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Robert was on the verge of saying 〃I'm afraid that's the last witness I'll be able to find；〃 but something held him back。 He hated to admit failure。 And yet； the trail had bee cold。
A Texan and a priest。 The priest was from Rome。 Period。 Along with a million other priests。 And there was no way to identify him。 I have a choice； Robert thought。 I can give up and go back to Washington； or I can go to Rome and give it one lasts。。。。
Bundesverfassungsschutzamt； the headquarters of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution； is located in central Berlin on Neumarkterstrasse。 It is a large； gray； nondescript building； indistinguishable from the buildings around it。 Inside on the second floor； in the conference room； the chief of the department； Inspector Otto Joachim； was studying a message。 He read it twice； then reached for the red telephone on his desk。
Day Six Munich； Germany
The following morning； as Otto Schmidt headed for his chemistry lab； he was thinking about the conversation he had had with the American the evening before。 Where could that piece of metal have e from？ It was astonishing； beyond anything in his experience。 And the American puzzled him。 He said he was interested in the passengers on the bus。 Why？ Because they've all been witnesses to the flying saucer？ Are they going to be warned not to talk？ If so； why didn't the American warn him？ There's something strange going on； the professor decided。 He entered the laboratory and took off his jacket and hung it up。 He put on an apron to keep his clothes from getting soiled and walked over to the table where he had been working for many weeks on a chemical experiment。 If this works； he thought； it could mean a Nobel prize。 He lifted the beaker of sterile water and started to pour it into a container filled with a yellow liquid。 That's strange。 I don't remember it being such a bright yellow。
The roar of the explosion was tremendous。 The laboratory erupted in a gigantic blast； and pieces of glass and human flesh spattered the walls。
FLASH MESSAGE TOP SECRET ULTRA
BFV TO DEPUTY DIRECTOR NSA
EYES ONLY
COPY ONE OF （ONE） COPIES
SUBJECT： OPERATION DOOMSDAY
4。
OTTO SCHMIDT…TERMINATED
END OF MESSAGE
Robert missed the news of the professor's death。 He was aboard an Alitalia plane； on his way to Rome。
b ustin Thornton was getting restless。 He had power now； and it was like a drug。 He wanted more。 His father…in…law； Willard Stone； kept promising to bring him into some mysterious inner circle； but so far he had failed to fulfill that promise。 It was by pure chance that Thornton learned that his father…in…law disappeared every Friday。
Thorton had called to have lunch with him。
〃I'm sorry；〃 Willard Stone's personal secretary said； 〃but Mr。 Stone is away for the day。〃
〃Oh； too bad。 What about lunch next Friday？〃
〃I'm sorry； Mr。 Thornton。 Mr。 Stone will be away next Friday also。〃
Strange。 And it became even stranger； because when Thornton called two weeks later； he received the same reply。 Where does the old man disappear to every Friday？ He was not a golfer or a man to indulge in any hobbies。
The obvious answer was a woman。 Willard Stone's wife was very social and very rich。 She was an imperious woman； almost as strong in her way as her husband。 She was not the sort of woman who would tolerate her husband having an affair。 If he is having an affair； Thornton thought； I've got him by the balls。 He knew he had to find out。 With all the facilities at his mand； Dustin Thornton could have found out very quickly what his father…inlaw was up to； but Thornton was no fool。 He was well aware that if he made one misstep； he would be in big trouble。 Willard Stone was not the kind of man to brook any interference in his life。 Thornton decided to investigate the matter himself。 At five A。M。 on the following Friday； Dustin Thornton was slumped behind the wheel of an inconspicuous Ford Taurus； half a block from Willard Stone's imposing mansion。 It was a cold； miserable dawn； and Thornton kept asking himself what he was doing there。 There was probably some perfectly reasonable explanation for Stone's odd behavior。 I'm wasting my time； Thornton thought。 But something kept him there。
At seven o'clock； the driveway gates opened； and a car appeared。
Willard Stone was at the wheel。 Instead of his usual limousine； he was in a small； black van used by the household staff A feeling of exultation spread through Thornton。 He knew he was onto something。
People lived according to their pattern； and Stone was breaking the pattern。 It had to be another woman。
Driving carefully and staying well behind the van； Thornton followed his father…in…law through the streets of Washington to the road that led to Arlington。
I'll have to handle this very delicately； Thornton thought。 I don't want to push him too hard。 I'll get all the information I can about his mistress； and then I'll confront him with it。 I'll tell him my only interest is in protecting him。 He'll get the message。 The last thing he wants is a public scandal。
Dustin Thornton was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he almost missed the turn that Willard Stone had taken。 They were in an exclusive residential district。 The black van abruptly disappeared up a long； tree…shaded driveway。
Dustin Thornton stopped the car； deciding on the best way to proceed。 Should he face Willard Stone with his infidelity now？ Or should he wait until Stone left and then talk to the woman first？ Or should he quietly gather all the information he needed and then have a talk with his father…in…law？ He decided to reconnoiter。
Thornton parked his car on a side street and walked around to the alley at the back of the two…story house。 A wooden fence blocked off the back of the yard； but that was no problem。 Thornton opened the gate and stepped inside。 He was facing huge； beautiful； manicured grounds with the house at the rear。
He moved quietly in the shadow of the trees that lined the lawn and stood at the back door； deciding what his next move should be。 He needed proof of what was going on。 Without it the old man would laugh at him。 Whatever was happening inside at this moment could be the key to his future。 He had to find out。 Very gently； Thornton tried the back door。 It was unlocked。 He slipped inside and found himself in a large； oldfashioned kitchen。 There was no one around。 Thornton moved toward the service door and pushed it open slightly。 He was facing a large reception hall。 At the far end was a closed door that could have led to a library。 Thornton walked toward it； moving quietly。 He stood there listening。 There was no sign of life in the house。 The old man is probably upstairs in the bedroom。
Thornton walked toward the closed door and opened it。 He stood in the doorway； staring。 There were a dozen men seated in the room around a large table。
〃e in； Dustin；〃 Willard Stone said。
〃We've been expecting you。
Rome proved to be difficult for Robert； an emotional ordeal that draine