Authors: Robert Ludlum
“
Manny!
”
“They love me,” said Weingrass quietly, while striding across the floor. “They throw dice for my bed.”
“For
God’s
sake—”
“Be quiet, darling. He
is
a marvel.”
“He broke his leg jumping out of the truck with us above the Jabal Sham,” said Kendrick, staring down at the unconscious young man strapped to the bed. “He’s only a kid.”
“But your ID’s positive?” asked the CIA officer standing beside Emmanuel Weingrass. “He was with you in Oman, there’s no doubt about it.”
“None at all. I’ll never forget him. There was a fire in him you’re not likely to find in many teenagers over here … except maybe in the urban rot.”
“Let’s go out the back door and into the garage.”
“That’s Yosef,” said Evan, closing his eyes. “His mother was a Jew—and for a few hours he was my friend. He protected me … oh,
Christ
.”
“
Stop
it!” shouted Manny. “He came here to
kill
you!”
“Of course he did. Why not? I pretended to be one of them in their goddamned holy cause.… They shaved his mother’s head, can you imagine that?”
“He shouted that at me when he tried to kill me,” said Weingrass simply. “If it makes you feel better, I didn’t want to kill him. I wanted to take anyone I could alive.”
“Knowing Yosef, you didn’t have a choice.”
“I didn’t.”
“These other two,” interrupted the impatient CIA officer, lifting up the sheets. “Do you recognize them?”
“Yes. They were both in the compound, but I never knew their names. The one on the right had soiled trousers; the other, long ragged hair and stared like he had some kind of messianic complex—I figured he was psychotic. That’s all I can tell you.”
“You’ve already told us what we have to know. All these men that you’ve identified were with you in Oman.”
“Yes, I knew each one.… They wanted their revenge, and if I were them, I’m not sure I’d feel so differently.”
“You’re not a terrorist, Congressman.”
“What separates a terrorist from a ‘freedom fighter’?”
“For starters,
sir
, terrorists make it a point to kill innocent people. Ordinary men and women who just happened to be there, kids with backpacks, employees—young and old alike—simply doing their jobs. Where’s your case,
sir
?”
Kendrick studied the field agent, suddenly jolted, remembering Fairfax and the Hassans. “I apologize for a stupid and fatuous remark. I regret it deeply.”
“What the hell,” said the CIA man, shrugging off his momentary anger. “We’re all stretched and too damned many labels are thrown around anyway.”
They returned to the house, where Khalehla was speaking to the nurses on the porch. Whatever she was saying she had the rapt attention of the three women; they sat motionless in their chairs, their intelligent eyes riveted on “the representative from the State Department.” Evan and Manny walked in and crossed quietly to the bar while the CIA officer went to the guest room to check on a colleague and the prisoner.
“I’ve explained everything, Congressman Kendrick,” said Khalehla, her voice official, “as far as I’m permitted to, of course, and these ladies have agreed to cooperate. One had a visitor arriving tomorrow, but she’ll call and tell him there’s a medical emergency and not to come.”
“Thanks a lot,” muttered Weingrass, pouring himself a drink under Kendrick’s watchful gaze. “Now I’m a corpse.”
“Thank
you
, Manny,” remarked the nurse in question dryly.
“I want to thank all of you,” said Evan quickly. “Washington’s convinced this is an isolated incident, a young lunatic on the loose—”
“So was Sirhan-Sirhan,” broke in the nurse who had driven into Mesa Verde to reach Gonzalez, “and the description didn’t change the results.”
“I’ve told them the prisoner is being transferred back East under cover tonight and not to be concerned if they hear noises on the grounds or in the garage.”
“
Very
pro,” mumbled Weingrass.
“I only have one question,” said the third nurse, looking at Khalehla. “You mentioned that the quarantine was temporary.… Well, not that I’m about to be invited to the Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, but how long is temporary?”
“Too many crowds during the Grand Prix,” interjected Manny, drinking. “You can’t cross the streets and the Bains de Mer go crazy.”
“No more than a few days,” answered Kendrick, again speaking quickly. “They just want to run the usual checks.… And if you get that invitation, Manny will personally accompany you.”
“Congressman, try Daffy Duck.”
“Meshugah.”
There was a sudden, startling commotion outside. Shouts were heard and a horn blared. “Get away from the
windows
!” shouted the CIA agent, racing through the living room. “On the floor!
