by Tom Clancy
‘What I want to know is how anybody could write in here?’ Andy growled, his attention split between the screen and a growing altercation down the hall.
Through the gap in the doorway, Leif saw a protesting Slobodan Cetnik being escorted through the hall by FBI Net Force officers.
One of the agents carried a laptop computer that looked like a twin to David’s.
As the Net Force Explorers went down to breakfast the next morning, they discovered a surprise guest in the lobby - Captain Winters.
‘Congratulations on winning that race,’ the captain told them. ‘Although I hear Pinnacle Studios is now doing some very fast footwork.’ He sighed. ‘To be frank, so is the State Department.’
‘Politics.’ Leif pronounced it as though it were a dirty word.
‘They both have a vested interest in keeping this whole story covered up.’
‘Oh, yeah,’ Andy said bitterly. ‘Don’t upset the Carpathian Alliance. Yes, they’re openly hostile to us, and we caught them dabbling in what looks suspiciously like cyber-terrorism, but it’s not diplomatic to offend them.’
Matt, however, got right to the point. ‘What brings you out here. Captain Winters?’
‘Somehow, I don’t think it’s just to congratulate us,’ Leif said.
Winters gave him a half-grin. ‘It’s partly your fault, Anderson. I have a very brief field mission, Raising with our office here in L. A. After all, I was the guy who put them on to this whole Carpathian mess, after you called me.’
‘So how do you expect this all to shake out?’ Leif asked.
The captain shrugged. ‘I expect Pinnacle Studios will stand by the results of the race, although when the episode comes out, you can expect the end will be heavily edited for holovision. That actor guy - Snowdon - after finally realizing that Cetnik would have happily killed him to pull off his little stunt, he got furious. In spite of the efforts of a flock of Pinnacle lawyers, he’s been talking his head off to the FBI. They’re building an entire file about how the Carpathian Alliance has penetrated anarcho-libertarian splinter factions.’
‘That isn’t going to help the movement’s political chances,’ Leif said.
Winters shrugged. ‘Again, it all depends on how much gets out.’ He looked almost embarrassed as he spoke next. ‘A former high-ranking member of the FBI heads their technical division. He’s been a Frontie all his life.’
‘So Commander Dominic may just swashbuckle his way through this one,’ David said. ‘How about Mr Cetnik?’
‘If State sits on what he did here, the guy may walk,’ Winters admitted. ‘I’m going to have a little personal chat with him, though. Point out to him that, considering his failure, there may be some things he wouldn’t like his home government to know.’ He glanced at Leif. ‘It’s the least we can do for that girl who helped you.’
Speaking of which …
‘Thanks for telling me. I’ll try and pass that along to her. But Captain … guys … you’ll have to excuse me now. I have an appointment.’
Rising from his seat, Leif picked up the plainly wrapped package he’d retrieved from the front desk. It had been delivered by messenger from his father’s L.A. offices.
Leif tucked it under his arm and headed out to the hotel’s courtyard and pool.
Ludmila Plavxisa perched on the edge of one of the deck chairs, squinting at the people happily splashing in the pool. Although she wore a bathing suit and sat out in the sun, she acted as though she were chilled.
‘I thought you’d need these,’ Leif said, reaching into his shirt pocket. He pulled out the sunglasses he’d bought for her during their all-too-brief outing.
She responded with a wan smile as she put them on. ‘My only souvenir of this visit to sunny California.’ Then she rubbed her arms. ‘I’m afraid it may be a long, cold winter.’
If this were a holo-drama, Leif thought, I’d tell her I loved her and that I’d arranged for political asylum. She’d leap into my arms, happily forgetting about her family and her homeland.
But this was real life, and he had to get real. ‘It may not be that bad,’ he said quietly. ‘My connection to Net Force has arrived to put a few well-chosen words in Cetnik’s ear. He may not be so eager to tell the whole story of his fiasco when he gets back to the C.A.’
Ludmila seemed a little taken aback. ‘They’d do that for me?’
‘You helped us,’ Leif pointed out. ‘Your warning saved our lives - and may have helped crack this case open. If you ask me, it’s the least we could do.’
‘Ah,’ she said, looking up at his eyes. ‘For the case. Of course.’
Leif felt a warmth on his cheeks that didn’t come from the sun. ‘That’s not even counting my personal feelings.’
‘Personal?’ For just a second, a little laughing devil looked out of her big blue eyes.
Leif gave her a look. ‘Oh, stop trying to twist my tail and scoot over on that stupid chair.’
Silently, she did as he asked. Leif sat beside her.
‘We’ve only known one another a few days, but they’ve certainly been jam-packed,’ he said. ‘When I finally got to know you - well, you weren’t what I expected.’
‘You either,’ she admitted.
‘Anyway, I thought you should have something more than a pair of sunglasses to remember our time together. So I managed to get you this.’
He passed over the package. Ludmila removed the plain wrappings and began to laugh. It was the laptop computer Leif’s father had attempted to market.
‘I’m afraid they never really sold,’ Leif said. ‘The technology seems too dated. There’s a warehouse full of them out here.’ He cleared his throat. ‘I also got a replacement for Alex de Courcy. But I thought you’d like to own one, free and clear.’ He wagged a warning finger. ‘Just don’t let your government grab it.’
She flung an arm around his shoulders. ‘What a smooth talker,’ she said with a laugh, ‘giving me an old piece of junk.’
Her blue eyes were on a level with his. For a second, the laughter faded. They both considered possibilities … might-have-beens.
‘We’ll always have Hollywood,’ Ludmila said quietly. She kissed him on each cheek, European style.
Then she kissed him on the lips.
David caught up with Leif sometime later. ‘You know, you’re going to get burned.’
I will, if the Customs people ever find out about that computer, Leif thought. He looked up quickly. ‘Huh?’
‘I said, you’re going to get burned if you keep sitting outside in this sun.’ David looked at his friend. ‘She said good-bye?’
‘We both said good-bye,’ Leif replied. ‘At least there’ll be some good memories attached to all this.’
‘We did win,’ David pointed out. ‘Matt and Andy are still inside, arguing over who should get what.’
‘Count me out. Your guys earned whatever you can get. Besides, I’ve got enough new toys in my apartment to keep me busy,’ Leif said.
David shook his head, smiling wryly. ‘You really want nothing?’
‘Hey, I’ll have my memories. And a datascrip of the Great Race episode, once it’s ready.’ Leif smiled back. ‘We should be glad to get out of here with our lives.’
David laughed. ‘Amen to that,’ he said. ‘This place makes great fantasies—’
Leif finished. ‘But the real life out here is too weird to believe.’
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In the same exciting series
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty