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outside the country； you see。 Afraid I'll be abducted。〃 Another dry chuckle。 〃As if I'm a national treasure。〃
〃In London I met a friend of yours。 Vesper Arkham。〃
Serman twitched like the subject of a Skinnerian psych project Rat in a maze。
〃Vesper who？〃 He was no good at this。
〃Arkham； Doctor。 Vesper Arkham。〃
〃I'm not sure I …〃
〃She's your normal contact；〃 Croaker snapped； abruptly dropping the fa？ade of cordiality。 Serman was like a lake in spring： he was covered with a sheet of very thin ice。 〃And she's very concerned about the updates you've stopped giving her。〃
Serman blinked。 〃Updates？〃
It was time； Croaker judged； to leave it to intuition and gamble everything。 〃Yes； Doctor。 From the project you and Abramanov have been working on。 What is it called？〃 A sick look was ing to Sermon's face； and Croaker felt a surge of triumph。 〃Ah； yes。 Torch。〃
Serman's legs seemed to have turned to jelly。 Croaker held him up by the elbows； directed him to one of the chintz…covered sofas。
〃Are you all right； Doctor？〃
Serman's bluish lips moved。 〃Vesper promised me no one else would know about those reports；〃 he whispered。
Croaker was near the center； he could taste it on the electrically charged air。 〃What kind of deal did Vesper have going with yon？〃
Serman jumped up。 〃It was Vesper who allowed the transmission between me and Abramanov to keep up。 Without her； it would have eventually been picked up by the special subcarrier tracker used here as an antibugging security measure。 In return； she insisted on being kept up…to…date on our high…flux neutron project。〃
Serman jammed his hands in his pockets； went to one of the curtained windows and stared out。 〃I want to make something clear。 I'm not a traitor。 I've worked for the government all my life。 I've been a dedicated man。 But dedication。。。〃 He turned around。 〃Such dedication needs to be rewarded； damnit！ Instead； I've been entombed here。 I can't go anywhere； do anything； see anybody without forms to fill out； questions to be answered； suspicions raised。 As far as the world at large is concerned I died five years ago。 But； I'll tell you； this is worse than death。〃
〃Why don't you quit？〃
Serman looked at him wide…eyed for a moment before bursting out into laughter that racked him so thoroughly tears spilled out of his eyes。
〃Good God； man； look at where we are！〃 he gasped。 〃You don't just walk away from a place like this。 Your brain is too full of equations that impact national security。〃 He dabbed at the corners of his eyes with his sleeve。 〃This is a lifetime job。 The fact that they never tell you that when you sign on is another matter entirely。〃
Croaker felt little sympathy for Serman。 〃So staying had nothing to do with the high…flux neutron project。〃
〃Of course it did；〃 Serman said with the impenetrable lope of the scientist。 〃He said with my help he'd had a breakthrough。 He'd been able to create a transuranic isotope that was stable。 Do you know what a transuranic isotope is？〃
〃Yes； it's a radioactive substance with an atomic number higher than uranium … that makes it potentially deadly to humans。 And I also know that he's taken this isotope and has made a devastatingly dangerous weapon out of it。〃
〃Torch。〃 Serman abruptly sat down。 〃Yes。 I think I know what Abramanov did to create element 114m； but for some reason I haven't been able to duplicate his success。〃 He stopped； put his head into his hands。 〃We had such hopes。 An almost endless fuel； cheap to make； an end to the ongoing energy crisis。 What a dream！〃 He looked up。 〃But that's all it is； a dream。 Abramanov has made the ultimate weapon out of it。〃 Serman looked bleakly at him。 〃Because so little of it is needed for a powerful explosion； its potential use lies in hand…held nuclear devices。 In today's world of terrorists and small ethnic wars； it fits all the criteria for the ultimate weapon： it's portable； devastating； and clean。〃
Croaker had an idea。 〃Can you contact Abramanov now？〃
〃No。 All munication abruptly ceased five days ago。 I have had no reply to my repeated queries。〃
〃How are you involved with the weapons being stolen from DARPA？〃
〃What are you talking about？〃
He could see that Serman knew nothing about Vesper's other activities inside DARPA。 He had thought to bundle Serman off to the security office at the other end of the plex； but now he thought better of it。 Somehow Croaker had to get Serman out of the DARPA facility and contact Nicholas。 Now； more than ever； the Torch 315 detonation date must be stopped。
He had Serman fetch him one of the doctor's white lab coats； then he pumped Serman in detail about the plex's layout and the doctor's daily route and routine。
Then he had Serman lead him back to his lab。 He sat at the zinc countertop in the light of one lit Bunsen burner while Serman crouched beneath； hidden by shadows and the lab stool。 It would have been easiest to change his plan and leave with Serman without waiting for Vesper to show up； but instinct told him that would be a mistake。 He could not leave in place a mole planted so deeply inside the Nishiki network she had access to Okami himself。 He had to take her down and do it now while he could have a degree of control over the killing ground。 And yet something kept intruding； a tickle of intent at the periphery of his thoughts。 Something Serman had said he had let slip through。。。
A shadowy figure slipped silently through the doorway。
〃So you are here。〃
He recognized her voice； Dedalus's mole。 He did not move； but he felt as if a laser beam was sighted between his eyes。
〃Would you e with me。 We have much to discuss。〃
Croaker studied her face。 She was taking it well； he thought。 There was not a trace of surprise on her face。 That capped it： Dedalus had told her he was here。 She was his mole … and she had access to Okami。 No wonder his adversaries had found Okami in London。 She had betrayed him。
〃You're a sight；〃 Croaker said； looking at this newest incarnation of Vesper Arkham。 She wore black leggings and a quilted black jacket over a silk blouse。 Her natural blond hair was pulled tightly back from her face； which was set in a troubled scowl。 She had never looked more beautiful … or more deadly。 〃We do have much to discuss。〃 He smiled； raising his biomechanical hand； its stainless…steel nails fully extruded。 〃But this time I'm ready for you。〃
〃You idiot；〃 she said； stunning him to immobility。 〃Where the hell is Serman？ I've got to get you both out of here before you're shot dead！〃
〃Tachi Shidare is dead；〃 Tetsuo Akinaga said。 〃And now that Chosa has mitted suicide； the inner council no longer exists。〃
Ushiba said nothing。 When he had received the message from Akinaga； he had actually considered postponing the meeting。 He was exhausted unto death。 The guilt he felt over Chosa's death was only partially mitigated by the certain knowledge that it had been necessary。 The security of the Godaishu had to be maintained at whatever cost。 You should get out before you make a fatal mistake and the force of your own politics runs you over； Ken had told him。 And he well understood the wisdom of his words because he had answered。 When the game bees a burden