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big a puzzle to Zack as were most married men in the office, Alex included.
    “There might not be much she can tell us,” David said, “but we need to see how she’s dealing with her strange surroundings.”
    “She still stable?”
    David nodded. “I’ll drive.”
    “Nope.” Zack snagged his jacket off the back of his chair. “Sorry, old man. I’ll drive. I’d like to get there today.”
    The playful barb missed David completely.
    “So how’s it work?” Zack asked once they were en route. Traffic was light as he maneuvered steadily through the busy D.C. traffic.
    “How does what work?”
    “You know, the whole Buddhist thing and being a sniper.” Zack had never asked before, but his curiosity got the best of him. Of all the agents on staff, David was the least prone to stress, anger, or emotion. The ability to control one’s emotions was a good skill set for a sniper. It just wasn’t one Zack employed twenty-four-seven. No. His peace of mind came from the sleek, black pearl Porsche he and David were cruising in. Pure pleasure, with four hundred and seventy-five horses under the hood, zero-to-sixty in three seconds if he put his foot in it, and a state of the art CDR audio system.
    David owned a Toyota, zero-to-sixty in — what? Five minutes? Even the clothes they wore defined them. David was all business, suited up and professional. Zack wore his usual. Jeans. Golf shirt. Leather jacket. He shot a sideways glance at his senior agent. David was married with a wife, four boys, and a home in the ’burbs. How on earth was that living? Boring with a capital D-U-L-L.
    Besides, could Zack help it if chicks liked that he was ex-military and built? He worked out. It showed. He liked that they liked. Plain and simple, he indulged the fairer gender, but he wasn’t stupid. Pleasure in all forms had its place. He just made sure it had enough room when it showed up and it knew when to leave. The biggest lesson he’d brought home from his many deployments around the globe was that life was short. Don’t screw it up.
    “Why do you ask?”
    “Guess I thought Buddhists were always peaceful,” Zack answered, “like the monks in the temples, all Zenned out or something.”
    “Even Buddha in his wisdom understood the need for strong and good soldiers.”
    There it was again, an unruffled way of listening and answering that Zack did not have and could not understand. “I guess the key word is good, huh?”
    David nodded. “You and I are not like most people around us. We truly understand peace because we’ve chosen to be good soldiers. We know what it means to fight for peace. You’re not so different from me.”
    Zack mulled David’s answer over as they pulled into the hospital zone. David made sense, but he was wrong. He and Zack were worlds apart.
    After parking at the curb, they entered the hospital, checked with the information desk, and made their way to the third level. An older woman with a touch of gray at her temples opened the door to the girl’s room.
    “I’m David Tao.” David extended a hand. “This is Zack Lennox.”
    “You must be the gentlemen who found our little girl.” She ushered them in. “I’m Claire Langley, the Family Services child advocate assigned to this poor little girl. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to meet you at the emergency room when you brought her in. I had a very busy day.”
    David nodded to Zack. “Zack here is the one who extracted her from the Tigers.”
    “Good morning, ma’am.” Zack accepted her handshake, but she didn’t release him. Instead, she clasped his hand in both of hers and pulled him a step closer.
    “You’re very brave,” Claire said, her kind blue eyes brimming with tears. “I’m so proud to know there are still good men like you in the world.”
    “Yes, ma’am.” He accepted her gratitude, but then she leaned in closer and wrapped her motherly arms around his shoulders. It was enough to make a grown man cry. He patted her back and