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Whatever¡¡the¡¡cause£»¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡Kelly¡¡had¡¡hardly¡¡considered¡¡the¡¡problem¡¡of¡¡drug¡¡use¡¡was¡¡both¡¡logical¡¡and¡¡absurd¡£¡¡He¡¡set¡¡all¡¡of¡¡that¡¡aside¡£¡¡However¡¡late¡¡he¡¡had¡¡learned¡¡about¡¡it£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡here¡¡before¡¡his¡¡eyes¡£
Down¡¡another¡¡street¡¡was¡¡a¡¡solo¡¡dealer¡¡who¡¡didn¡®t¡¡want£»¡¡need£»¡¡or¡¡have¡¡a¡¡lieutenant¡£¡¡He¡¡wore¡¡a¡¡striped¡¡shirt¡¡and¡¡had¡¡his¡¡own¡¡clientele¡£¡¡Kelly¡¡thought¡¡of¡¡him¡¡as¡¡Charlie¡¡Brown¡£¡¡Over¡¡the¡¡next¡¡five¡¡hours£»¡¡he¡¡identified¡¡and¡¡classified¡¡three¡¡other¡¡operations¡¡within¡¡his¡¡field¡¡of¡¡view¡£¡¡Then¡¡the¡¡selection¡¡process¡¡began¡£¡¡Archie¡¡and¡¡Jughead¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡doing¡¡the¡¡most¡¡business£»¡¡but¡¡they¡¡were¡¡in¡¡line¡¡of¡¡sight¡¡to¡¡two¡¡others¡£¡¡Charlie¡¡Brown¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡have¡¡his¡¡block¡¡entirely¡¡to¡¡himself£»¡¡but¡¡there¡¡was¡¡a¡¡bus¡¡stop¡¡only¡¡a¡¡few¡¡yards¡¡away¡£¡¡Dagwood¡¡was¡¡right¡¡across¡¡the¡¡street¡¡from¡¡the¡¡Wizard¡£¡¡Both¡¡had¡¡lieutenants£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡took¡¡care¡¡of¡¡that¡£¡¡Big¡¡Bob¡¡was¡¡even¡¡larger¡¡than¡¡Kelly£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡lieutenant¡¡was¡¡larger¡¡still¡£¡¡That¡¡was¡¡a¡¡challenge¡£¡¡Kelly¡¡wasn¡®t¡¡really¡¡looking¡¡for¡¡challenges¡¡¡¡¡yet¡£
I¡¡need¡¡to¡¡get¡¡a¡¡good¡¡map¡¡of¡¡the¡¡area¡¡and¡¡memorize¡¡it¡£¡¡Divide¡¡it¡¡into¡¡discrete¡¡areas£»¡¡Kelly¡¡thought¡£¡¡I¡¡need¡¡to¡¡plot¡¡bus¡¡lines£»¡¡police¡¡stations¡£¡¡Learn¡¡police¡¡shift¡¡times¡£¡¡Patrol¡¡patterns¡£¡¡I¡¡have¡¡to¡¡learn¡¡this¡¡area¡£¡¡a¡¡ten¡block¡¡radius¡¡ought¡¡to¡¡be¡¡enough¡£¡¡I¡¡can¡®t¡¡ever¡¡park¡¡the¡¡car¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡place¡¡twice£»¡¡no¡¡one¡¡parking¡¡place¡¡even¡¡visible¡¡from¡¡another¡£
You¡¡can¡¡hunt¡¡a¡¡specific¡¡area¡¡only¡¡once¡£¡¡That¡¡means¡¡you¡¡have¡¡to¡¡be¡¡careful¡¡whom¡¡you¡¡select¡£¡¡No¡¡movement¡¡on¡¡the¡¡street¡¡except¡¡in¡¡darkness¡£¡¡Get¡¡a¡¡backup¡¡weapon¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡not¡¡a¡¡gun¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡a¡¡knife£»¡¡a¡¡good¡¡one¡£¡¡A¡¡couple¡¡lengths¡¡of¡¡rope¡¡or¡¡wire¡£¡¡Gloves£»¡¡rubber¡¡ones¡¡like¡¡women¡¡use¡¡to¡¡wash¡¡dishes¡£¡¡Another¡¡thing¡¡to¡¡wear£»¡¡like¡¡a¡¡bush¡¡jacket£»¡¡something¡¡with¡¡pockets¡¡¡¡¡no£»¡¡something¡¡with¡¡pockets¡¡on¡¡the¡¡inside¡£¡¡A¡¡water¡¡bottle¡£¡¡Something¡¡to¡¡eat£»¡¡candy¡¡bars¡¡for¡¡energy¡£¡¡More¡¡chewing¡¡gum¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡maybe¡¡bubble¡¡gum£¿¡¡Kelly¡¡thought£»¡¡allowing¡¡himself¡¡some¡¡levity¡£¡¡He¡¡checked¡¡his¡¡watch£º¡¡three¡twenty¡£
