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He‘d left his apartment in daylight the day before； taking the risk of being seen in his disreputable state in order to visit a Goodwill store； where he‘d found a bush jacket to go over his other clothing。 It was so oversize and threadbare that they hadn‘t charged for it。 Kelly had e to realize that disguising his size and physical conditioning was difficult； but that loose； shabby clothing did the trick。 He‘d also taken the opportunity to pare himself to the other patrons of the store。 On inspection his disguise seemed to be effective enough。 Though not the worst example of a street person； he certainly fit into the lower half； and the clerk who‘d handed over the bush jacket for free had probably done so as much to get him out of the building as to express passion for his state in life。 And wasn‘t that an improvement？ What would he have given in Vietnam to have been able to pass himself off as just another villager； and thus waited for the bad guys to e in？
He‘d spent the previous night continuing his reconnaissance。 No one had given him as much as a second look as he‘d moved along the streets； just one more dirty； smelly drunk； not even worth mugging； which had ended his concerns about being spotted for what he really was。 He‘d spent another five hours in his perch； watching the streets from the second…story bay windows of the vacant house。 Police patrols had turned out to be routine； and the bus noises far more regular than he‘d initially appreciated。
Finished with his exercises； he disassembled his pistol and cleaned it； though it hadn‘t been used since his return flight from New Orleans。 The same was done with the suppressor。 He reassembled both； checking the match…up of the parts。 He‘d made one small change。 Now there was a thin white painted line down the top of the silencer that served as a night…sight。 Not good enough for distance shooting； but he wasn‘t planning any of that。 Finished with the pistol； he loaded a round into the chamber and dropped the hammer carefully before slapping the clip into the bottom of the handgrip。 He‘d also acquired a Ka…Bar Marine bat knife in a surplus store； and while he‘d watched the streets the night before； he‘d worked the seven…inch Bowie…type blade across a whetstone。 There was something that men feared about a knife even more than a bullet。 That was foolish but useful。 The pistol and knife went into his waistband side by side in the small of his back； well hidden by the loose bulk of the dark shirt and bush jacket。 In one of the jacket pockets went a whiskey flask filled with tap water。 Four Snickers went on the other side。 Around his waist was a length of eight…gauge electrical wire。 In his pants pocket was a pail of Playtex rubber glovers。 These were yellow； not a good color for invisibility； but he‘d been unable to find anything else。 They did cover his hands without giving away much in feel and dexterity； and he decided to take them along。 He already had a pair of cotton work gloves in the car that he wore when driving。 After buying the car he‘d cleaned it inside and out； wiping every glass； metal； and plastic surface； hoping that he‘d removed every trace of fingerprints。 Kelly blessed every police show and movie he‘d even seen； and prayed that he was being paranoid enough about his every tactic。
What else？ he asked himself。 He wasn‘t carrying any ID。 He had a few dollars in cash in a wallet also obtained at Goodwill。 Kelly had thought about carrying more； but there was no point in it。 Water。 Food。 Weapons。 Rope…wire。 He‘d leave his binoculars home tonight。 Their utility wasn‘t worth the bulk。 Maybe he‘d get a set of pact ones … make a note。 He was ready。 Kelly switched on the TV and watched the news to get a weather forecast … cloudy； chance of showers； low around seventy…five。 He made and drank two cups of instant coffee for the caffeine； waiting for night to fall； which it presently did。
Leaving the apartment plex was； oddly enough； one of the most difficult parts of the exercise。 Kelly looked out the windows； his interior lights already off； making sure that there wasn‘t anyone out there； before venturing out himself。 Out the door of the building he stopped again； looking and listening before he walked directly to the Volkswagen； which he unlocked and entered。 At once he put on the work gloves； and only after that did he close the car‘s door and start the engine。 Two minutes after that he passed the place where he parked the Scout； wondering how lonely the car was now。 Kelly had selected a single radio station； playing contemporary music； soft rock and folk； just to have the pany of familiar noise as he drove south into the city。
Part of him was surprised at how tense it was； driving in。 As soon as he got there he settled down； but the drive in； like the insertion flight on a Huey； was the time in which you contemplated the unknown； and he had to tell himself to be cool； to keep his face in an impassive mien while his hands sweated a little inside the gloves。 He carefully obeyed every traffic law； observed all lights； and ignored the cars that sped past him。 Amazing； he thought； how long twenty minutes could seem。 This time he used a slightly different insertion route。 He‘d scouted the parking place the night before； two blocks from the objective … in his mind； the current tactical environment translated one block to a kilometer in the real jungle； a plementarity that made him smile to himself； briefly； as he pulled his car in behind someone‘s black 1957 Chevy。 As before； he left the car quickly； ducking into an alley for the cover of darkness and the assumption of his physical disguise。 Inside of twenty yards he was just one more shambling drunk。
‘Hey； dude！‘ a young voice called。 There were three of them； mid…to…late teens； sitting on a fence and drinking beer。 Kelly edged to the other side of the alley to maximize his distance； but that wasn‘t to be。 One of them hopped down off the fence and came towards him。
‘Whatcha lookin‘ for； bum？‘ the boy inquired with all the unfeeling arrogance of a young tough。 ‘Jesus； you sure do stink； man！ Dint your mama teach ya to wash？‘
Kelly didn‘t even turn as he cringed and kept moving。 This