his binoculars and trained them on the field, picking up a pair of figures coming up behind the helicopter. Unless the pilot leaned out of the cockpit to look toward his six he wouldn’t have a clue someone was back there.
One of them was much larger than the other, and he got the impression that the shorter, slighter of the two might be a woman, though he couldn’t be sure who either of them were.
For a moment he debated calling the house, but decided against it until he had his shot. Keeping out of sight just within the woods he hurried over to the driveway and across and into the woods on the other side.
If the chopper pilot could keep them engaged for just a few minutes, Boberg figured he could come up behind them and take the two easy shots. If one of them were McGarvey, and he manged to take the guy down, taking over Admin would be a pice of cake, because he would have Foster’s blessing.
SIXTY-EIGHT
The twin-engine helicopter was modern and sleek. The helipad lights had been switched off but the strong floods spilling across the lawn from the house reflected off the bright paintwork.
From twenty feet away they could smell cigarette smoke, and as they got closer McGarvey could see that the instrument panel lights were switched off. It would take several minutes for the machine to be started and readied for takeoff, which was the break he’d hoped for. If Boberg had spotted them they would need a diversion to get over to the house.
“I think he’s coming through the woods behind us,” Pete whispered.
“What’s Boberg doing?” McGarvey spoke softly.
“Two seconds,” Louise’s voice came back. “I’m moving from the ship.”
“He won’t try a shot now for fear of hitting the helicopter,” McGarvey told Pete.
Louise was back. “Okay, if that’s you and Pete just behind the chopper, he’s about twenty yards almost directly behind you in the woods.”
“Go back to the ship,” McGarvey said. “He’s twenty yards behind us,” he told Pete.
He pulled out his pistol. Holding it in his left hand out of sight at his side, he moved forward, his right hand trailing on the fuselage.
The pilot looked up, startled, and then he reared back, his eyes wide. “Son of a bitch, you scared the shit out of me, Mr. Director.” His plastic name tag was readable in the bright lights from the house.
“Didn’t mean to sneak up on you, but what the hell are you doing out here, Cardillo?”
The pilot shook his head. “Listen, I don’t want any trouble, Mr. McGarvey, but as far as I was told just about every LE officer in the area is looking for you.”
“That’s what you were supposed to be told. It’s a cover. Now what the hell are you doing out here?”
The pilot was skeptical. “I flew Mr. Whittaker down from the Campus.”
McGarvey turned to Pete. “Another comms screwup,” he said, and she nodded.
“You have to get out of here right now,” she told the pilot.
“What about Mr. Whittaker?”
“We’ll have to take care of him,” McGarvey said. “But you guys stumbled into the middle of a Bureau-Company ops we’re running on one of Robert Foster’s people. I’m surprised that Dave didn’t get the word. Damned sloppy, because this whole thing was his call from the beginning.”
“I’d better call him,” Cardillo said, reaching for a phone.
“And warn the house?” McGarvey demanded. “Hell no, I just want you out of here as quickly as you can get this thing running.”
The pilot was confused. “That’s going to take a few minutes.”
McGarvey motioned him to get on with it. “Our people are moving in right now, and we don’t have time to screw around.” He held out his hand. “I’ll take the cell phone.”
The pilot hesitated for a moment, still extremely skeptical, but he handed over the phone.
“Go,” McGarvey said.
The pilot began flipping switches and the helicopter’s lights began coming on, first on the control panel and then the nav lights on the fuselage and tail section.
“Stand clear,” he shouted, and he closed the door and the engines began to spool up.
McGarvey and Pete hurried around to the front of the chopper, ducking low as the main rotor began turning. “Louise, we’re going to try for the house, and I want to keep the chopper between us and Boberg. Give me bearing.”
“Stand by,” Louise said.
The main rotor was building up speed, and McGarvey had to cup a hand over his earpiece.