Lee Child - Jack Reacher's Rules

“He knew people with houses. He had talked to them, with the same kind of detached interest he would talk to a person who kept snakes as pets or entered ballroom dancing competitions.”

Don’t use a phone. Especially not a smartphone. And especially not one with GPS to give away your location.

Don’t use a credit card; use cash.

Use aliases for checking in to motels.

“Now they broke my toothbrush, I don’t own anything.”

HOGAN’S ALLEY

WHAT

Where new FBI and DEA agents train to deal with mobsters, terrorists, and gunfights in a realistic simulated urban setting.

Built with the help of Hollywood set designers, it has a post office, the All-Med Pharmacy, a hotel, the Hogan Bank, a laundromat, a barber’s shop, the Dogwood Inn, several town houses, and the Biograph Theater.

WHERE

Occupies ten acres at the FBI training academy in Quantico, Virginia

HOW

In simulated hand-to-hand combat, shoot-outs, bank robberies, kidnapping, assaults, and carjackings, the trainee agents learn arrest procedures, street survival techniques, and control holds.

“We don’t teach them to fight fair, and we don’t start a fight.”

A liar usually has all the signs on display: gulps, false starts, stammers, and fidgets.

The memory center is in the left brain, the imagination in the right—so a glance to the left generally means they’re remembering things; to the right, they’re making stuff up.

They’ll avoid eye contact, and touch or scratch their noses or ears.

Truthful people are perfectly capable of saying no, but generally they stop and think about it first. The one who says no immediately is usually lying.

“I can lie with the best of them … sadly.”

LEARN TO READ THEIR BODY LANGUAGE

Q: Is he adjusting a cuff or watchstrap with his arm across his body?

A: He feels nervous and may have something to hide.

Q: Is he unconsciously covering his genitals?

A: He feels insecure in your company.

Q: Is she sitting with her legs crossed, dangling a shoe that is pointing at you?

A: She’s interested.

Q: Is he standing with his legs wide apart?

A: He’s getting ready to punch you.

“For a military cop, going into a bar is like a batter stepping up to the plate. It’s his place of business.”

Count the exits (there are usually three).

Work out which exits you can use.

Look at the crowd—where are the knots of trouble, who falls silent, who stares.

Look for weapons—antique revolvers, bottles, or—better—pool cues.

Stare everyone down.

Sit with your back to the wall, even if there are plenty of mirrors.

Call 911—the other guys are going to need an ambulance …

“It was a long, long time since he’d lost a two-on-one bar fight.”

A MEDLEY OF MILITARY ACRONYMS

ACUArmy Combat Uniform

ALICEAll-Purpose Lightweight Carrying Equipment

APFSDSArmor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot

ATFBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms

BDUBattle Dress Uniform

COSChief of Staff

CYACover Your Ass

DEADrug Enforcement Agency

DIADefense Intelligence Agency

DODDepartment of Defense

HETHeavy Equipment Transporter

HRTHostage Rescue Team

JAGJudge Advocate General

KIAKilled In Action

LAVLight Armored Vehicle

LGHLet’s Go Home

MASHMobile Army Surgical Hospital

MIAMissing In Action

MPBNMilitary Police Battalion

MREMeal, Ready to Eat

NCICNational Crime Information Center

PASGTPersonal Armor System, Ground Troops

PHPublic House

RIFReduction In Force

RPGRocket-Propelled Grenade

RTAFARotational Torque-Adjustable Fastener Applicators

SACSpecial Agent in Charge

SEALSea Air and Land (U.S. Navy SEALs)

SOCSpecial Operations Capable

SOPStandard Operating Procedure

SSDDSame Shit, Different Day

SWAGScientific Wild-Ass Guess

UNSUBUnknown Subject

USA PATRIOT ACTUniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act

WTFWhisky Tango Foxtrot …

RESPECT YOUR OPPONENT

“Dealing with morons … is like teaching Hindu to a beagle.”

“He was in no imminent danger of winning the Nobel Prize but definitely smarter than the average bear.”

“He wasn’t the crispest shirt in the closet.”

“You’re pretty good for an old guy.” “That’s how I got to be an old guy,” McGrath said.

“You have a message? Who from? The National Association of Assholes?”

“He’d fallen out of the ugly tree and hit every branch.”

“I nodded amiably at the two of them. I figured they had less than an hour to live.”

“Guys like these, they couldn’t find their own assholes if I gave them a mirror on a stick.”

“He was an observant man. He had made his living by noticing details. He was living because he noticed details.”

Think about everything you’ve seen and heard. Work the clues.