cathy's eyes nearly popped out。
〃Look at history。 Who has to go out and kill the buffalo？ The man。 Who has； to carry the buffalo back？ The man。 Who has to drive off the bear？ The man。 We do all the hard stuff。 I still have to take out the garbage every night！ Do I ever plain about that？〃 He had her laughing again。 He'd read her mood right。 She didn't want sympathy。 She was too proud of herself for that。
〃I'd hit you on the head； but there's no sense in breaking a perfectly good club over something worthless。〃
〃Besides； I was there the last time； and it didn't look all that hard。〃
〃If I could move； Jack； I'd kill you for that one！〃
He moved from opposite his wife to beside her。 〃Nah； I don't think so。 I want you to form a picture in your mind。〃
〃Of what？〃
〃Of the look on Robby's face when he gets here for dinner。 I'm going to jiggle the time a little。〃
〃I'll bet you that Sissy handles it better than he does。〃
〃How much？〃
〃Twenty。〃
〃Deal。〃 He looked at his watch。 〃Contraction begins。 Deep breath。〃 A minute later； Jack was amazed to see that he was breathing the same way as his wife。 That got them both laughing。
Chapter 24 Connections Missed and Made
There were no new pictures of Camp…18 the day of the raid。 A sandstorm had swept over the area at the time of the satellite pass； and the cameras couldn't penetrate it； but a geosynchronous weather satellite showed that the storm had left the site。 Ryan was cued after lunch that day that the raid was on； and spent his afternoon in fidgety anticipation。 Careful analysis of the existing photos showed that between twelve and eighteen people were at the camp； over and above the guard force。 If the higher number was correct； and the official estimate of the ULA's size was also accurate； that represented more than half of its membership。 Ryan worried a little about that。 If the French were sending in only eight paratroopers 。 。 。 but then he remembered his own experiences in the Marine Corps。 They'd be hitting the objective at three in the morning。 Surprise would be going for them。 The assault team would have its weapons loaded and locked and aimed at people who were asleep。 The element of surprise； in the hands of elite mandos； was the military equivalent of a Kansas tornado。 Nothing could stand up to it。
They're in their choppers now； Ryan thought。 He remembered his own experience in the fragile； ungainly aircraft。 There you are； all your equipment packed up； clean utilities； your weapons ready； and despite it all you're as vulnerable as a baby in the womb。 He wondered what sort of men they were； and realized that they wouldn't be too very different from the Marines he'd served with： all would be volunteers； doubly so since you also had to volunteer for parachute training。 They'd opted a third time to be part of the antiterror teams。 It would be partly for the extra pay they got and partly for the pride that always came with membership in a small； very special force like the Marine Corps' Force Recon but mostly they'd be there because they knew that this was a mission worth doing。 To a man； professional soldiers despised terrorists； and each would dream about getting them in an even…up…battle the idea of the Field of Honor had never died for the real professionals。 It was the place where the ultimate decision was made on the basis of courage and skill； on the basis of manhood itself； and it was this concept that marked the professional soldier as a romantic； a person who truly believed in the rules。
They'd be nervous in their helicopter。 Some would fidget and be ashamed of it。 Others would make a great show of sharpening their knives。 Some would joke quietly。 Their officers and sergeants would sit quietly； setting an example and going over the plans。 All would look about the helicopter and silently hate being trapped within it。 For a moment Jack was there with them。
〃Good luck； guys；〃 he whispered to the wall。 〃Bonne chance。 〃
The hours crept by。 It seemed to Ryan that the numbers on his digital watch were reluctant to change at all； and it was impossible for him to concentrate on his work。 He was going over the photos of the camp again； counting the man…figures； examining the ground to predict for himself how the final approach would be made。 He wondered if their orders were to take the terrorists alive。 He couldn't decide on that question。 From