CHAPTER 26The street was quiet at 1:30 a.m. when Bannister pulled into his garage. Despite the unusual hour, his home gym was beckoning. Too much pent-up energy. His fourth-degree black belt demanded consistent practice on his katas. His regular routine was twenty predetermined defenses and attacks against four imaginary opponents who could approach from any direction. He finished the workout by doing ten straight minutes of striking and kicking the heavy bag. The stress melted away as his muscles burned.
A long hot shower was followed with a cold glass of ice water. Before calling it a day, Bannister poured two fingers of single malt whisky from a bottle of eighteen-year-old Talisker and set the glass down next to the computer. Online he purchased a round-trip ticket from Atlanta to Los