Things¡¡were¡¡slowing¡¡down¡¡out¡¡there¡£¡¡Wizard¡¡and¡¡his¡¡number¡two¡¡walked¡¡away¡¡from¡¡their¡¡piece¡¡of¡¡sidewalk£»¡¡disappearing¡¡around¡¡a¡¡corner¡£¡¡Dagwood¡¡soon¡¡did¡¡the¡¡same£»¡¡getting¡¡right¡¡into¡¡his¡¡car¡¡while¡¡his¡¡lieutenant¡¡drove¡£¡¡Charlie¡¡was¡¡gone¡¡the¡¡next¡¡time¡¡he¡¡looked¡£¡¡That¡¡left¡¡Archie¡¡and¡¡Jughead¡¡to¡¡his¡¡south£»¡¡and¡¡Big¡¡Bob¡¡to¡¡the¡¡west£»¡¡both¡¡still¡¡making¡¡sporadic¡¡sales£»¡¡many¡¡of¡¡them¡¡still¡¡to¡¡upscale¡¡clients¡£¡¡Kelly¡¡continued¡¡to¡¡watch¡¡for¡¡another¡¡hour£»¡¡until¡¡Arch¡¡and¡¡Jug¡¡were¡¡the¡¡last¡¡to¡¡call¡¡it¡¡quits¡¡for¡¡the¡¡night¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡and¡¡they¡¡disappeared¡¡rather¡¡fast£»¡¡Kelly¡¡thought£»¡¡not¡¡sure¡¡how¡¡they¡®d¡¡done¡¡it¡£¡¡Something¡¡else¡¡to¡¡check¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡stiff¡¡when¡¡he¡¡rose£»¡¡and¡¡made¡¡another¡¡note¡¡on¡¡that¡£¡¡He¡¡shouldn¡®t¡¡sit¡¡still¡¡so¡¡much¡£¡¡His¡¡dark¡accustomed¡¡eyes¡¡watched¡¡the¡¡stairs¡¡as¡¡he¡¡descended£»¡¡as¡¡quietly¡¡as¡¡he¡¡could£»¡¡for¡¡there¡¡was¡¡activity¡¡in¡¡the¡¡house¡¡next¡¡door¡£¡¡Fortunately£»¡¡the¡¡rats¡¡were¡¡gone£»¡¡too¡£¡¡Kelly¡¡looked¡¡out¡¡the¡¡back¡¡door£»¡¡and¡¡finding¡¡the¡¡alley¡¡empty£»¡¡walked¡¡away¡¡from¡¡the¡¡house£»¡¡keeping¡¡his¡¡pace¡¡to¡¡that¡¡of¡¡a¡¡drunk¡£¡¡Ten¡¡minutes¡¡later¡¡his¡¡car¡¡was¡¡in¡¡sight¡£¡¡Fifty¡¡yards¡¡away£»¡¡Kelly¡¡realized¡¡that¡¡he¡®d¡¡unthinkingly¡¡parked¡¡the¡¡car¡¡close¡¡to¡¡a¡¡street¡light¡£¡¡That¡¡was¡¡a¡¡mistake¡¡not¡¡to¡¡be¡¡repeated£»¡¡he¡¡reproached¡¡himself£»¡¡approaching¡¡slowly¡¡and¡¡drunkenly¡¡until¡¡he¡¡was¡¡within¡¡a¡¡car¡¡length¡£¡¡Then£»¡¡first¡¡checking¡¡up¡¡and¡¡down¡¡the¡¡now¡vacant¡¡street£»¡¡he¡¡got¡¡in¡¡quickly£»¡¡started¡¡the¡¡engine£»¡¡and¡¡pulled¡¡away¡£¡¡He¡¡didn¡®t¡¡flip¡¡on¡¡the¡¡headlights¡¡until¡¡he¡¡was¡¡two¡¡blocks¡¡away£»¡¡turning¡¡left¡¡and¡¡reentering¡¡the¡¡wide¡¡vacant¡¡corridor£»¡¡leaving¡¡the¡¡not¡so¡imaginary¡¡jungle¡¡and¡¡heading¡¡north¡¡towards¡¡his¡¡apartment¡£
