Tonight’s work requires that she carry an unusual amount of gear. That meant
careful planning and now requires methodical execution. Tikki takes her time, 
spends a few moments adjusting the fit of her gloves, black plastic ones that 
fit like a second skin. She moves to the rear of the van and takes a Walther 
XP-700 semiautomatic pistol from her compartmentalized duffel bag. The XP-700 is 
one of the few match-grade precision weapons that load more than one bullet at a 
time—five rounds via an integral magazine, and one directly into the firing
chamber. The weapon is loaded and ready to go.