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The images on the screen shuddered； then splintered like sparks from a burning log。
〃I've hit something！ The fuselage or an outcropping。 The thrusters are inoperable。〃
〃Get the thing out of there； Abramanov！ Now！〃
〃I can't！ I'm paralyzed！〃 The Russian was sweating。 〃Use the backup electronic winch！''
Rock rushed across the cabin； out into the storm。 He signaled to his men； who leapt to the gantry securing the robot's winch to the deck。 Rock； at the controls himself； began reeling the robot in。 He tried to imagine the scene deep beneath him。 How severe was the quake？ He stared at the gauges through the sheeting rain； shouted wordlessly as they registered the tension and weight associated with the robot。
He gave over the controls to one of his men； raced back； inside the cabin。
〃Sir； I can't hold us here much longer；〃 the captain said。
〃With any luck you won't have to。〃 To Abramanov； Rock said； 〃How're we doing？〃
〃We're off the ledge； at least。 Now all we have to worry about is losing the casings。〃
But Rock knew that would not happen now。 Soon he'd have the 114m on board； and shortly after that the precious isotope and its creator would be safely secreted within the bunkerlike containment environment Rock had had constructed for the purpose。
Then he would give Abramanov his final instructions … of ultimatum。 Rock was fully prepared for that。 He had no punction about doing whatever had to be done in order to take this extraordinary raw material and make of it something unique。 The way he saw it； 114m was not unlike the tears of the poppy his people harvested high in the Shan Mountains of Burma。 That substance was also extraordinary； but it needed the careful refining process to make it unique … and highly valuable。
Rock； watching the back of Abramanov's head as he monitored the ascent of the robot and the DU…cased 114m bricks through turbulent waters； knew that he must have an end product from the fissile isotope like no other。
He knew this because an eternally grateful Abramanov had revealed his creation's secret： that it was the most powerful portable nuclear…energy source imaginable。 To Rock； that had implications that made his mouth water。 Today's world was vastly different from what it had been even two years ago。 The Cold War was dead； Russia was no longer the threat it had been。 It was the time of the small； mobile ethnic battle； and that meant the rise of terrorism。 Unwittingly； Abramanov had given him the most potent product he could sell to the new kind of customer that was； increasingly； demanding weaponry。
Rock was almost salivating in anticipation。 He had in his hands the ultimate terrorist weapon … immensely powerful and pact。 Even better； he had the one man who could manufacture it。
BOOK 2
ENSIGNS OF BETRAYAL
A lightning flash；
between the forest trees
I have seen water。
… Masaoka Shiki
5
Washington/Vung Tau/Tokyo
A woman in a bubblegum…pink angora sweater and a short； pleated skirt the color of the sky at dusk was waiting for Croaker when he walked into the lobby of the Holiday Inn Central on Rhode Island Avenue and Fifteenth Street。 The color of her hair could only be termed violent black。 It was blunt cut； perfectly straight； and came to just below her jaw…line。 She had a heart…shaped face and wore wraparound sunglasses with mirrored lenses。 She lounged against the check…in counter； under one arm was a thick manila envelope； which she handed to him when he approached the concierge's desk。
〃Samuel Johnson； I presume？〃 She had a low； husky voice that seemed more of a purr。
〃And you are？〃
〃Just a voice on the other end of a coded line。〃 She regarded him as he opened the envelope。
〃Shouldn't we do this somewhere。。。 more private？〃
He looked up。 〃We？ What are you doing here anyway？〃
She shrugged。 〃I was intrigued。 These days I'm so bored I go Rollerblading all afternoon。〃
〃Yeah？〃 He took a look at her legs； which were very long and beautifully shaped。 〃And what happens if you're needed？〃
〃I get beeped。〃 She smiled。 〃Have cellular phone； will travel。〃
He went through the documents quickly。 〃What got you so intrigued？〃
〃I was wondering why you wanted me to run down my sister's car。〃
〃Your sister？〃
〃Yeah。〃 She pointed。 〃The Nissan 300 ragtop's hers。 Vesper Arkham。〃 She stuck out her hand。 〃My name's Domino。〃 She laughed； looking at his expression。 〃I often get that look。 Don't worry。 My father was a James Bond fanatic。 He named his daughters after characters in the novels。〃
〃At least he didn't name either of you Pussy。〃
〃Thank God for small favors。〃 She hooked her arm through his。 〃Now how about buying me breakfast while you tell me what you want with Vesper。〃
At that hour there wasn't much to choose from。 She took him to the restaurant at the Four Seasons in Georgetown。 It was out of the way； but that was the point。 He ordered orange juice； coffee； eggs； and bacon。
Domino asked for coffee and toast； both of them black。 〃I like my toast charcoaled and my meat bloody； who knows why。〃
When the waiter had gone； he said； 〃What do you know about Sen。 Richard Dedalus？〃
〃Dedalus？ How is he connected with my sister？〃
〃He may not be。 It depends。〃
The waiter appeared with the coffee and juice； then disappeared behind some potted foliage。 Across the expansive room sunlight flooded through a narrow garden and into the restaurant。 There were few other patrons； the closest was a beefy salesman； busily scrolling through a notebook puter； and unless he was equipped with a directional microphone； he was out of earshot。
〃Actually； I went out with him for a while。〃 Domino sipped her coffee。 〃It was an assignment； really。 Richie's so influential it was thought； well； it might be best to vet him in this rather。。。 unorthodox manner。 I mean； we didn't have access to flutter him or anything。〃 Fluttering meant submitting to a lie detector。 〃It was for his own good。〃
〃Sure it was。〃
'Domino made a face。 〃I didn't sleep with him or anything。〃
〃I didn't say you did。〃
She put down her cup。 〃You didn't have to。〃
Their food came； and he was silent for some time； watching her take tiny bites out of her cindered toast。 〃Do you think you could take off those glasses？ The lenses are giving me the willies。〃
Domino removed them and he saw a pair of wide…apart emerald eyes； fully as large as the startling cornflower blue eyes he had glimpsed in her blond sister。
〃I like Richie；〃 Domino continued。 〃He's smart and quick。 There's nothing old about the way he thinks。〃
Croaker broke one yolk； mopped up the mess with a slice of bacon。 〃He have any unusual friends？〃
〃Unusual？〃
〃For a United States senator。〃
〃Richie has a lot of friends。〃
Richie。 She was speaking about one of the most powerful men in America。 〃Was one of them Dominic Goldoni？〃
〃The Mafia boss？ The guy who was murdered last year？〃
〃That's the one。〃
Domino wiped her fingertips on her napkin。 〃I guess so。 I remember meeting his sister。 What was her name？〃
〃Marilyn。〃
〃No。 Margarite。 I remember her very well。 She impressed me； not like some Italian princesses I've met； if you get my drift。〃
Croaker certainly