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〃And you're not going to carry that gun anymore；〃 she said hopefully。
〃Babe； I like shooting。 I forgot what fun a pistol can be。 I'm going to keep shooting at the Academy； but； no； I won't be wearing it anymore。〃
〃And the shotgun？〃
〃It hasn't hurt anybody。〃
〃I don't like it； Jack。 At least unload it； okay？〃 She walked off to the bedroom to change。
〃Okay。〃 It wasn't that important。 He'd keep the box of shells right next to the gun； on the top shelf of the closet。 Sally couldn't reach it。 Even Cathy had to stretch。 It would be safe there。 Jack reconsidered all his actions over the past three and a half weeks and decided that they had been worthwhile； really。 The alarm system on the house wasn't such a bad idea； and he liked his new 9mm Browning。 He was getting pretty good scores。 If he kept at it for a year； maybe he could give Breckenridge a run for his money。
He checked the oven。 Another ten minutes。 Next he turned up the TV。 The current segment on the MacNeil…Lehrer News Hour was I'll be damned。
〃Joining us from our affiliate WGBH in Boston is Padraig did I pronounce that right？ O'Neil； a spokesman for Sinn Fein and an elected member of the British Parliament。 Mr。 O'Neil； why are you visiting America at this time？〃
〃I and many of my colleagues have visited America many times； to inform the American people of the oppression inflicted upon the Irish people by the British government； the systematic denial of economic opportunity and basic civil rights； the total abrogation of the judicial process； and the continuing brutality of the British army of occupation against the people of Ireland；〃 O'Neil said in a smooth and reasonable voice。 He had done all this before。
〃Mr。 O'Neil；〃 said someone from the British Embassy in Washington； 〃is the political front…man for the Provisional Wing of the so…called Irish Republican Army。 This is a terrorist organization that is illegal both in Northern Ireland and in the Irish Republic。 His mission in the United States is； as always； to raise money so that his organization can buy arms and explosives。 This source of ine for the IRA was damaged by the cowardly attack against the Royal Family in London last year； and his reason for being here is to persuade Irish…Americans that the IRA had no part in that。〃
〃Mr。 O'Neil；〃 MacNeil said； 〃how do you respond to that？〃
The Irishman smiled at the camera as benignly as Bob Keeshan's Captain Kangaroo。 〃Mr。 Bennett； as usual； skirts over the legitimate political issues here。 Are Northern Ireland's Catholics denied economic and political opportunity yes； they are。 Have the legal processes in Northern Ireland been subverted for political reasons by the British government yes； they have。 Are we any closer to a political settlement of this dispute that goes back； in its modern phase； to 1969 no； I regret to say we are not。 If I am a terrorist； why have I been allowed into your country？ I am； in fact； a member of the British Parliament； elected by the people of my parliamentary district。〃
〃But you don't take your seat in Parliament；〃 MacNeil objected。
〃And join the government that is killing my constituents？〃
〃Jesus；〃 Ryan said； 〃what a mess。〃 He turned the TV off。
〃Such a reasonable man；〃 Miller said。 Alex's house was outside the D。C。 beltway。 〃Tell your friends how reasonable you are； Paddy。 And when you get to the pubs tonight； be sure to tell your friends that you have never hurt anyone who was not a genuine oppressor of the Irish people。〃 Sean watched the whole segment； then placed an overseas call to a pay phone outside a Dublin pub。
The next morning only five hours later in Ireland four men boarded a plane for Paris。 Neatly dressed； they looked like young executives traveling with their soft luggage to business appointments overseas。 At Charles de Gaulle International Airport they made connections to a flight to Caracas。 From there they flew Eastern Air Lines to Atlanta； and another Eastern flight to National Airport； just down the Potomac from the memorial to Thomas Jefferson。 The four were jet…lagged out and sick of airliner seats when they arrived。 They took an airport limousine to a local hotel to sleep off their travel shock。 The young businessmen checked out the next morning and were met by a car。
Chapter 14 Second Chances
There ought to be a law against Mondays； Ryan thought。 He stared at what had to be the worst way to start any day： a broken shoelace that dangled from his left fist。 Where were the spares？ he asked himself。 He couldn't ask Cathy； she and Sally had left the house ten minutes before on the way to Giant Steps and Hopkins。 Damn。 He started rummaging through his dresser drawers。 Nothing。 The kitchen。 He walked downstairs and across the house to the kitchen drawer that held everything that wasn't someplace else。 Hidden beneath the notepads and magnets and scissors he found a spare pair no； one white lace for a sneaker。 He was getting warmer。 Several minutes of digging later； he found something close enough。 He took one and left the other。 After all； shoelaces broke one at a time。
Next Jack had to select a tie for the day。 That was never easy； though at least he didn't have his wife around to tell him he'd picked the wrong one。 He was wearing a gray suit； and picked a dark blue tie with red stripes。 Ryan was still wearing white； button…down shirts made mostly of cotton。 Old habits die hard。 The suit jacket slid on neatly。 It was one of the suits Cathy had bought in England。 It was painful to admit that her taste in clothing was far better than his。 That London tailor wasn't too bad； either。 He smiled at himself in the mirror you handsome devil！ before heading downstairs。 His briefcase was waiting on the foyer table； full of the draft quizzes he'd be giving today。 Ryan took his overcoat from the closet； checked to see his keys were in the right pocket； got the briefcase； and went out the door。
〃Oops！〃 He unlocked the door and set the burglar alarm before going back outside。
Sergeant Major Breckenridge walked down the double line of Marines； and his long…practiced eyes didn't miss a thing。 One private had lint on his blue； high…necked blouse。 Another's shoes needed a little more work； and two needed haircuts； you could barely see their scalps under the quarter…inch hair。 All in all； there wasn't much to be displeased with。 Every one would have passed a normal inspection； but this wasn't a normal post； and normal rules didn't apply。 Breckenridge was not a screamer。 He'd gotten past that。 His remonstrations were more fatherly now。 They carried the force of a mand from God nevertheless。 He finished the inspection and dismissed the guard detail。 Several marched off to their gate posts。 Others rode in pickups to the more remote posts to relieve the current watch slanders at eight o'clock exactly。 Each Marine wore his dress blues and a white pistol belt。 Their pistols were kept at the posts。 They were unloaded； in keeping with the peaceful nature of their duty； but full clips of 。45 ACP cartridges were always nearby； in keeping with the nature of the Marines。
Did I really look forward to this？ It took all of Ryan's