by Leon, Judith
After quietly shutting their bungalow’s bathroom door, Nova folded a towel on the closed toilet seat and sat. The Company felt, and she agreed, that Jean Paul shouldn’t know how little she slept. Should he awaken, she would use a trip to the toilet as her excuse for being up.
She opened her new novel, then let the book drop to her lap. Since the night in the Wagner library, making love with Jean Paul had reverted properly to a strictly business thing. Since her stepfather, she’d lived for years with this kind of sexual numbness. But lying in the darkness, she felt empty, as if a great emotional tide of sweet possibilities had flooded and lifted her soul for a while, then ebbed, leaving in the sand only squiggly lines and popping bubbles.
She forced her attention to the book. The novella, The Devil by Tolstoy, sucked her in. She lost contact with the Compound. With the mission.
The bathroom door opened. “What are you doing?”
Gooseflesh flashed across her chest. Did he sound angry? Suspicious? She checked the travel clock. It was nearly two in the morning.
“What are you doing up and about at this hour?”
“I—I’m reading.”
“At two in the morning? In the bathroom?”
“Something at dinner must not have agreed with me,” she explained to him.
Jean Paul’s frown slowly dissolved. She rose, glided to him and took his hand. “I feel fine now. And I’m tired. I’m sure I’ll sleep. Let’s go back to bed.”
“You should have awakened me.”
She kissed his cheek. “No, sweet. You looked too peaceful to disturb.” She threw off the dressing gown, slid between the sheets and beckoned. “Come hold me.”
His body cupped hers and her pulse gradually quieted.
No more reading at night. She tried to conjure up the look she’d first seen on his face as he stood in the doorway. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d sensed suspicion.
Four Days Before Gall
It was six-thirty and the morning was breezy. Nova watched the limbs of the willow trees sway like jellyfish tentacles. She and Joe were in sweats, walking fast on the jogging trail around the lake. When this little confab was over, a good run might help settle her nerves.
“I left Jean Paul taking his shower,” she said. “I told him you and I were going to jog. He meets with Hass at eight. I’ll follow him. Maybe I can plant a recorder. Did you wangle a pass for Building No. 4?”
He nodded. “But I’ve found something new, and I’d bet big money Building No. 4 isn’t where the action is. They have another secure section built right into the big hump of mountain behind the admin building.”
She didn’t interrupt, just tossed him a questioning look.
He continued. “I called Hass to arrange for a pass. He agreed. Then I walked back through Number 1—the building with the green patch—and just inside the south entrance, I saw what looked like an elevator. Next to the door was a red patch. Want to make a guess about whether the pass I picked up from the secretary has clearance for a red zone or not?”
He was having fun. She smiled. “From the way you’re talking, I’d say it didn’t.”
“And you’d be right. The stuff on the back of my pass explains all about green, yellow and orange zones. It doesn’t even mention a red zone.”
“It’ll be hard enough to get into Building No. 4. How the heck could we penetrate anything built into that mountain?”
“That’s what I should do today. Try to find a way in.”
“First I want you to scout the Compound and the exterior grounds. We need better information than what we have from the photos.”
“But I’ve got a feeling about this red zone.”
“We can’t go off half-cocked. While I keep an eye on Jean Paul, you do a thorough recon of the Compound. You know the routine. Where are the cars kept? What about Hass’s private little airstrip? It’s guarded, but by how many, and on what schedules, and do they have weapons in the two hangars? Also see if Hass’s planes are still there.”
“But, look—” His voice rose. “I’m nearly positive what we want is behind those steel doors. That’s where we have to go.”
“I’m not saying you’re not right. Only that today we need to do recon. If you discover some lead on how to get into the hump, great. But first things first. We have to be careful and we have to be smart. We’re in here alone.”
For a second it looked as if he was going to dig in his heels, but he surprised her. “Okay. You got it.” They walked a few seconds in silence, then he said, “Look, I have another gut feeling I want to try out on you. I think the big villain here is Helmut Hass, not Jean Paul.”
