"And your job may be rougher than ours. The embassy marine unit is outside, but they can't enter the hotel without tipping off the ncos, if there are any. If there are, you've got only your own firepower and a radio to get our men up to the second floor very damn fast."
"You really think the ncos have gone so deep?" asked the lieutenant.
"My brother was killed while under maximum security; Claude Moreau was executed within his own secret environs. What do you think
"I think we should get going," said Anthony.
"Watch that lady, Captain. She's very special-in an academic way, of course."
"Please don't break my heart," said Drew as he and the lieutenant gathered up their weapons.
"The car's in back, we go through the cellar."
"Monsieur Latam!" The guard at the underground parking area of the [email protected] Bureau recognized the name on the clearance log and, was close to tears.
"Is it not a terrible tragi die And right here, where it could never happen!"
"What do the police say?" asked Drew, studying the face of the man.
"They are as bewildered as we are! Our magnificent director, may he be at peace with the almighty, was shot inside the gates yesterday morning, his body found at the far end. Everyone in the building was questioned by the Sfiret&, their whereabouts examined; it went on for hours, the new director like a furious tiger, monsieur!"
"Were your exit logs checked?"
"Certainement! All personnel who had left were taken into custody, I understand. They say there is nothing to enlighten anyone."
"Are most of the people here now? I know it's early."
"Almost everyone, monsieur. I'm told that there are conferences on every floor. See, behind you, three other automobiles await entrance. Everything is tohu-bohu!"
"What?"
"In chaos," said Lieutenant Anthony softly.
"Pandemonium, sit."
"Thank you, guard." Latham pressed the accelerator of the rented car and sped through the open gate into the cavernous shadows of the underground parking area.
"Keep your hand on your weapon, Lieutenant," he said as he swung the automobile into an open space.
"It's already on it, boss man."
"You know, that's an irritating title."
"I don't know why, you earned it.. .. Youthink a stray neo or two could still be down here?"
"If I could call the hotel and talk to your buddy, I'd give you a better guess."
"Why don't you? You've got the cellular."
"Because I don't want to wake up Karin. She'd barre lass down here', and that's the last thing we need."
"Then I guess I ought to tell you," said Anthony.
"Tell me what?"
"A few hours ago, when we checked into that fancy hotel and you phoned [email protected] security to say where we were, Dietz monitored every telephone there with a little device we carry that picks up intercepts. There weren't any, so he pulled the plug on your bedroom phone-"
"He what?"
"We both agreed you two needed sleep. I mean, look at the facts, we're younger than you guys, and we're obviously in better shape-"
"Will you two Boy Scouts stop trying to help us across the street!" exclaimed Drew, yanking the cellular phone out of his inner breast pocket and dialing.
"I'm still running this opera, remember?"
I "If an important call came through, we would have woken you up.
Is that so hard to take?"
"Suite two-ten and eleven," said Latham to the hotel switchboard; it was instantly picked up.
"Yes?"
"Dietz, it's Latham. What's the status?"
"We think you were on the mark, Cons-Op," replied the captain, his voice low.
"A couple of minutes ago the embassy gyrenes radioed me from the street. A heavy metal vehicle pulled around the east corner and two gum balls got out and walked around to the front, separately. They just entered-"
"Are they ncos?"
"We don't know yet, but the desk is cooperating-hold it! The hotel override is lit up." The seconds seemed like minutes to Drew until Dietz came back on the line.
"Unless all statistics lie, you were on the mark. They pressed the button for the second floor."
"Get the marines in!"
"Youthink I won't?"
Suddenly a loud, echoing horn erupted behind Latham.
"I think you took someone's parking space," said the lieutenant.
"Tell them to shove it!"
"Hey, why don't we just move?"
"Then you hold the phone. Christ, the ncos just went into the hotel! The second floor!" Drew backed out of the space.
"There's no one on the line. The captain is a devious field guy;
if they come to the door, they'll wish they hadn't."
"Is the line dead?" asked Latham, swinging into another space.
"He hung up, if that's what you mean."
"Get him back!"
"That's not a good idea, sir. He's got work to do."