“With all the babies born at the same time, I could probably coach my own team of ‘Little Monsters’.”
Now that was funny. The visions of Al running herd on Monster Squad offspring threw my imagination into overdrive. “Hold that thought. It will probably come true someday.”
“Next summer, can I go to summer camp with Jean and Sonny?”
I had heard about what went down at the last Jean and Sonny summer camp excursion. I knew Lora didn’t know anything about it, but I had a feeling Al did. “I don’t know about that.”
“What’s the harm, DL,” Lora asked. “Jean and Sonny are great kids. I don’t mind if Al tags along with them.”
I smiled at Al while Lora went to the sink. She did her hands clasped, contorted feature, pleading action. Al obviously knew I had been told about the last summer camp happenings involving kidnappers, kids near death, and Nick’s execution of the two kidnappers.
“I guess that would be okay. I think for a treat like summer camp with friends, even though it’s in the future, it should be good for at least a month free of Beeper.”
“It’s Justin Drew Bieber!” Al was not pleased. She pulled the Bieber out on us at the worst possible time… which for me was anytime.
I crossed my arms in a grinning wait for her decision.
“That’s blackmail!”
“Oh no! Not that! Take it or leave it, Princess Beeper.”
“I’ll take it… but there will be blood!”
*
Nick hit dead center on the targets with the throwing knives. Using both hands, Nick completed underhand tosses with enough power to sink the blades to the hilt while turning from his position facing away from the targets. He grinned at his pupils, Sonny and Jean, who were staring at the target in open mouthed wonder while Rachel laughed.
“Much like you throw a fast pitch softball, it becomes a matter of hand placement with eye coordination.” Nick repeated the throws, one after another, in more deliberate fashion. “After stationary target accomplishment, I’ll rig a moving sound type target. When you two can hit a moving target underhanded while facing away from target, your training in knives will be done, except of course for constant practice.”
“You hit targets with the knives dead center when your friend gave them to you, Dad.”
“I have a talent for remembered physical action, whether it is a killing stroke with the hand, sighting in a sniper rifle, or throwing expertise with the knives. My life depended on… say it with me, kids… planning, projection, and perfection.”
Jean and Sonny had repeated the mantra with him on cue. They knew better than to ignore their teacher’s direction. Nick stepped away. “First, take turns using your right hand in a softball fast-pitch type motion. I bet you two understand why I made you learn to fast pitch a softball with both hands now.”
“It would have been more exciting if you had explained why, Dad,” Jean mumbled.
“Part of training begins with unquestioned steps attaining expertise. I went into training with Lucas Blake after my being in Delta Force for years. I learned within a week, Lucas knew more about survival and combat tactics than I had learned in all the years leading to my working in clandestine operations. Casey Lambert, Clint Dostiene, and I were selected as operatives from nearly fifty applicants from all branches of the service, alphabet soup agencies, and law enforcement. Naturally, our language skills, combat experience, and demeanor had much to do with it. Lucas Blake refused to pass the unqualified. Part of why he got out of the training end had to do with his uncompromising knowledge of what it would take to stay alive in the business. He kept getting orders to tone his instruction down because he had the lowest number of applicants passing of all trainers. What do we learn from that, kids?”
“To be the best, you must train like the best,” both kids repeated the training cliché Nick instructed them in after learning they wanted more than a neat game to play.
“That’s the key,” Nick said. “I want you both in as many sports as is physically possible. Competition hones your skills and drive.”
The doorbell rang. Nick gestured for everyone to remain where they were, including Rachel and Quinn. “It’s probably either or both Gus and Johnny with their mates. I need to conference with Gus and Johnny, so I’ll send Tina and the Cleaner back here with all of you, unless Cleaner wants in on the op we’re going to do. I’m not sure if there would be a need for her on this Pilot Hill excursion.”
“She’s doing great with the piloting your new helicopter,” Rachel said. “How in hell did you get a UH-60M Blackhawk helicopter by the way, Muerto?”