Free A New World: Sanctuary by John O'Brien

and take measurements of the doors.   Looking at the hinges, it will be work getting them out but not impossible.   They are basically bolted into the thick concrete walls.   We’ll just have to make sure we have the right tools.   Those we gathered from the hanger should suffice.   And of course lots of people to lift them and something to transport them.
    Gonzalez and Henderson were based here prior so know the way to one of the firing ranges.   We drive that way with the sun slowly making its way across the western sky and me trying to will it to stop.   It doesn’t listen.   We manage to make our way to one of the ranges and park close to the firing line.   I step out and dust eddies around my boots as they hit the ground.   The range itself is surrounded by trees with the all-too-familiar dirt berm set up on the far end.   Several covered sheds dot the firing line with individual positions marked with small, white, box-like indicators.   The range itself is quite wide but the downrange targets are shorter, which is okay as our engagements have been short range ones and its best to sight in at the engagement distances we’ll be facing.
    I have everyone attach the aiming devices and make sure the suppressors are attached.   The M-4, as do others weapons, has a different ballistic trajectory with a suppressor attached so it’s important we sight in with them on.   We spread out on the firing line and I give a lesson on the operation of the aiming devices and SpectreDR sights.   I gather the spare carbines I threw in the Jeep and hand them to Nic, Bri, Michelle, and Mom.
    “Dad, what?”   Nic says holding the carbine.
    “You need to learn and I’ll be more comfortable knowing you have them and can use them.   I’ll show you how they work and the nuances,” I say assigning them places on the line next to the rest.   They had a small lesson with the M-16 back in Kuwait but I want them to become more proficient.   I hand the remaining spares to Kathy and Kenneth.   Little Robert is a little young to be handling a weapon of this size so I leave him out.
    I give the okay to commence firing.   The soft sound of suppressed rounds being fired on semi-automatic fills the air.   I make sure the girls’ and Mom’s carbines are set on semi and show them how to sight in using the SpectreDR – how to change the magnification and to make adjustments until the reticle is matched to the bullet impact point.   After getting the sights correct, I have them switch to the aiming device, setting it to the visual laser.   The infra-red laser will track the same point as the visual one.   I let them shoot through a couple of mags until they become comfortable firing the M-4.   I show them how to change magazines and to reload individual mags.
    Robert lies on the ground next to us, popping a round and then making an adjustment on the sight.   I see him fire a few rounds without stopping to adjust and then nod with satisfaction.   He goes through the same process with the aiming device attached to the top, front of the rail; nodding once again as he becomes satisfied with his settings.   With the girls now feeling somewhat comfortable, I kneel with Mike at my side and begin sighting in my own M-4.   We switch to the M-9’s and begin the sighting-in process again.   The sounds of firing eventually diminish and come to stop.
    “Everybody good?”   I ask in the ensuing silence.   A smattering of “good here” and nods answer.
    We disassemble and clean our guns, teaching how to break the weapons down and clean them to those that don’t know how, at covered tables set to along the rear of the long firing line.   Reassembling them, we pile back into the vehicles and chase the sun, beginning our journey out of the base and toward the Interstate south.   We retrace our route back to McChord wanting to go out of the gate there.   I would take the more direct route to the gates of Fort Lewis but I remember