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〃Yes； yes； but Lew … God； don't hang up yet。 Lew？〃
He could hear her quick breathing。 He had frightened her。 Good。 She'd take the necessary precautions now。
〃I love you； whatever happens； whatever …〃
〃I love you。〃 He closed his eyes； imagining her； as if he could will her to be beside him。 He wanted more than anything else to kiss her； hold her close； keep her safe from harm。 Instead； he lowered the receiver into its chrome cradle。
He took a moment to pose himself； then he phoned Senator Dedalus。
〃I need access to the DARPA facility。〃
〃Where the hell have you been？〃
〃London；〃 Croaker said； knowing the senator was doing a tap dance while his puterlike brain worked on why Croaker would need access to DARPA。
〃Did you find what you were looking for？〃
〃Yes and no。〃
〃What does that mean？〃
〃When you get me inside the facility； I'll be able to tell you。〃
〃Shit； man； DARPA has a dozen facilities。 Which one do you want to get into？〃
Right now； Dedalus was right in the bull's…eye of suspects who had promised a critical government security agency。 Someone was feeding DARPA product … that is； prototype weaponry that was far beyond state…of…the…art … to Rock and Mick Leonforte in their Floating City outside Saigon。 It couldn't be Mick's father； Johnny Leonforte； aka Leon Waxman； because he was dead。 Arid though Croaker couldn't be certain until he vetted him； it was odds…on that Serman wasn't running the program himself。
Vesper was involved and she worked for Dedalus； the late Dominic Goldoni had been involved and he had been friends with Dedalus； Margarite was involved and she had been introduced to Dedalus by her brother。 There was only one name that kept reappearing。
He hadn't planned to tell the senator Serman's identity； but he could see now he had no other choice。 He desperately needed to get his hands on Vesper and make her talk about where exactly Mikio Okami was in London。
Torch。。。
The horrifying specter of the impending disaster in London on the ides hung like a guillotine at the back of his neck。 He could already hear the whisper of the thick blade as it hurtled down its prescribed track。 Only thirty…six hours left until detonation。
〃I heard a man named Serman mentioned in London in connection with the investigation。 It may be nothing； Senator； but I can't afford to overlook any lead。〃
〃Are you sure it's Serman's same you heard？ Dr。 Douglas Serman？〃
〃Quite sure。〃
Dedalus grunted。 〃All right。 I'll send a detail of my men with you。〃
〃You do and I'll clear the area by the most direct route possible。 You have feds blundering around in the bushes outside Serman's office and I guarantee you hell be so scared he'll clam up tight〃
Dedalus seemed to think about this for some time。 At last； he relented； giving Croaker specific directions to the DARPA lab for experimental nucleonics。
He knew he had taken an enormous risk going to the senator with the DARPA connection。 On the other hand； what other choice had he had？ He had neither the location of Serman nor access to him without Dedalus。 Besides； if Dedalus was the mainspring of this particular timepiece； the information about Serman would make him nervous。 It was Croaker's experience that； more often than not； nervous men made precipitous moves。 It was usually all the edge he needed because it was all he got。 For instance； Dedalus had not mentioned that DARPA was a top…secret national security program。 Also； he hadn't brought up the meeting Croaker was supposed to have had with Vesper that never happened。 Croaker wondered whether the senator knew that his operative had been in London at the same time as Croaker had been。
The ride out to Virginia calmed him down。 He had slept fitfully during the transatlantic flight； and when he did； he dreamt of Major Tom's blood floating in the air like pink clouds。 He had awakened； the muffled roar of the jet engines sounding like the frightening sounds of the medical machines to which his friend had been hooked up on the way to surgery。
At the Knife River registration office； he was handed his credentials by a flinty…eyed blonde in a well…worn suede riding outfit and； apparently； a steel shaft up her spine。 He was also fingerprinted and given a retinal scan by two burly men who might have been brothers but were probably only graduates of the same military academy。
He asked the blonde if anyone else within the last two days had clocked in to see Dr。 Serman。 No one had。 He was then directed outside the academy building where a jeep with an iron…armed driver took him past corrals； riding rings with jumps and extensive stables； and what looked like barracks buildings。 A rutted lane led down an embankment； across a trestle bridge that spanned what he took to be Knife River。 They stopped at the edge of deep woods； where a group of men with hunting dogs and shotguns slung casually across their arms appeared and studied Croaker's ID。 They were waved on through； jouncing down the deeply rutted path carved into the woods。
At length； the trees gave way to scrub oak and brambles； and then they picked up speed across a meadow that would be beautiful in late spring and summer。 Now it merely seemed barren and； wrapped in mist； melancholy。
The lab plex appeared； sitting on the east side of a succession of rolling wooded hills。 Dogs barked； unseen； and Croaker wondered how much telemetry was homed in on them。 The jeep let him off at the front entrance of a low； angular concrete structure with windows of black； reflective glass。 It was no doubt meant to appear futuristic and forbidding。 Instead； it merely looked governmental and dreary。
The recent history of the DARPA facility was clear in Croaker's mind as he introduced himself to Douglas Serman； who； more than anything else； reminded him of a rodent in his precise； repetitive movements； his bright eyes； and his obviously anal retentive nature。
〃Is there somewhere private we can speak？〃 Croaker said in his most neutral voice。
Serman； who seemed to make a habit of looking at everything out of the corner of his eye； said； 〃Is this an official visit？ Do I need my logs and such？〃
〃Not at the moment；〃 Croaker said。 〃Doctor； is there a lounge or something？〃
〃Yes； of course。〃 Serman rubbed his hands together； ushered Croaker down a hallway that smelled of industrial…strength chemical cherry； as if it had just been converted from a mass urinal。
Serman pushed open a door that said PRIVATE with his shoulder。 Croaker found himself in an unexpectedly homey suite of rooms that； with their frilly curtains and the chintz floral furniture fabric； seemed more appropriate for the public rooms at the riding academy。
Serman stood standing in the middle of the room as if he had had no experience with informality；
〃You're one of the senator's people。〃 He meant Dedalus。
〃Yes； but I've just e from London。〃
Serman peered at him politely； his hands dry…washing themselves with all the energy of Lady Macbeth。 〃Never been there myself；〃 he said at last Then he gave a small self…deprecating chuckle。 〃Haven't been anywhere； really。 Not in some years。 They won't let me outside the country； you see。 Afraid I'll be abducted。〃 Another dry ch