Everyone on the floor!
”
Evan lunged toward Khalehla, astonished to realize she had dropped between the throw rugs and was rolling over and over to the base of a sliding door, an automatic in her hand.
“It’s okay, it’s
okay
!” yelled a voice from the front lawn.
“That’s one of us,” said the man from the Central Intelligence Agency, on his knees, his weapon also in his hand. “What the
hell
—?” He got to his feet and ran into the living room with Kendrick following him. The massive front door opened and a startled well-dressed figure walked haltingly inside escorted by a park ranger. He carried a black medicine bag; it was open; it had been searched.
“I never expected such a reception,” said the doctor. “I know we’re not always welcome, but this is a bit much.…
Congressman
, it’s such an
honor
.” They shook hands, the CIA agent watching, bewildered.
“I’m afraid we haven’t met, have we?” asked Evan, equally confused.
“No, we haven’t, but we’re neighbors, if approximately seven more miles into the hills is a neighbor. My name’s Lyons.”
“I’m sorry about your reception. You’ll have to blame it on an overprotective President. What is it, Dr. Lyons? Why are you here?”
“Because
he
wasn’t
there
,” replied the intruder, smiling gamely. “I’m Mr. Weingrass’s new doctor. If you’ll check his schedule, he was to be in my office in Cortez at four o’clock this afternoon. He never arrived and we couldn’t reach him on the telephone, so as this house is on the way to mine I thought I’d drop in and see if there was a problem.” The physician stopped and reached into his pocket, taking out an envelope. “Incidentally, in line with those overprotective measures, here’s my clearance from the Walter Reed Hospital, countersigned by the proper officials in the administration. I’m to show this to Mr. Weingrass and his nurses, or at least the one
who accompanied him to my office. He’s all right, isn’t he?”
“
Manny!
” yelled Kendrick irritably.
Weingrass appeared in the veranda archway, a drink in his hand. “Why are you screaming at me?”
“Weren’t you supposed to be at the doctor’s office this afternoon?”
“Oh, yeah, somebody called last week—”
“It was my receptionist, Mr. Weingrass,” explained Dr. Lyons. “She said you wrote it down and agreed to be there.”
“Yeah, well, I do that now and then, but I feel fine, so why trouble you. Also, you’re not my doctor.”
“Mr.
Weingrass
, your doctor passed away several weeks ago from a cardiac seizure. It was in the papers and I know you received an announcement of the funeral.”
“Yeah, well I don’t go to those, either. Mine’s overdue.”
“Nevertheless, as long as I’m here, why don’t we have a look?”
“What are we looking for?”
“A little tub-thumping and a short blood sample for the lab.”
“I feel fine.”
“I’m sure you are fine,” agreed Lyons, nodding. “It’s just routine and won’t take more than a couple of minutes.… It really is an honor to meet you, Congressman.”
“Thanks very much.… Go on, Manny. Do you want one of the nurses to assist you, Doctor?”
“It doesn’t really matter—”
“So she can wax lascivious over my naked chest?” protested Weingrass, interrupting. “Come on, Doc. You tap around my ribs and go out and buy yourself a Cadillac.”
“At least a Ferrari,” countered Lyons, smiling at Kendrick.
Emmanuel Weingrass and his new doctor walked down the stone hallway toward the bedroom.
It was ten minutes past one in the morning, and exhaustion hung like circles of dead heavy mist throughout the house in Mesa Verde. The CIA field agent, his eyes dark with fatigue, walked onto the enclosed porch, where Evan and Khalehla sat on the leather couch diagonally across from Manny in his recliner. The
three nurses had left, each to her own room, each having been dismissed from duty for the rest of the night; the presence of armed guards patrolling the grounds outside had stretched their nerves. The patient would survive sleep without being looked in on every half hour. Dr. Lyons had guaranteed it.
“Washington’s anxious,” announced the weary intelligence officer. “The schedule’s been moved up, so I’m going down to the airport for the van now. The plane should be here in about an hour, which means we don’t have much time. They want that bird to come in and get out.”
“The tower down there doesn’t operate all night unless by prearrangement,” said Kendrick. “Have you thought about that?”
