Die Trying by Lee Child

that. Far as we’re concerned we love him, and we trust him to do

right.”

“What about Jackson?” Reacher asked. “You think he did right about

that?”

Ray shrugged.

“Jackson was a spy,” he said. “Shit like that happens. Beau’s studied

the history. It happened in 1776, right? Redcoats had spies all

over.

We hanged them then, just the same. Plenty of old ladies back east got

old oak trees in their front yards, famous for being where they strung

up the redcoat spies. Some of them charge you a buck and a half just

to take a look at them. I know, I went there once.”

“What time is lights-out here?” Reacher asked.

Ten o’clock,” Ray said. “Why?”

Reacher paused. Stared at him. Thought back over their conversation.

Gazed at his lean, mobile face. Looked into his crazy eyes, burning

deep under his brow.

“I got to be someplace else after lights-out,” Reacher said.

Ray laughed again.

“And you think I’m going to let you?” he said.

Reacher nodded.

“If you want to live,” he said.

Ray lifted the pistol off his thigh and pointed it one-handed at

Reacher’s head.

“I’m the one got the gun here,” he said.

“You wouldn’t live to pull the trigger,” Reacher said.

Trigger’s right here,” Ray said. “You’re all the way over there.”

Reacher waved him a listen-up gesture. Leaned forward and spoke

quietly.

“I’m not really supposed to tell you this,” he said. “But we were

warned we’d meet a few guys smarter than the average, and we’re

authorized to explain a couple of things to them, if the operational

circumstances make it advisable.”

“What circumstances?” Ray asked. “What things?”

“You were right,” Reacher said. “Most of the things you’ve said are

correct. A couple of inaccuracies, but we spread a little

disinformation here and there.”

“What are you talking about?” Ray asked.

Reacher lowered his voice to a whisper.

“I’m World Army,” he said. “Commander of the advance party. I’ve got

five thousand UN troops in the forest. Russians mostly, a few Chinese.

We’ve been watching you on the satellite surveillance. Right now,

we’ve got an X-ray camera on this hut. There’s a laser beam pointed at

your head. Part of the SDI technology.”

“You’re kidding,” Ray said.

Reacher shook his head. Deadly serious.

“You were right about the microchips,” he said. “Look at this.”

He stood up slowly and pulled his shirt up to his chest. Turned

slightly so Ray could see the huge scar on his stomach.

“Bigger than the modern ones,” he said. The latest ones go in with no

mess at all. The ones we put in the babies. But these old ones work

just the same. The satellites know where I am at all times, like you

said. You start to pull that trigger, the laser blows your head

off.”

Ray’s eyes were burning. He looked away from Reacher’s scar and

glanced nervously up at the roof.

“Suis pas american,” Reacher said. “Suis un sold at franfais, agent du

gouvernement mondial de puis plusieurs annees, parti en mission

clandestine ily a deux mois. Efaut evaluer I’element de risque que

votre ban de represent par id!

He spoke as fast as he could and ended up sounding exactly like an

educated Parisian woman. Exactly like he recalled his dead mother

sounding. Ray nodded slowly.

“You foreign?” he asked.

“French,” Reacher said. “We operate international brigades. I said

I’m here to check out the degree of risk you people represent to us.”

“I saw you shooting,” Ray said. “I spotted it. A thousand yards.”

“Guided by satellite,” Reacher said. “I told you, SDI technology,

through the microchip. We can all shoot two miles, perfect score every

time.”

“Christ,” Ray said.

“I need to be out in the open at ten o’clock,” Reacher said. “It’s a

safety procedure. You got a wife here?”

Ray nodded.

“What about kids?” Reacher asked. “Any of these kids yours?”

Ray nodded again.

“Sure,” he said. “Two boys.”

“If I’m not out by ten, they all die,” Reacher said. “If I get taken

prisoner, the whole place gets incinerated. Can’t afford for my

microchip to get captured. I told them you guys wouldn’t understand

how it works but my chief said some of you could be smarter than I