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n the narrow walls of his cell。
After a brief rest to collect his strength； Machita began pushing away the rubble。 His hands discovered a short length of board and he used it to pry away the topside flooring until at last he forced an opening large enough to crawl through。 Cautiously he peered over the edge into the chilly night air。 Nothing stirred。 He bent his knees and shoved his body upward until his hands touched the grass of the parade ground。 A sudden heave and he was free。
Machita took a deep breath and looked around。 It was then that he saw the miracle of his salvation。 The wall of the administration building facing the parade field had caved inward； collapsing the first floor； which had effectively shielded his cell from falling debris and the deadly wrath of the South Africans。
No one greeted Machita as he staggered to his feet； because there was no one in sight。 The moon illuminated an eerie； barren landscape。 Every facility； every building； had been leveled。 The field was empty； the bodies of the dead were gone。
It was as though the African Army of Revolution had never existed。
〃I wish I could help you； but I don't really see how。〃
Lee Raferty had been right； Pitt reflected。 Orville Mapes did look more like a hardware peddler than a weapons dealer。 Raferty was wrong on one count； though： Mapes was no longer a vice…president； he had moved up to president and chairman of the board of the Phalanx Arms Corporation。 Pitt stared back into the gray eyes of the stubby little man。
〃A check of your inventory records would be helpful。〃
〃I do not open my records for a stranger who wanders in from the street。 My customers would not look kindly upon a supplier who failed to keep their transactions confidential。〃
〃The law requires you to list your arms sales with the Defense De…partment； so what's the big secret？〃
〃Are you with Defense； Mr。 Pitt？〃 asked Mapes。
〃Indirectly。〃
〃Then whom do you represent？〃
〃Sorry； I can't say。〃
Mapes shook his head irritably and rose。 〃I'm a busy man。 I have no time for games。 You can find your own way out。〃
Pitt remained in his chair。 〃Sit down； Mr。 Mapes 。 。 。 please。〃
Mapes found himself looking into a pair of green eyes that were as hard as jade。 He hesitated； and considered challenging the mand； then slowly did as he was asked。
Pitt nodded at the telephone。 〃So we both know where we stand； I suggest you call General Elmer Grosfield。〃
Mapes made a nettled face。 〃The Chief Inspector of Foreign Arms Shipments and I seldom see eye to eye。〃
〃I take it he frowns on classified weapons' being sold to unfriendly nations。〃
Mapes shrugged。 〃The general is a narrow…minded man。〃 Mapes leaned back in his chair and stared speculatively at Pitt。 〃What； may I ask； is your connection with Grosfield？〃
〃Let's just say he respects my judgment more than he does yours。〃
〃Do I detect a veiled threat； Mr。 Pitt？ If I don't play ball； you cry foul to Grosfield…is that it？〃
〃My request is simple；〃 said Pitt。 〃A check of the whereabouts of the naval shells you bought from Lee Raferty in Colorado。〃
〃I don't have to show you a damn thing； mister；〃 Mapes replied stubbornly。 〃Not without a logical explanation or proper identification； or； for that matter； a court order。〃
〃And if General Grosfield makes the request？〃
〃In that case I might be persuaded to string along。〃
Pitt nodded at the phone again。 〃I'll give you his private number
〃I have it；〃 Mapes said； fishing through a small box。 He found the slotted index card he was looking for and held it up。 〃Not that I don't trust you； Mr。 Pitt。 But if you don't mind； I prefer using a number from my own file。〃
〃Suit yourself；〃 said Pitt。
Mapes lifted the receiver； inserted the card in the automatic…dialer phone； and pressed the code button。 〃It's after twelve o'clock；〃 he said。
〃Grosfield is probably out to lunch。〃 Pitt shook his head。 〃The general is a brown…bagger。 He eats at his desk。〃
〃I always figured him for a cheapass；〃 Mapes grunted。
Pitt smiled； hoping Mapes couldn't read the anxiety behind his eyes。
Abe Steiger rubbed the sweat from his palms on his pant legs and picked up the phone on the third ring； taking a bite from a banana before he spoke。
〃General Grosfield here；〃 he mumbled。
〃General； this is Orville Mapes； of Phalanx Arms。〃
〃Mapes； where are you？ You sound like you're talking from the bottom of a barrel。〃
〃You sound muffled and distant； too； General。〃
〃You caught me in the middle of a peanut…butter sandwich。 I like them thick with gobs of mayonnaise。 What's on your mind； Mapes？〃
〃Sorry to interrupt your lunch； but do you know a Mr。 Dirk Pitt？〃
Steiger forced a pause and took a deep breath before answering。 〃Pitt。 Yes； I know Pitt。 He's an investigator for the Senate Armed Forces mittee。〃
〃His credentials are right up there； then。〃
〃They don't go any higher；〃 said Steiger； as though talking with a mouthful。 〃Why do you ask？〃
〃He's sitting in front of me； demanding to inspect my inventory records。〃
〃I wondered when he'd get around to you civilians。〃 Steiger took another bite from the banana。 〃Pitt is heading up the Stanton probe。〃
〃The Stanton probe？ I never heard of it。〃
〃I'm not surprised。 They're not advertising。 Some do…good senator got it in his head that stockpiles of nerve…gas weapons are hidden under the Army's carpet。 So he launched a probe to find them。〃 Steiger wolfed down the last of the banana and tossed the peel in one of General Grosfield's desk drawers。 〃Pitt and his investigators didn't turn up so much as a pellet。 Now he's after you surplus boys。〃
〃What do you suggest？〃
〃What I suggest；〃 Steiger blurted； 〃is that you give the bastard what he wants。 If you have any gas canisters stashed in your warehouses； give them to him and save yourself a carload of grief。 The Stanton mittee is not out to prosecute anybody。 They only want to make damned sure some Third World dictator doesn't lay his hands on the wrong kind of weapons。〃
〃Thanks for the advice； General；〃 Mapes said。 Then； 〃Mayonnaise； you say？ I prefer peanut butter with onions； myself。〃
〃To each his own； Mr。 Mapes。 Good…bye。〃
Steiger hung up the phone and let out a deep； satisfied sigh。 Then he wiped the receiver with his handkerchief and exited into the hall。 He was just in the act of closing the door to the general's office when a captain in Army green walked around a corner。 The captain's eyes grew mildly suspicious at the sight of Steiger。
〃Excuse me； Colonel； but if you were looking for General Grosfield； he's out to lunch。〃
Steiger straightened and offered the captain his best 〃I outrank you〃 stare and said； 〃I don't know the general。 This jungle of concrete threw my sense of direction out of balance。 I'm looking for the Army Accident and Safety Department。 Got lost and poked my head in this office to ask directions。〃
The captain seemed noticeably relieved at avoiding an embarrassing situation。 〃Oh hell； I get lost ten times a day myself。 You'll find Accident and Safety one floor down。 Just take the elevator around the next corner to your right。〃
〃Thank you； Captain。〃
〃My pleasure； sir。〃
In the elevator Steiger smiled devi