wrong!"
"He had Chrysalis killed!"
The two men were nose to nose, breathing in sharp angry pants.
"I demand evidence of wrong doing." Hiram pounded his fist into his palm.
"That's evidence," Ackroyd howled, pointing again to the screen.
Tachyon shouted, "Stop it! Stop it!", Hiram's hands closed on Tachyon's shoulders. "You go to him. Talk to him. There may be some logical explanation. Think of all the good he's done-"
"Oh, yeah." Sarcasm lay like acid on the words. Ackroyd took another long pull at the flask.
"Think of what we stand to lose," Hiram cried.
"So he'll just lie to Tachyon. Where the hell does that get us?"
"He cannot lie to me." Hiram's hands dropped from his shoulders, and the big ace fell back a step. Tach drew himself up to his full, if inconsequential, height. Dignity and command wrapped like a cloak about him. "If I go to him, you know what I will do." Hiram's eyes were filled with dumb misery, but he nodded slowly. "Will you accept the truth of what I read in his mind?"
"Yes."
"Even though it is inadmissible in a court of law?"
"Yes. "
The alien whirled on Jay. "As for you, Mr. Ackroyd, take the jacket. Destroy it."
"Hey, that's our only proof!"
"Proof? Are you really suggesting that we publicize this? Think ... what we hold could spell the ruin of every wild card in America."
"But he killed Chrysalis, and if we don't nail him Elmo takes the fall."
Tachyon dragged his fingers through his hair, nails digging deep into his scalp. "Damn you, damn you, damn you." "Look, it's not my fault. But I'm damned if I'm going to agree to some sleazy little deal that lets Chrysalis's murderer walk."
"I swear to you upon my honor and blood that I will not let Elmo suffer."
"Yeah? What are you going to do?"
"I don't know yet!" Tachyon turned off the microscope with a vicious jab, carried the slide to the basin and washed the blood-stained fibers down the drain.
Hiram fell into step next to him as the alien headed for the door. Tach laid a hand on his chest.
"No, Hiram. I must do this alone."
"And if he's got Buzz Saw Boy, waiting for you?" asked Jay. "That is the risk I must take."
7:00 P.M.
Spector thumbed the plastic SPECIAL VISITORS badge on his lapel and laughed quietly to himself. Earlier in the week, he would have killed until he was waist deep in bodies to get one of these. Now, he didn't need it anymore. Life was fucking like that.
Hartmann's floor was surprisingly quiet. He'd expected wall-to-wall aides and Secret Service. Spector pulled out Tony's room key and counted off the room numbers in his head. He figured it was time to get out of the country. Australia, maybe, or some other place where they spoke something that resembled English. He stopped in front of Tony's door and inserted the key. As he pushed in, he felt someone pulling it open from the other side.
Spector took a step back. A joker wearing Secret Service gear looked at his visitor's badge and motioned him in. The joker was tall and wiry, and gave Spector the once over when he stepped inside. His scaly, prominent brow ridge and some ugly lumps on his forehead were the only visible signs of his jokerhood. Spector figured there were more, but he wasn't interested enough to ask.
"Who are you?" the joker asked in a perfunctory manner. "I'm a friend of Tony Calderone. He sent me over to pick up his writing materials." Spector pointed to a black briefcase on the bed. "I think that's it."
"I see. Would you put your hands on your head, sir?" Spector did as he was told and the joker frisked him quickly, but thoroughly. Spector tensed. If this guy looked at him too long, he might get recognized. He was sure the feds had a file on him with Demise in big letters at the top. "This is news to me, so I'm going to check with Calderone." The joker moved to the phone, flipped through a notebook to find the number, and punched it in. He was careful not to turn his back, but showed no sign of placing Spector's face. "Tony Calderone, please." Short pause. "Tony. This is Colin. There's a guy here who says he's picking up your writing equipment. You did. Describe him for me. Okay. Yeah. I'm sorry, we just forgot." Colin hung up. "You Jim?"
"Yeah. Are you done with me?"
The joker raised a hand to signal silence and put