At the cliff’s edge, Peter said, “I’ll go first. As soon as I tug on the line, start down. Do not hesitate to shoot because they are civilians and we’re in West Virginia. These are very bad and dangerous people. The man I saw from Russia is not to be underestimated. He can shoot, think fast, and will have a plan to counter us as soon as he sees what is happening. Use the radio if you have to. We’ll keep the volume very low. After leaving the building, we’ll disable some vehicles and then hurry to the other end of the valley and set up a roadblock and ambush. Terry, get there when you can. I don’t want the Russian to escape. If you get a clear shot, take it. At least stop the vehicle.”

Standing on the valley floor waiting for Bernadette, Peter judged the cliff to be 90 or 100 feet. For them both to go back up the rope would take too much time if they were being pursued.

Bernadette slid to a stop at his side and said, “I like your kind of repelling. Buildings are harder and steeper.”

“Okay. Check your weapons quietly. Walk on my left side. Fire at targets only on your half of the circle. If it gets chaotic, shoot anywhere you have a target. It’s a good 100 yards to the cement block building. Let’s get started. If anyone questions your accent, just growl IRA and tell them to back off.

“Over here the IRA has a tougher image than they’ve earned in the last several years. Bombing civilian targets indiscriminately is not a thing to be proud of, no matter what the enemy has done. Killing non-combatants on purpose to deliver some kind of a message is pure terrorism. Later we can talk, but I want you to make a complete break. The cause is lost. Prior to the bombing of civilians, the IRA had a proud reputation. Now they are terrorists and thugs. Am I getting through to you?”

“Yes, but it’s more complicated than you seem to realize.”

“Let’s drop the subject, but keep chatting, makes us look more normal.”

“The building has no windows. How are we going to get in?”

“The lock is probably a good-quality dead bolt. I should be able to pick it.”

“Well, if you get into trouble, call me. I’ve some skill in the fine art of opening things.”

“Noted. We must fit in. At least five people have seen us reasonably close in the light provided by the pole lights on the perimeter.”

“Yes, I hear the generator loud and clear. When we get to the door, I’m going to unscrew the light over the door. Stand behind me. When I pick the door open, I’ll hood my flashlight and look around inside the door area. If I see nothing I’m going in. Back in behind me, close the door, and lock it.”

When Peter opened the door and stepped inside, Bernadette, following, softly closed and locked the door. There was no ambient light. Peter’s hooded flashlight created a small puddle of moving light. When they stopped moving, there was no sound. Peter whispered to Bernadette, “I think we are alone.”

“I’m not sure. It feels to me someone is in here besides us.”

Suddenly a loud voice said, “Who are you? You know no guns are allowed in this building. Don’t move. I’m turning on my flashlight. But first I want to hear you put your rifles on the floor. Do it!”

Bernadette put her rifle down loudly on the floor and said in a soft voice, “Put it down. Trust me.”

Peter’s rifle clanked on the cement floor. He noticed Bernadette had moved to his right a few paces. When the flashlight beam switched on and swung toward them, Peter saw that the man had a handgun pointed in their direction. The light and handgun centered on Peter. Just as he was going to say something, he heard a whirring noise and the flashlight clattered to the floor. Its owner was clutching his throat as he fell hard. A knife handle was protruding from the center of his throat. Peter switched on his light and said, “Where did that knife come from?”

“I told you I was good with a knife.”

As Peter watched, Bernadette walked over to her victim, pushed him on his back with her foot, pulled out her knife, and wiped it on the dead man’s jacket.

“You’re better than good. You’re phenomenal. Where do you keep the knife?”

“Up my sleeve or down my back just below my neckline. In this case I eased it out of my-behind-the-neck sheath as soon as this would-be guard opened his mouth. I could have taken him in the dark but I wouldn’t have been so accurate. The difference between a target just over six feet and one or several inches under six makes a difference. In the dark I couldn’t be sure.”

“How could you know you wouldn’t miss a quick-kill area?”

“Simple, I don’t miss.”

“You’re one scary lady. Remind me to never make you mad. Now, let’s see what is here. Stay with me. I don’t want to split up. This is a big building to search without good lighting. Did you hear what the dead guard said about no guns in here? Why would he say that?”

“You know why. They make bombs in here. This building has little or no ventilation. Probably afraid a gunshot would ignite the fumes that build up when making a bomb in an enclosed area.”

“What do you know about making bombs?”

“Never made one. Never been a part of a bombing operation, but I have heard stories.”

“What have you heard?”

“Getting ready-made explosives is very hard. So terrorists turn to making their own bombs. Fertilizer and diesel fuel are the principal ingredients. The hard parts are the detonator and timer.”

Back against the north wall they found more than a truckload of bagged fertilizer and a large above-ground tank of diesel fuel. Some distance away across the open-floored building they discovered a well-equipped electronic workbench with a number of remote devices. A further search turned up a gasoline-driven generator large enough to run the lights and power tools and a small ventilator fan high in the wall.

“Any ideas how to destroy this building and not us?” Peter asked.

“Fire. Spread some of the diesel around the fertilizer and use the gasoline to set it off as we get out of here. The fire and possible explosion will alert everyone minutes after we are out the door.”

Peter said, “Okay. Let’s do it. There are at least six five-gallon cans of gasoline near the generator. We’ll dump two on the fertilizer, one on the diesel tank. Without power for the tank’s pump, I don’t see how we can get the diesel fuel to flood the floor.”

“Not to worry. The gas is enough. The heat will ignite the diesel when the fire gets going.”