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〃Okay。 Let's do a little experiment。〃 Breckenridge walked into his office。 He returned a minute later with a cardboard box。
〃Lieutenant； this here's a High…Standard target pistol； a 。22 built on a 。45 frame。〃 The Sergeant Major handed it over。 Ryan took it； ejected the magazine； and pulled the slide back to make sure the pistol was unloaded。 Breckenridge watched and nodded approvingly。 Jack had been taught range safety by his father twenty years before。 After that he fitted the weapon in his hand； then sighted down the range to get used to the feel。 Every gun is a little different。 This was a target pistol； with nice balance and pretty good sights。
〃Feels okay；〃 Ryan said。 〃Little lighter than a Colt； though。〃
〃This'll make it heavier。〃 Breckenridge handed over a loaded clip。 〃That's five rounds。 Insert the clip in the weapon； but do not chamber a round until I tell you； sir。〃 The Sergeant Major was accustomed to giving orders to officers； and knew how to do so politely。 〃Step to lane four。 Relax。 It's a nice day in the park； okay？〃
〃Yeah。 That's how this whole mess started；〃 Ryan observed wryly。
The Gunny walked over to the switch panel and extinguished most of the lights in the room。
〃Okay； Lieutenant； let's keep the weapon pointed downrange and at the floor； if you please； sir。 Chamber your first round； and relax。〃
Jack pulled the slide back with his left hand； then let it snap forward。 He didn't turn around。 He told himself to relax and play the game。 He heard a cigarette lighter snap shut。 Maybe Robby was lighting up one of his cigars。
〃I saw a picture of your little girl in the papers； Lieutenant。 She's a pretty little thing。〃
〃Thank you； Gunny。 I've seen one of yours on campus； too。 Cute； but not very little。 I heard she's engaged to a mid。〃
〃Yes； sir。 That's my little baby；〃 Breckenridge said； like a father rather than a Marine。 〃The last of my three。 She'll be married 〃
Ryan nearly jumped out of his skin as a string of firecrackers began exploding at his feet。 He started to turn when Breckenridge screamed at him：
〃There； there； there's your target！〃
A light snapped on to illuminate a silhouette target fifty feet away。 One small part of Ryan's mind knew this was a test but most of him didn't care。 The 。22 came up and seemed to aim itself at the paper target。 He loosed all five rounds in under three seconds。 The noise was still echoing when his trembling hands set the automatic down on the table。
〃Jesus Christ； Sar…major！〃 Ryan nearly screamed。
The rest of the lights came back on。 The room stank of gunpowder； and paper fragments from the firecrackers littered the floor。 Robby； Jack saw； was standing safely at the entrance to the Gunny's office； while Breckenridge was right behind him； ready to grab Ryan's gun hand if he did anything foolish。
〃One of the other things I do is moonlight as an instructor for the Annapolis City Police。 You know； it's a real pain in the ass trying to figure a way to simulate the stress of bat conditions。 This here's what I came up with。 Okay； let's get a look at the target。〃 Breckenridge punched a button； and a hidden electric motor turned the pulley for lane four。
〃Damn！〃 Ryan growled； looking at the target。
〃Not so bad；〃 Breckenridge judged。 〃We got four rounds on the paper。 Two snowbirds。 Two in the black； both in the chest。 Your target is on the ground。 Lieutenant； and he's hurt pretty bad。〃
〃Two rounds out of five must be the last two。 I settled down on them and took some more time。〃
〃I noticed that。〃 Breckenridge nodded。 〃Your first round was high and to the left； missed the card。 Your next two came in here and here。 The last two were on the money fairly well。 That's not too bad； Lieutenant。〃
〃I did a hell of a lot better in London。〃 Ryan was not convinced。 The two holes outside the black target silhouette mocked at him； and one round hadn't even found the target at all 。 。 。
〃In London； if the TV got it right； you had a second or two to figure out what you were gonna do；〃 the Gunny said。
〃That's pretty much the way it was；〃 Ryan admitted。
〃You see； Lieutenant； that's the real important part。 That one or two seconds makes all the difference； because you have a little time to think things over。 The reason so many cops get killed is because they don't have that little bit of time to think it out but the crooks have done that already。 That one second lets you figure what's happening； select your target； and decide what you're gonna do about it。 Now； what I just made you do was go through all three steps； all at once。 Your first round went wild。 The second and third were better； and your last two were good enough to put the target on the ground。 That's not bad； son。 That's about as well as a trained cop does but you gotta do better than that。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃A cop's job is to keep the peace。 Your job is just staying alive； and that's a little easier。 That's the good news。 The bad news is； those bad guys ain't gonna give you two seconds to think unless you make them； or you're real lucky。〃 Breckenridge waved for the men to follow him into his office。 The Sergeant Major plopped down in his cheap swivel chair。 Like Jackson； he was a cigar smoker。 He lit up something better than what Robby smoked； but it still stank up the room。
〃Two things you gotta do。 One； I want to see you here every day for a box of 。22； that's every day for a month； Lieutenant。 You have to learn to shoot better。 Shootin' is just like golf。 You want to be good at it； you gotta do it every day。 You have to work at it； and you need somebody to teach you right。〃 The Gunny smiled。 〃That's no problem； I'll teach you right。 The second thing； you have to buy time for yourself if the bad guys e lookin' for you。〃
〃The FBI told him to drive like the embassy guys do；〃 Jackson offered。
〃Yeah； that's good for starters。 Same as in Nam you don't settle into patterns。 What if they try to hit you at home？〃
〃Pretty isolated； Gunny；〃 Robby said。
〃You got an alarm？〃 Breckenridge asked Ryan。
〃No； but I can fix that pretty easy；〃 Ryan said。
〃It's a good idea。 I don't know the layout of your place； but if you can buy yourself a few seconds； and you got that shotgun； Lieutenant； you can make 'em wish they never came calling at least you can hold them off till the police e。 Like I said； the name of the game's just staying alive。 Now； what about your family？〃
〃My wife's a doc； and she's pregnant。 My little girl well； you saw her on TV； I guess。〃
〃Does your wife know how to shoot？〃
〃I don't think she's ever touched a gun in her life。〃
〃I teach a class in firearms safety for women part of the work I do with the local police。〃
Ryan wondered how Cathy would react to all this。 He put that one off。 〃What sort of handgun you think I oughta get？〃
〃If you e by tomorrow； I'll try you out on a couple of 'em。 Mainly you want something you're fortable with。 Don't go out and get a 。44 Magnum； okay？ I like automatics； myself。 The springs eat up a lot of the recoil； so they're easier to get fortable with。 You want to buy something that's fun to shoot； not something that beats up on your hand and wrist。 Me； I like the 。45 Colt； but I been shooting that little baby for twenty…some years。〃 Breckenridge grabbed Ryan's right hand and flexed it around roughly。 〃I think I'll start you off on a 9…millimeter Browning。 Your hand looks big enough to hold it right the Browning's got a thirteen…shot clip； you need a fair…sized hand to control it proper。 Got a nice safety； too。 If you have a kid in the house； Lieutenant； you'd better think about safety； okay？〃
〃No problem；〃 Ryan said。 〃I can keep it where she can't reach it we got a big closet； and I can keep them there； seven feet off the floor。 Can I practice with a big…bore handgun in here？〃
The Sergeant Major laughed。 〃That backstop we got used to be the armor plate on a heavy cruiser。 Mainly we use 。22's in here； but my guards practice with 。45's all the time。 Sounds to me like you know shotgunnin' pretty good。 Once you have that skill with pistol too； you'll be able to do it with any gun you pick