Go ahead, Ed said. Im gonna take a nap.

Hi, babe, Luke said as he hit the green button. He tried to put on a cheerful voice, more for her benefit than his own.

Luke?

Yeah, he said. Hi.

Sweetheart, its good to hear your voice, she said. Ive been worried about you, but I didnt want to call. Its been all over the television. Thats your case, right? The stolen nuclear materials?

Yes. It is.

How is it going?

Im off the case as of twenty minutes ago. Im actually on my way home.

Im glad to hear it. Is that good or bad?

Its office politics, I guess youd say. But itll definitely be nice to get back and put this night behind me. What are you up to?

Well, Gunner and I have decided to take the day off and have a play date. He had a lot of trouble getting back to sleep last night, and so did I. We want you here with us, Luke. We want you to quit that silly job once and for all. So I figured Gunner has missed a total of four days of school all year, and I have plenty of personal days, so why not call in as well?

Sure, Luke said. Why not? What are you guys going to do?

We were going to go downtown. I wanted to go to the Air and Space Museum, and he wanted to go to the Spy Museum, naturally.

Luke smiled. Of course.

But now with this whole terror thing, I dont know. Apparently theyre doubling security everywhere, especially tourist sites. Its kind of scary. So Im letting him sleep in for another hour, while I figure out something else to do. I guess well have a late breakfast and then… what? Go to the movies? I doubt the terrorists will attack a movie theater in the suburbs during a matinee. Right?

Now he almost laughed. Ah… yeah. I dont think theyd go to all this trouble if that was their target.

Maybe well go to the indoor climbing gym after that, then get some crab cakes for lunch.

It sounds like a nice day.

Should we wait for you? she said.

Id love to. But Im waiting for a helicopter. I cant predict when Ill get home. Anyway, I havent slept in twenty-four hours.

After they hung up, Luke closed his eyes and allowed himself to doze. Was Ed snoring next to him? It sure sounded like it. Luke imagined his future. The college semester was over now. He had taught a couple of adjunct classes, and he had enjoyed it. He could picture doing more of that, maybe going back for a masters degree, and picking up a full professorship somewhere. A man like him, a former 75th Rangers and Delta Force special operations commando with worldwide deployments and combat experience, a former FBI counter-terrorism agent, there would be a place for him.