Jack was saved from a reply when Dennis broke ranks, turned around, and ran hell-bent for leather to skid to a stop when a small white van with the name TONY’S PIZZA painted on the side pulled to the curb. Cyrus barked but stayed next to Jack. All eyes were on Dennis as he peeled bills out of his pocket, snatched the Tony’s Pizza ball cap from the delivery driver, plopped it on his head, and grabbed the two large pizza boxes.

“Son of a bitch!” Jack seethed. “Hershel said he had an upset stomach from some iffy sushi, and here he is ordering two large pizzas. That kid is on the ball. C’mon, Harry, we need to move before something happens to that kid, who is just too damn smart for his own good. I totally missed that. Looks like you did too. Cyrus, slow and easy here. Quick now, we go up on the side so we’re out of range of the window. When Hershel opens the door to take the pies, that’s when we bust through. Cyrus, go in low but not on your belly. The guy probably has a gun, but he’ll be holding it waist high and not expecting you to go for his ankles, and yes sireee, you have my permission to go for the jewels if you can.” Cyrus started to shake with anticipation as he crept up the steps to stand behind Dennis. Jack swore later that the big dog was laughing at how easy this was turning out to be.

It all happened in slow motion and yet at the speed of light, was the way Jack later explained it to Ted, Maggie, and Espinosa.

Dennis held out the two large pizza boxes, shoving them against Hershel’s chest and driving him backward, then darting to the right as Jack took the left, with Cyrus snaking through Hershel’s wobbly legs. Hershel then fell to the floor and rolled out of the line of action. Harry took a flying leap upward and came down solidly on top of Meadows’s shoulders as Cyrus clamped his pearly whites on Meadows’s ankles. The gun, which was equipped with a sound suppresser, bounced across the room. Jack quickly picked it up and shoved it into the back of his cargo shorts. He looked around at the situation to see Dennis trying to scoop up the pizza from the foyer floor while Harry did some stretching exercises. Cyrus had all four legs planted on Meadows’s long, lean body, his teeth digging into his ankle.