off five quick shots.
“More?” Dugan asked.
“No, I’m good.”
Dugan brought the target in and changed it for a fresh one. Alex was happy to see that Deuce had landed all five shots within the large circle. Once the new target was in place, Deuce took aim again. This time he shot in bursts of two, until he finished the needed ten.
The target whizzed back. Nine shots within the circle, the tenth just barely outside.
“Dammit,” Deuce said. “Can I try again?”
“Nine’s passing,” Cooper told him.
“Yeah, but ten’s better.”
“Let’s just keep moving, shall we?”
Deuce took longer between shots with the rifle. This time he got credit for all ten.
“All right, you pass,” Dugan said. “Congratulations. Though you could use some work on tightening things up.”
Deuce grunted dismissively, but Dugan ignored him and gestured to Alex. “All right, ma’am, your turn.”
Alex switched places with Deuce, snatched up the nine, and reloaded. Once the target was twenty-five meters out, she moved into position and aimed down the barrel.
Dugan came up beside her. “Take as many practice shots as you want, ma’am.”
“That won’t be necessary,” she said.
“You sure? Don’t forget, it’s eight out of ten or you fail.”
She looked at him. “I’ll take my chances.”
That rueful smile came out again. “Just trying to be helpful.”
Alex eyed the target and immediately slipped into the zone, waiting for that moment when instinct and training became one—just as her father had taught her when she was thirteen years old. Then she pulled the trigger in steady succession— bam, bam, bam, bam, bam —until she finished her tenth shot.
Dugan was still smiling as he pushed the button to retrieve the target, but his condescending expression disappeared the moment he got a good look at what she had done.
Not only had she placed all ten shots within the large circle, every single one of them was contained within the much smaller circle in the center.
“I’d call that a pass,” Cooper said.
Dugan, looking considerably less cocksure than he had a moment ago, mounted a new target and sent it rushing down the range.
“It’s a combined test,” he said. “Still gotta pass the rifle.”
Alex picked up the M16. Though it had been years since she’d held one, its heft was familiar. She sighted down the range, and let off a single shot. Even at this distance, she could tell that while it was in the smaller circle, it had hit slightly off center. She compensated for the discrepancy with the sight, and shot off another round. This one was near perfect.
Eight shots later, she was done.
Once the target was back, Dugan looked at it, then at her. “I take it this isn’t your first time out.”
Alex removed the magazine from the rifle and popped the remaining bullet from the chamber. “I’ve had my share of practice. But most of the targets were shooting back.”
“She was also brigade champion for two years running,” Cooper told him. “Did I forget to mention that?”
Dugan leveled his gaze at Cooper. Without looking at Alex, he said, “You pass.” He folded up the target and walked back to the armory.
Deuce watched him go. “Guy’s kind of a prick, isn’t he?”
“Pretty much,” Cooper said.
Despite herself, Alex was smiling now. “I have to admit that was worth the trip. What’s up next?”
Cooper gestured toward the exit. “Time for your briefing.”
Chapter Seven
They went to a different building, about a quarter of the size of the previous one. It looked more like a cement bunker, and was tucked away in the trees, accessible only via a narrow path.
Inside, Cooper took them down to a room in the sub-basement two levels below ground, where McElroy and a young woman were waiting.
Though it was clearly a meeting room, it was nothing like the one they’d gathered in earlier. If the Stonewell property was, as Deuce had so delicately put it, a mercenary’s wet dream,
“More?” Dugan asked.
“No, I’m good.”
Dugan brought the target in and changed it for a fresh one. Alex was happy to see that Deuce had landed all five shots within the large circle. Once the new target was in place, Deuce took aim again. This time he shot in bursts of two, until he finished the needed ten.
The target whizzed back. Nine shots within the circle, the tenth just barely outside.
“Dammit,” Deuce said. “Can I try again?”
“Nine’s passing,” Cooper told him.
“Yeah, but ten’s better.”
“Let’s just keep moving, shall we?”
Deuce took longer between shots with the rifle. This time he got credit for all ten.
“All right, you pass,” Dugan said. “Congratulations. Though you could use some work on tightening things up.”
Deuce grunted dismissively, but Dugan ignored him and gestured to Alex. “All right, ma’am, your turn.”
Alex switched places with Deuce, snatched up the nine, and reloaded. Once the target was twenty-five meters out, she moved into position and aimed down the barrel.
Dugan came up beside her. “Take as many practice shots as you want, ma’am.”
“That won’t be necessary,” she said.
“You sure? Don’t forget, it’s eight out of ten or you fail.”
She looked at him. “I’ll take my chances.”
That rueful smile came out again. “Just trying to be helpful.”
Alex eyed the target and immediately slipped into the zone, waiting for that moment when instinct and training became one—just as her father had taught her when she was thirteen years old. Then she pulled the trigger in steady succession— bam, bam, bam, bam, bam —until she finished her tenth shot.
Dugan was still smiling as he pushed the button to retrieve the target, but his condescending expression disappeared the moment he got a good look at what she had done.
Not only had she placed all ten shots within the large circle, every single one of them was contained within the much smaller circle in the center.
“I’d call that a pass,” Cooper said.
Dugan, looking considerably less cocksure than he had a moment ago, mounted a new target and sent it rushing down the range.
“It’s a combined test,” he said. “Still gotta pass the rifle.”
Alex picked up the M16. Though it had been years since she’d held one, its heft was familiar. She sighted down the range, and let off a single shot. Even at this distance, she could tell that while it was in the smaller circle, it had hit slightly off center. She compensated for the discrepancy with the sight, and shot off another round. This one was near perfect.
Eight shots later, she was done.
Once the target was back, Dugan looked at it, then at her. “I take it this isn’t your first time out.”
Alex removed the magazine from the rifle and popped the remaining bullet from the chamber. “I’ve had my share of practice. But most of the targets were shooting back.”
“She was also brigade champion for two years running,” Cooper told him. “Did I forget to mention that?”
Dugan leveled his gaze at Cooper. Without looking at Alex, he said, “You pass.” He folded up the target and walked back to the armory.
Deuce watched him go. “Guy’s kind of a prick, isn’t he?”
“Pretty much,” Cooper said.
Despite herself, Alex was smiling now. “I have to admit that was worth the trip. What’s up next?”
Cooper gestured toward the exit. “Time for your briefing.”
Chapter Seven
They went to a different building, about a quarter of the size of the previous one. It looked more like a cement bunker, and was tucked away in the trees, accessible only via a narrow path.
Inside, Cooper took them down to a room in the sub-basement two levels below ground, where McElroy and a young woman were waiting.
Though it was clearly a meeting room, it was nothing like the one they’d gathered in earlier. If the Stonewell property was, as Deuce had so delicately put it, a mercenary’s wet dream,
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