She stopped. “What do you mean?”
Joe started walking again, explaining something about Hass asking Jean Paul if Wyczek was “working out okay,” and then he gave her a mini-lecture on social deferral, saying that Jean Paul deferred to Hass, not vice versa.
In the end, she didn’t buy it. “Jean Paul’s the one with the mass following, Joe. Helmut Hass is only one step removed from a recluse. And he’s weird.”
“Sure he’s weird. Maybe that’s why he needs Jean Paul. He needs a charismatic front.” Then he said heatedly, “There’s no point in debating it now. Hell, we don’t have a lick of proof that either one of them is anything other than St. Peter and St. Paul. But I’ll bet you Hass is boss.”
“How much?”
He laughed. “I’ll pay for every cup of cappuccino we ever drink together.”
There was no point arguing with Joe until they learned more. But it bothered her that he still didn’t trust her one hundred percent, or follow her orders as leader of this mission. “Done.”
“Another thing,” he said. “What do you make of Braunwin?”
“She’s very drawn to Jean Paul. She’s been politely nice, though cold, to me. And she seems to have been very taken with Hass’s father. We must have Cupid find out more about her.”
“Agreed. I put that in the drop capsule.”
“Well done,” she said, trying not to sound patronizing and get into another pissing match.
They started a slow trot, then picked up speed. She thought she’d left enough time to shower and change before Jean Paul left the bungalow, but when she came in, he was already on his way out. He kissed her lightly and left.
She waited a moment, then followed. He headed toward the lab complex. She watched from behind covering bushes. When he reached the sidewalk, which put a line of trees between them, she sprinted after him again, now very exposed. She passed five people and breathed easier when no one turned to stare.
At the sidewalk, she slowed to a fast walk. Jean Paul had never looked back, and he was going into Building No. 1.
Through the glass panels of the entry doors she saw steel doors that fit Joe’s description. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been surprised, but she was, in fact, amazed when Jean Paul paused for a moment in front of the flat glass panel, blocking her view of it, and then the doors opened and he passed through them into the side of the hill. She wanted to stop and gawk, but forced her feet to keep moving.
So, Joe’s hunch appeared to be right on the money. The real action probably was inside the mountain, about as secure a location as any bunch of snakes could wish for.
She returned to the bungalow and showered. During the remainder of the morning she did her own quick recon of the grounds. At one o’clock, Jean Paul met her at the bungalow just as the luncheon they’d ordered was delivered. Wurst and kraut, mustard and fresh hard rolls and beer.
After they ate, he invited her to go sailing. During their sail they worked together in a harmony that made her feel amazingly young. But when her feet again touched land, she had to swallow back tears.
Now that was unbelievable—Nova Blair getting tearful over a man!
By five they were back in the bungalow and he mixed cocktails. At a quarter to six she told him she was going to change to meet Joe for another run. He frowned. “Why should you run again? Stay wi
th me.”
“He’s been working hard on the project all day. I’ve been slacking off.” She ran a finger across his lips. “I won’t be long. Dinner’s not until eight. I’ll be back soon.”
She kissed his cheek and hurried out the door, leaving him no time to argue.
Four days until “Gall.” She and Joe had to find a way into the mountain. They were close now. She could feel it. This time they had a fighting chance to prevent another deadly disaster.
Chapter 23
Four Days Before Gall
Nova greeted Joe for their second conference-disguised-as-a-jog by asking, “What did you find out?”
Joe gave her a succinct, thorough summary.
“What about the red zone?”
“I was saving that. I questioned Hass’s secretary and several of the researchers. I came up more or less dry.”
It was her turn. “I followed Jean Paul to see where he and Hass would meet. It will probably not surprise you that Jean Paul didn’t go to the mansion. Guess where?”
