Page 203 of Rising Heat

“He almost punched me first.”

Tyler snorts.

“Because you corrected him in front of the whole class.”

Darcy’s already smiling.

“Guy spends twenty minutes demonstrating a forcible-entry technique,” Tyler says. “Whole class is standing there taking notes while I can feel Mack getting more annoyed by the second.”

“He was teaching it wrong.”

Tyler glances at Darcy.

“He made it about three minutes before he couldn’t help himself.”

“I asked a question.”

“You challenged the instructor.”

“I asked if he’d actually used that technique on a real call.”

“And what’d he say?”

“Said he had.”

“So I asked how many doors.”

Tyler laughs into his beer.

“The captain tells him, ’That’s enough.’”

I shrug.

“It was a valid question.”

Tyler shakes his head.

“So then Mack looks this captain dead in the eye and says, ’Respectfully, I don’t think that’s why it worked.’”

Darcy drops her head, giggling.

“Oh my God.”

“The room went dead quiet,” Tyler says. “I’m standing next to him thinking, well, it was a good run.”

“I wasn’t trying to embarrass him.”

“What happened?” Darcy asks.

“The captain didn’t say anything,” Tyler says. “Just walked over, handed Mack the halligan and told him to show the class.”

I can still remember how quiet the room got.

“I did.”

Tyler nods.

“One hit.”