“Hours ago, in time for your flight from the Bahamas. The Air Force flew over a team of controllers from Colorado Springs. The cover’s an AF training maneuver cleared through your office. Nobody objects and no one questions.”
“How come?”
“Because you’re you, sir.”
“Is there anything we can do here?” asked Khalehla quickly, before Evan could make a comment.
“Yes, there is,” answered the field agent. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d rather not have anyone up when I get back. We’ve got this thing worked out by the numbers, and I mean fractions, so the fewer distractions the better.”
“How are you going to handle those cowboys from the park outside?” said Weingrass, grimacing but obviously not from the question he asked. “I put my head out the door a couple of times before these two got here and they rushed up to me like I was a runaway bear.”
“They’ve been told a foreign VIP is arriving to see the Congressman—in fact,
that’s
the reason they’re here. And since the meeting is highly confidential—and in deference to the visitor who wants to keep it that way, all patrols will remain out of sight. They’ll be on the sides of the house and down at the gazebo.”
“They bought that nonsense?” interjected Weingrass.
“They have no reason to question it.”
“Because he’s
him
,” agreed Manny, nodding.
“And because they’re being paid three hundred dollars apiece for losing a night’s sleep.”
“Very pro, Mr. Containment. You’re better than I thought.”
“I have to be.… Well, if I don’t see you again, it’s been a
real pleasure meeting you, Congressman. Someday I’ll be able to tell my kids about it.… No, please don’t get up, sir, I’ve got to run. You, too, Miss Official, as Mr. Weingrass would say.… And you, Manny, I tell you, it’s been an experience. I
think
I’m glad you’re on our side.”
“You should be, you need all the help you can get.…
Ciao
, young man. Have a good track-down and if the odds are only five to one against you, you’ll win.”
“Thanks, Manny, I intend to.” The intelligence officer turned briefly to Evan and Khalehla on the couch. “I mean that,” he added quietly. “I heard the reference to Fairfax in the car and let it pass, but it wasn’t easy. You see, I’m the only one here who knows what happened; it’s why I insisted on leading this team. My older sister’s son, my nephew—I brought him into the Agency—he was part of that unit. I
intend
to have a damned good track-down.” The CIA man left quickly.
For starters, sir, terrorists make it a point to kill innocent people. Ordinary men and women who just happened to be there, kids with backpacks, and employees—young and old alike—simply doing their jobs. Where’s your case, sir?
“How terrible for him,” said Khalehla. “He must feel such hurt, such guilt.”
“Which of us doesn’t?” asked Kendrick, his voice floating, then stopped abruptly with a sudden, forced intake of air.
“You can’t blame yourself for what’s happened,” insisted Khalehla.
“
Happening
,” exclaimed Kendrick. “It’s
happening
! How the hell did these people get into the country? Who
let
them in? Where are our so-called
brilliant
security measures that can catch fifth-rate Soviet agents we exchange for set-up reporters in Moscow because it’s good
PR
, but we can’t stop a dozen killers who come in to
kill
? Who makes it
possible
?”
“We’re trying to find out.”
“You’re a little late, aren’t you?”
“
Stop
it!” ordered Weingrass, leaning forward, punching the space in front of him with his forefinger. “This girl has nothing to do with what you’re talking about and I won’t have it!”
“I
know
that!” said Kendrick, reaching for Khalehla’s hand, “and she knows I know it. It’s just that everything’s so insane—I feel so helpless, so frightened.
Goddamnit
, how many others have to be killed? We can’t stop these people! They’re maniacs and they’re running loose and we’ll never
find
them!” Evan lowered his voice, his eyes filled with pain, leveled at the field agent from
Cairo. “Any more than we’ve found the bastards who stole that ‘theft-proof’ Oman file and splattered me all over the world. How long has it been—eight, ten weeks? We’re no closer than when we began. At least now we know why they did it. It wasn’t to make me a hero, or to promote my so-called career as a political contender for Christ knows what … it was to set me up for the kill! A ‘vengeance death’ I believe is the literal Arabic translation. The point is we’re not
getting
anywhere!”
“Listen to me,” said Khalehla softly. “I’m going to say something I probably shouldn’t, but sometimes we break a rule because hope is important, too.… Other things have happened that you don’t know about—
are
happening, as you say—and each new piece of information brings us a step closer to the truth about this whole horrible mess.”