Joe gave her a satisfied grin. “Into the mountain.”
“Right. I was too far behind to see what he used. His body blocked my view. He doesn’t have any scars on his arms. I know that. Perhaps that scanner can also read card keys or fingerprints. Or maybe someone on the inside opened the door for him. Or maybe there is some other kind of device and you missed it.”
“I didn’t. There is only the glass plate.”
“If that scanner reads only some kind of individualized ID implanted under the skin or fingerprints, we’ll have a devil of a time bypassing it. The place can’t be self-contained, though. They have to breathe. They have to bring supplies in and haul trash out.”
“After dinner I’ll reconnoiter every square foot of the damned hill. If I find a way in, I’ll tell Cupid in tonight’s drop what we intend to do and how.”
“If we’ll need special equipment, tell him you’ll pick it up tomorrow. By tomorrow night for sure, Joe. We have to get in there. There’s not much sand left in the hourglass.”
She thought of something else. “Tell Cupid to include a couple of automatics in the package. And ask for a radio.”
Joe stooped to pick up a fist-size flat stone. He skipped it into the lake surface. “What about my idea that Hass is running the show?”
She shrugged. “You included that in last night’s drop, of course. As a speculation.”
“Sure.”
“I’m still skeptical.” She wished she could help scout the mountain. For now, she had to wait for her determined partner to find them a way in.
An hour later she and Jean Paul stepped onto the path to the mansion. Nova pulled a light wool shawl over her shoulders. She’d picked a backless, emerald-and-white cotton sheath. Jean Paul’s arm was warm around her shoulders.
He said, “If Helmut Hass weren’t such a very important man—” He stopped walking and put both arms around her. “How long have I known you? Only weeks. What I feel doesn’t make sense, I know that. There’s simply no way I could show you how much I love you. Right now I want to take you straight back to the bungalow and the dinner be damned.”
He pulled her onto the balls of her feet. His kiss searched her mouth, his hands drifted upward under the shawl and stroked her back. She thought, How is Hass important, Jean Paul? Important because he serves you? Or because you serve him?
He let her go and when she had her heels on the ground again, she took his hand and tugged him toward the mansion.
Jean Paul sighed. “But he is important. So let’s get dinner over with so we can hurry back to being alone.”
The dinner party included the same characters as the previous evening, except that Hass told them his wife had taken the boys to visit her mother in Heidelberg. Hass shot an odd glance at Singh, and for some reason, Nova had the distinct feeling Hass had lied. She couldn’t imagine why Hass would lie about his wife.
The dinner conversation, too, was similar. A lot of talk about politics and ecology.
Jean Paul said, “Helmut is trying to convince me that if I’m elected, he feels I should set my sights right away on the chancellorship. I’ve promised to let him know my answer this week.” He gave Nova a look that seemed both apology and an acknowledgment that he should have told her he was considering such a move.
She smiled. “I hope you decide yes.”
“Very good, Miss Blair,” Grund said. “I think all of us in this room have the same vision for Jean Paul.”
Joe asked Hass how he saw the changes that were necessary happening quickly enough to do any good. Grund interrupted and argued that force would be necessary in order to rid the world of the entrenched power. Hass countered forcefully. A strange look of intense cunning passed over his pale face. She saw the Mantis at the very moment it is going to strike its prey, clamp bristled pincers to the body and devour it head first. Singh’s nervous hands fluttered to his glass of sherry.
“Force is not necessary,” Hass said slowly, “if one can sufficiently persuade the mind and ensure that key leaders work in unity toward the desired goal. And, my dear, social transformation can occur with breathtaking speed. Aborigines have been brought from the Stone Age to the Space Age in one generation. Mankind can be brought quickly from the Space Age to the final Golden Age of Human Fulfillment once the collective minds of our leaders have been altered.” He gave her a pink smile. “Do not despair, my dear Nova. We all will witness the change. And Jean Paul will be at its heart.”
