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The train slowed to a stop。 He walked up the steps； and there were a few cabs topside。 Jack imagined they had the train schedule memorized。
〃Good evening； Sir John。〃 Jack saw it was Ed Beaverton； his morning pickup。
〃Hi； Ed。 You know；〃 Ryan said； getting into the front seat for a change。 Better legroom。 〃My name is actually Jack。〃
〃I can't call you that；〃 Beaverton objected。 〃You're a knight。〃
〃Only honorary； not a real one。 I do not own a sword…well； only my Marine Corps one； and that's back home in the States。〃
〃And you were a lieutenant； and I was only a corporal。〃
〃And you jumped out of airplanes。 Damned if I ever did anything that stupid； Eddie。〃
〃Only twenty…eight times。 Never broke anything；〃 the taxi driver reported； turning up the hill。
〃Not even an ankle？〃
〃Just a sprain or two。 The boots help with that； you see；〃 the cabbie explained。
〃I haven't learned to like flying yet…damned sure I'll never jump out of an airplane。〃 No； Jack was sure； he never would have opted for Force Recon。 Those Marines just weren't wired right。 He'd learned the hard way that flying over the beach in helicopters was scary enough。 He still had dreams about it…the sudden sensation of falling； and seeing the ground rush up…but he always woke up just before impact； usually lurching up to a sitting position in the bed and then looking around the darkened bedroom to make sure he wasn't in that damned CH… 46 with a bad aft rotor； falling to the rocks on Crete。 It was a miracle that he and a lot of his Marines hadn't been killed。 But his had been the only major injury。 The rest of his platoon had gotten away with nothing worse than sprains。
Why the hell are you thinking about that？ he demanded of himself。 It was more than eight years in his past。
They were pulling up in front of the house in Grizedale Close。 〃Here we are； sir。〃
Ryan handed him his fare； plus a friendly tip。 〃The name's Jack； Eddie。〃
〃Yes； sir。 I'll see you in the morning。〃
〃Roger that。〃 Ryan walked off； knowing he'd never win that battle。 The front door was unlocked in anticipation of his arrival。 His tie went first； as he headed to the kitchen。
〃Daddy！〃 Sally fairly screamed； as she ran to his arms。 Jack scooped her up and gave and got a hug。 〃How's my big girl？〃
〃Fine。〃
Cathy was at the stove； fixing dinner。 He set Sally down and headed to his wife for a kiss。 〃How is it；〃 her husband asked； 〃that you're always home first？ At home you're usually later。〃
〃Unions；〃 she replied。 〃Everybody clocks out on time here； and 'on time' is usually pretty early…not like Hopkins。〃 Where； she didn't add； just about everyone on the professional staff worked late。
〃Must be nice to work bankers' hours。〃
〃Even dad doesn't leave his office this early； but everybody over here does。 And lunch means a full hour…half the time away from the hospital。 Well； 〃 she allowed； 〃the food's a little better that way。〃
〃What's for dinner？〃
〃Spaghetti。〃 And Jack saw that the pot was full of her special meat sauce。 He turned to see a baguette of French bread on the counter。
〃Where's the little guy？〃
〃Living room。〃
〃Okay。〃 Ryan headed that way。 Little Jack was in his crib。 He'd just mastered sitting up…it was a little early for that； but that was fine with his dad。 Around him was a collection of toys； all of which found their way into his mouth。 He looked up to see his father and managed a toothless smile。 Of course； that merited a pickup； which Jack acplished。 His diaper felt dry and fresh。 Doubtless； Miss Margaret had changed him before scooting off…as always； before Jack made it home from the shop。 She was working out fairly well。 Sally liked her； and that was the important part。 He set his son back down； and the little guy resumed playing with a plastic rattle and watching the TV…especially the mercials。 Jack went off to the bedroom to change into more fortable clothes； then back to the kitchen。 Then the doorbell chimed； much to everyone's surprise。 Jack went to answer it。
