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nt for charging： he set his tray on a scale and the cashier billed him by weight。 Jack paid up his two dollars and ten cents。 The price for lunch was hardly exorbitant； but it did seem an odd way to set the price。 He joined Robby Jackson in a corner booth。
〃Mondays！〃 he observed to his friend。
〃Are you kidding？ I can relax today。 I was up flying Saturday and Sunday。〃
〃I thought you liked that。〃
〃I do；〃 Robby assured him。 〃But both days I got off before seven。 I actually got to sleep until six this morning。 I needed the extra two hours。 How's the family？〃
〃Fine。 Cathy had a big procedure today had to be up there early。 The one bad thing about being married to a surgeon； they always start early。 Sometimes it's a little hard on Sally。〃
〃Yeah； early to bed； early to rise might as well be dead；〃 Robby agreed。 〃How's the baby ing？〃
〃Super。〃 Jack smiled。 〃He's an active little bugger。 I never figured how women can take that having the kid kick； turn and like that； I mean。〃
〃Mind if I join you？〃 Skip Tyler slipped into the booth。
〃How are the twins？〃 Jack asked at once。
The reply was a low moan； and a look at the circles under Tyler's eyes provided the answer。 〃The trick is getting both of them asleep。 You just get one quieted down； then the other one goes off like a damned fire alarm。 I don't know how Jean does it。 Of course〃 Tyler grinned 〃she can walk the floor with them。 When I do it it's step…thump； step…thump。〃
All three men laughed。 Skip Tyler had never been the least sensitive about losing his leg。
〃How's Jean holding up？〃 Robby asked。
〃No problem she sleeps when they do and I get to do all the housework。〃
〃Serves you right； turkey；〃 Jack observed。 〃Why don't you give it a rest？〃
〃Can I help it if I'm hot…blooded？〃 Skip demanded。
〃No； but your timing sucks；〃 Robby replied。
〃My timing；〃 Tyler said with raised eyebrows； 〃is perfect。〃
〃I guess that's one way to look at it；〃 Jack agreed。
〃I heard you were out jogging this morning。〃 Tyler changed subjects。
〃So did I。〃 Robby laughed。
〃I'm still alive； guys。〃
〃One of my mids said tomorrow they're going to follow you around with an ambulance just in case。〃 Skip chuckled。 〃I suppose it's nice for you to remember that most of the kids know CPR。〃
〃Why are Mondays always like this？〃 Jack asked。
Alex and Sean Miller made a final run along Route 50。 They were careful to keep just under the speed limit。 The State Police radar cars were out in force today for some reason or other。 Alex assured his colleague that this would end around 4：30。 Rush hour had too many cars on the road for efficient law enforcement。 Two other men were in the back of the van； each with his weapon。
〃Right about here； I think；〃 Miller said。
〃Yeah； it's the best place；〃 Alex agreed。
〃Escape route。〃 Sean clicked on a stopwatch。
〃Okay。〃 Alex changed lanes and kept heading west。 〃Remember； it's gonna be slower tonight。〃
Miller nodded； getting the usual pre…op butterflies in his stomach。 He ran through his plan； thinking over each contingency as he sat in the right…front seat of the van； watching the way traffic piled up at certain exits off the highway。 The road was far better than the roads he was accustomed to in Ireland； but people drove on the wrong side here； he thought； though with pretty good traffic manners pared to Europe。 Especially France and Italy 。 。 。 he shook off the thought and concentrated on the situation at hand。
Once the attack was pleted； they would reach the getaway vehicles in under ten minutes。 The way it was timed； Ned Clark would be waiting for them。 Miller pleted his mental run…through； satisfied that his plan； though a hasty one； was effective。
〃You're early；〃 Breckenridge said。
〃Yeah； well； I have a couple of mids ing in this afternoon to go over their term papers。 Any problem？〃 Jack took the Browning from his briefcase。
The Sergeant Major grabbed a box of 9mm rounds。 〃Nope。 Mondays are supposed to be screwed up。〃