Having Hass call her “my dear” made her want to puke. She forced her mind back to business. Was Hass simply a rabid convert? Or was he using Jean Paul? Perhaps to raise money. Or even more likely, as a magnet to attract followers—men whom Hass could subvert to ecoterrorism.
During the after-dinner sherry, Joe asked to use a car to drive into Turm the next day and was told it would be no problem. The butler appeared and glided to Hass’s side. “It’s Herr Maurus,” he said in smooth low tones. “He begs to speak with you, sir. Urgently.”
Hass stood and murmured regrets. “This could be important.”
Nova felt, when he left, as if something alien and brooding had scuttled away. He never returned.
Later, as she and Jean Paul returned to the bungalow, Jean Paul said, “Why are you so cold to Helmut?” His voice was stiff with controlled anger.
The hair raised at the back of her neck. “I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Nova, this is me.” He took her hand. Afraid her suddenly sweating flesh would betray her, she fought the instinct to jerk it away. “I’ve learned to read you. Why don’t you like Helmut?”
A tremor shimmied up her spine. She’d made him quite angry. And he claimed he could read her. What else had he managed to sense? The golden rule to avoid tripping up was to avoid outright lies. And keep it simple. “He’s strange.”
“Helmut and his wife have supported me for years, even in lean times. He believes in our cause and he puts his money behind his beliefs. I admire him. And look at this chemical plant. It’s a model of enlightened business.”
“Of course. I shouldn’t let his appearance prejudice me. I’ll try to be more open-minded.”
“I would sincerely appreciate your making an effort.”
During a night that seemed an endless torture, she lay beside him, listening to his light snoring, trying to second guess if she’d triggered his suspicions sufficiently to compromise the mission. And creating pictures in her mind of Joe on the mountain—getting caught.
6:30 a.m.
Three Days Before Gall
Joe watched as Nova jogged across lawn to meet him on the lakeside trail, her ponytail swinging. He knew she considered him a kid. Sort of like a pesky younger brother.
A fierce urge to ferret out the critical missing piece of the Nova Blair puzzle hit him again. How in the name of God had she come to the place where she’d take these kinds of risks for her country? But the moment he turned any conversation personal, she gave him a verbal
stiff-arm there was no getting past.
They started walking fast, side by side. “I couldn’t find any door into the hump except the one in the lab building,” he informed her. “They either bring everything through that building or a tunnel connects the mountain’s inside with some other Compound location. Maybe a basement in one of the research buildings. Or maybe even someplace outside the wall. And except for a single loop of jogging trail around its base, there are no indications of traffic, light or heavy, on any other part of the mountain itself.”
“So there’s no way in but those steel doors?”
“Didn’t say that.” He let his satisfaction put a bit of swagger in his voice. “On the back side and top I found openings to three ventilation shafts.”
This won him a big smile. “And?”
“The openings are large enough for us. Can’t guarantee how far we’ll get. I’ll pick up what we need from Cupid today.”
“So you will pick it all up today? And hide it?”
“Roger.”
“We should settle on when to meet.”
“There’s no moon till one o’clock. How soon after dark can you get away?”
“I can take care of Jean Paul sometime between nine and ten. When I’m ready I’ll let your phone ring once. I may need help.”
“Roger, again.”
“One more thing.” She hesitated. He waited.
“Jean Paul was angry with me last night. He’s figured out I detest Hass.”
Joe felt his jaw involuntarily harden. “He can’t expect you to like every person you meet,” he said sharply. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m not worried. Exactly. But you need to know I’m not feeling iron-clad sure about our cover.”
“It’s too late to worry about that now.”
Chapter 24
Nova returned to the bungalow as Jean Paul stepped out of the shower. Water streaked down his skin. With both hands he palmed strands of wet blond hair backward from his forehead. “Breakfast will be here in twenty minutes,” he said. “And I’ve arranged for us to go riding. I need exercise.”