In¡¡the¡¡renewed¡¡fort¡¡and¡¡safety¡¡of¡¡his¡¡car¡¡he¡¡went¡¡over¡¡everything¡¡he¡®d¡¡seen¡¡in¡¡the¡¡past¡¡nine¡¡hours¡£¡¡The¡¡dealers¡¡were¡¡all¡¡smokers£»¡¡igniting¡¡their¡¡cigarettes¡¡with¡¡what¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡Zippo¡¡lighters¡¡whose¡¡bright¡¡flames¡¡would¡¡injure¡¡their¡¡night¡¡vision¡£¡¡The¡¡longer¡¡the¡¡night¡¡got£»¡¡the¡¡less¡¡business¡¡there¡¡was¡¡and¡¡the¡¡sloppier¡¡they¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡bee¡£¡¡They¡¡were¡¡human¡£¡¡They¡¡got¡¡tired¡£¡¡Some¡¡stayed¡¡out¡¡longer¡¡than¡¡others¡£¡¡Everything¡¡he¡®d¡¡seen¡¡was¡¡useful¡¡and¡¡important¡£¡¡In¡¡their¡¡operating¡¡characteristics£»¡¡and¡¡especially¡¡in¡¡their¡¡differences£»¡¡were¡¡their¡¡vulnerabilities¡£
It¡¡had¡¡been¡¡a¡¡fine¡¡night£»¡¡Kelly¡¡thought£»¡¡passing¡¡the¡¡city¡®s¡¡baseball¡¡stadium¡¡and¡¡turning¡¡left¡¡onto¡¡Loch¡¡Raven¡¡Boulevard£»¡¡relaxing¡¡finally¡£¡¡He¡¡even¡¡considered¡¡a¡¡sip¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wine£»¡¡but¡¡this¡¡wasn¡®t¡¡the¡¡time¡¡to¡¡indulge¡¡in¡¡any¡¡bad¡¡habits¡£¡¡He¡¡removed¡¡his¡¡wig£»¡¡wiping¡¡away¡¡the¡¡sweat¡¡it¡¡had¡¡caused¡£¡¡Jesus£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡thirsty¡£
He¡¡addressed¡¡that¡¡need¡¡ten¡¡minutes¡¡later£»¡¡having¡¡parked¡¡his¡¡car¡¡in¡¡the¡¡proper¡¡place¡¡and¡¡made¡¡his¡¡way¡¡quietly¡¡into¡¡the¡¡apartment¡£¡¡He¡¡looked¡¡longingly¡¡at¡¡the¡¡shower£»¡¡needing¡¡the¡¡clean¡¡feeling¡¡after¡¡being¡¡surrounded¡¡by¡¡dust¡¡and¡¡squalor¡¡and¡¡¡£¡£¡£¡¡rats¡£¡¡That¡¡final¡¡thought¡¡made¡¡him¡¡shudder¡£¡¡Fucking¡¡rats£»¡¡he¡¡thought£»¡¡filling¡¡a¡¡large¡¡glass¡¡with¡¡ice£»¡¡then¡¡adding¡¡tap¡¡water¡£¡¡He¡¡followed¡¡it¡¡with¡¡several¡¡more£»¡¡using¡¡his¡¡free¡¡hand¡¡to¡¡strip¡¡off¡¡his¡¡clothing¡£¡¡The¡¡air¡¡conditioning¡¡felt¡¡wonderful£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡stood¡¡in¡¡front¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wall¡¡unit£»¡¡letting¡¡the¡¡chilled¡¡air¡¡wash¡¡over¡¡his¡¡body¡£¡¡All¡¡this¡¡time£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡didn¡®t¡¡need¡¡to¡¡urinate¡£¡¡Had¡¡to¡¡take¡¡water¡¡with¡¡him¡¡from¡¡now¡¡on¡£¡¡Kelly¡¡took¡¡a¡¡package¡¡of¡¡lunch¡¡meat¡¡from¡¡the¡¡refrigerator¡¡and¡¡made¡¡two¡¡thick¡¡sandwiches£»¡¡chased¡¡down¡¡by¡¡another¡¡pint¡¡of¡¡ice¡¡water¡£