Ryan walked to lane three and pulled the gun from the holster。 First he ejected the empty clip and pulled the slide back。 Next he checked the barrel for obstructions。 He knew the weapon was fine mechanically； of course； but Breckenridge had range…safety rules that were inviolable。 Even the Superintendent of the Academy had to follow them。
〃Okay； Gunny。〃
〃I think today we'll try rapid fire。〃 The Sergeant Major clipped the appropriate target on the rack； and the motorized pulley took it fifty feet downrange。 Ryan loaded five rounds into the clip。
〃Get your ears on； Lieutenant。〃 Breckenridge tossed the muff…type protectors。 Ryan put them on。 He slid the clip into the pistol and thumbed down the slide release。 The weapon was now 〃in battery；〃 ready to fire。 Ryan pointed it downrange and waited。 A moment later the light over the target snapped on。 Jack brought the gun up and set the black circle right on the top of his front sight blade before he squeezed。 Rapid…fire rules gave him one second per shot。 This was more time than it sounded like。 He got the first round off a little late； but most people did。 The gun ejected the spent case and Ryan pulled it down for the next shot； concentrating on the target and his sights。 By the time he counted to five； the gun was locked open。 Jack pulled off the ear protectors。
〃You're getting there； Lieutenant；〃 Breckenridge said at the spotting scope。 〃All in the black： a nine； four tens； one of 'em in the X…ring。 Again。〃
Ryan reloaded with a smile。 He'd allowed himself to forget how much fun a pistol could be。 This was a pure physical skill； a man's skill that carried the same sort of satisfaction as a just…right golf shot。 He had to control a machine that delivered a 。357…inch bullet to a precise destination。 Doing this required coordination of eye and hand。 It wasn't quite the same as using a shotgun or a rifle。 Pistol was much harder than either of those； and hitting the target carried a subintellectual pleasure that was not easily described to someone who hadn't done it。 His next five rounds were all tens。 He tried the two…hand Weaver stance； and placed four out of five in the X…ring； a circle half the diameter of the ten…ring； used for tie…breaking in petition shoots。
〃Not bad for a civilian；〃 Breckenridge said。 〃Coffee？〃
〃Thanks； Gunny。〃 Ryan took the cup。
〃I want you to concentrate a little more on your second round。 You keep letting that one go off to the right some。 You're rushing it a little。〃 The difference； Ryan knew； was barely two inches at fifty feet。 Breckenridge was a stone perfectionist。 It struck him that the Sergeant Major and Cathy had very similar personalities： either you were doing it exactly right or you were doing it pletely wrong。 〃Doc； it's a shame you got hurt。 You would have made a good officer； with the right sergeant to bring you along they all need that of course。〃
〃You know something； Gunny？ I met a couple of guys in London that you'd just love。〃 Jack slipped the magazine back into his automatic。
〃Ryan is rather a clever lad； isn't he？〃 Owens handed the document back to Murray。
〃Nothing really new in here；〃 Dan admitted； 〃but at least it's well organized。 Here's the other thing you wanted。〃
〃Oh； our friends in Boston。 How is Paddy O'Neil doing？〃 Owens was more than just annoyed at this。 Padraig O'Neil was an insult to the British parliamentary system； an elected mouthpiece for the Provisional IRA。 In ten years of trying； however； neither Owens' Anti…Terrorist Branch nor the Royal Ulster Constabulary had ever linked him to an illegal act。
〃Drinking a lot of beer； talking to a lot of folks； and raising a little money； just like always。〃 Murray sipped at his port。 〃We have agents following him around。 He knows they're there； of course。 If he spits on the sidewalk； we'll put him on the next bird home。 He knows that； too。 He hasn't broken a single law。 Even his driver the guy's a teetotaler。 I hate to say it； Jimmy； but the bum's clean； and he's making points。〃
〃Oh； yes； he's a charming one； Paddy is。〃 Owens flipped a page and looked up。 〃Let me see that thing your Rya