〃Dr。 Ryan？〃 the voice asked in American English。 It was a guy of Ryan's height and general looks； dressed in a jacket and tie； holding a large box。
〃That's right。〃
〃I got your STU for you； sir。 I work ms at the embassy；〃 the guy explained。 〃Mr。 Murray said I should bring this right over。〃
The box was a cardboard cube about two and a half feet on a side； and blank； with no printing on it。 Ryan let the man into the house and led him directly to his den。 It took about three minutes to extract the oversized phone from the box。 It went next to Jack's Apple IIe puter。
〃You're NSA？〃 Ryan asked。
〃Yes； sir。 Civilian。 Used to be in the Army Security Agency； E…5。 Got out and got a pay increase as a civilian。 Been over here two years。 Anyway； here's your encryption key。〃 He handed over the plastic device。 〃You know how these things work； right？〃
〃Oh yeah。〃 Ryan nodded。 〃Got one on my desk downtown。〃
〃So you know the rules about this。 If anything breaks； you call me〃…he handed over his card…〃and nobody but me or one of my people is allowed to look at the inside。 If that happens； the system self…destructs； of course。 Won't start a fire or anything； but it does stink some； 'cause of the plastic。 Anyway； that's it。〃 He broke down the box。
〃You want a Coke or anything？〃
〃No； thanks。 Gotta get home。〃 And with that； the munications expert walked back out the door to his car。
〃What was that； Jack？〃 Cathy asked from the kitchen。
〃My secure phone；〃 Jack explained； returning to his wife's side。
〃What's that for？〃
〃So I can call home and talk to my boss。〃
〃Can't you do that from the office？〃
〃There's the time difference and； well； there are some things I can't talk about there。〃
〃Secret…agent stuff；〃 she snorted。
〃That's right。〃 Just like the pistol he had in his closet。 Cathy accepted the presence of his Remington shotgun with some equanimity…he used it for hunting； and she was prepared to tolerate that； since you could cook and eat the birds； and the shotgun was unloaded。 But she was less fortable with a pistol。 And so； like civilized married people； they didn't talk about it； so long as it was well out of Sally's reach； and Sally knew that her father's closet was off…limits。 Ryan had gotten fond of his Browning Hi…Power 9mm automatic； which was loaded with fourteen Federal hollow point cartridges and two spare magazines； plus tritium match sights and custom…made grips。 If he ever needed a pistol again； this would be the one。 He'd have to find a place to practice shooting； Ryan reminded himself。 Maybe the nearby Royal Navy base had a range。 Sir Basil could probably make a phone call and straighten it out。 As an honorary knight； he didn't own a sword； but a pistol was the modern equivalent； and it could be a useful tool on occasion。
So could a corkscrew。 〃Chianti？〃 Ryan asked。
Cathy turned。 〃Okay； I don't have anything scheduled for tomorrow。〃
〃Cath； I've never understood what a glass or two of wine tonight would have to do with surgery tomorrow…it's ten or twelve hours away。〃
〃Jack； you don't mix alcohol with surgery；〃 she explained patiently。 〃Okay？ You don't drink and drive。 You don't drink and cut； either。 Not ever。 Not once。〃
〃Yes； doctor。 So tomorrow you just set glasses prescriptions for people？〃
〃Uh…huh； simple day。 How about you？〃
〃Nothing important。 Same crap； different day。〃
〃I don't know how you stand it。〃
〃Well； it's interesting； secret crap； and you have to be a spook to understand it。〃
〃Right。〃 She poured the spaghetti sauce into a bowl。 〃Here。〃
〃I haven't got the wine open yet。〃
〃So work faster。〃
〃Yes； Professor the Lady Ryan；〃 Jack responded； taking the bowl of sauce and setting it on the table。 Then he pulled the cork out of the Chianti。
Sally was too big a girl for a high chair but still small enough for a booster seat； which she carried to the chair herself。 Since the dinner was 〃pisgetty；〃 her father tucked the cloth napkin into her collar。 The sauce would probably get to her pants anyway； but it would teach his little girl about napkins； and that； Cathy thought； was important。 Then Ryan poured the wine。 Sally didn't ask fo