Need¡¡a¡¡shower¡¡bad£»¡¡he¡¡told¡¡himself¡£¡¡But¡¡he¡¡couldn¡®t¡¡allow¡¡himself¡¡one¡£¡¡He¡®d¡¡have¡¡to¡¡get¡¡used¡¡to¡¡the¡¡feeling¡¡of¡¡a¡¡sticky£»¡¡plasticlike¡¡coating¡¡all¡¡over¡¡his¡¡body¡£¡¡He¡®d¡¡have¡¡to¡¡like¡¡it£»¡¡cultivate¡¡it£»¡¡for¡¡in¡¡that¡¡was¡¡a¡¡part¡¡of¡¡his¡¡personal¡¡safety¡£¡¡His¡¡grime¡¡and¡¡odor¡¡were¡¡part¡¡of¡¡his¡¡disguise¡£¡¡His¡¡looks¡¡and¡¡smell¡¡had¡¡to¡¡make¡¡people¡¡look¡¡away¡¡from¡¡him£»¡¡to¡¡avoid¡¡ing¡¡too¡¡close¡£¡¡He¡¡couldn¡®t¡¡be¡¡a¡¡person¡¡now¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a¡¡street¡¡creature£»¡¡shunned¡£¡¡Invisible¡£¡¡The¡¡beard¡¡was¡¡even¡¡darker¡¡now£»¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡in¡¡the¡¡mirror¡¡before¡¡heading¡¡to¡¡the¡¡bedroom£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡last¡¡decision¡¡of¡¡the¡¡day¡¡was¡¡to¡¡sleep¡¡on¡¡the¡¡floor¡£¡¡He¡¡couldn¡®t¡¡dirty¡¡up¡¡new¡¡sheets¡£
C15
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡CHAPTER¡¡15
Lessons¡¡Applied
Hell¡¡began¡¡promptly¡¡at¡¡eleven¡¡that¡¡morning£»¡¡though¡¡Colonel¡¡Zacharias¡¡had¡¡no¡¡way¡¡of¡¡knowing¡¡the¡¡time¡£¡¡The¡¡tropical¡¡sun¡¡seemed¡¡always¡¡to¡¡be¡¡overhead£»¡¡beating¡¡mercilessly¡¡down¡£¡¡Even¡¡in¡¡his¡¡windowless¡¡cell¡¡there¡¡was¡¡no¡¡escaping¡¡it£»¡¡any¡¡more¡¡than¡¡he¡¡could¡¡escape¡¡the¡¡insects¡¡that¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡thrive¡¡on¡¡the¡¡heat¡£¡¡He¡¡wondered¡¡how¡¡anything¡¡could¡¡thrive¡¡here£»¡¡but¡¡everything¡¡that¡¡did¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡something¡¡that¡¡hurt¡¡or¡¡offended¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡was¡¡as¡¡concise¡¡a¡¡definition¡¡of¡¡hell¡¡as¡¡anything¡¡he¡®d¡¡learned¡¡in¡¡the¡¡temples¡¡of¡¡his¡¡youth¡£¡¡Zacharias¡¡had¡¡been¡¡trained¡¡for¡¡possible¡¡capture¡£¡¡He¡®d¡¡been¡¡through¡¡the¡¡survival£»¡¡evasion£»¡¡resistance£»¡¡and¡¡escape¡¡course£»¡¡called¡¡SERE¡¡School¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡something¡¡you¡¡had¡¡to¡¡do¡¡if¡¡you¡¡flew¡¡airplanes¡¡for¡¡a¡¡living£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡was¡¡purposefully¡¡the¡¡most¡¡hated¡¡thing¡¡in¡¡the¡¡military¡¡because¡¡it¡¡did¡¡things¡¡to¡¡otherwise¡¡pampered¡¡Air¡¡Force¡¡and¡¡Navy¡¡officers¡¡that¡¡Marine¡¡drill¡¡instructors¡¡would¡¡have¡¡quailed¡¡at¡¡¡¡¡things¡¡which¡¡were£»¡¡in¡¡any¡¡other¡¡context£»¡¡deeds¡¡worthy¡¡of¡¡a¡¡general¡¡court¡martial¡¡followed¡¡by¡¡a¡¡lengthy¡¡term¡¡at¡¡Leavenworth¡¡or¡¡Portsmouth¡£¡¡The¡¡experience¡¡for¡¡Zacharias£»¡¡as¡¡for¡¡most¡¡others£»¡¡had¡¡been¡¡one¡¡he¡¡would¡¡never¡¡willingly¡¡repeat¡£¡¡But¡¡his¡¡current¡¡situation¡¡was¡¡not¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡volition¡¡either£»¡¡was¡¡it£¿¡¡And¡¡he¡¡was¡¡repeating¡¡SERE¡¡School¡£
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