“What about Kemal?” Roger Hudson asked.
“The fire at the school is set to go off in twenty minutes. The kid is in the basement. He’s heavily sedated.”
Dana was growing more desperate. They were nearing Rock Creek Park, and the traffic was beginning to thin out.
Kemal is terrified, Dana. I’ve never seen anyone so terrified. He knows he’s going to die, and I told him that you’re going to die, too.
In the helicopter trailing the limousine, Norman Bronson said, “He’s turning, Jeff. It looks like he’s heading for Rock Creek Park.”
“Don’t lose him.”
At the FRA, General Booster stormed into his office. “What the hell has been going on here?” he asked one of his aides.
“I told you, General. While you were away, Major Stone recruited a few of our best men, and they’re into some big deal with Roger Hudson. They’ve targeted Dana Evans. Look at this.” The aide pulled up a screen on his computer, and a moment later there was a picture of Dana naked, getting into the shower in the Breidenbacher Hof Hotel.
General Booster’s face tightened. “Jesus!” He turned to his aide. “Where is Stone?”
“He’s gone. He’s leaving the country with the Hudsons.”
General Booster snapped. “Get me the National Airport.”
In the helicopter, Norman Bronson looked down and said, “They’re heading toward the park, Jeff. Once they get there, we won’t be able to land because of the trees.”
Jeff said urgently, “We have to stop them. Can you land in front of them on the road?”
“Sure.”
“Do it.”
Bronson pushed the controls forward and the helicopter began to descend. He passed over the limousine, and then began gently to bring the helicopter down. It landed on the road, twenty yards ahead of the limousine. They watched as the car screeched to a stop.
“Turn off the engines,” Jeff said.
“We can’t do that. We’ll be at the guy’s mercy if—”
“Turn them off.”
Bronson looked at him. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
“No.”
Bronson sighed and turned off the ignition. The huge blades of the helicopter began to slow down until they came to a stop. Jeff looked out the window.
Cesar had opened the back door of the limousine. He said to Dana, “Your friend is trying to cause us trouble.” His fist shot out and punched Dana in the jaw. She fell back on the seat, unconscious. Then Cesar stood up and started toward the helicopter.
“Here he comes,” Bronson said nervously. “My God, he’s a giant!”
Cesar was approaching the helicopter, his face filled with anticipation.
“Jeff, he’s got to have a gun. He’s going to kill us.”
Jeff yelled out the window, “You and your bosses are going to prison, you bastard!”
Cesar started walking faster.
“It’s all over for you. You might as well give up.”
Cesar was fifteen yards from the helicopter.
“You’ll be jailbait for the boys.”
Ten yards.
“You’ll like that, won’t you, Cesar?”
Cesar was running now. Five yards.
Jeff pressed his thumb down hard on the start button and the huge vanes of the helicopter slowly began to turn. Cesar paid no attention, his eyes were focused on Jeff, his face was filled with hatred. The vanes began to spin faster and faster. As Cesar ran to the door of the helicopter, he suddenly realized what was happening, but it was too late. There was a loud splash, and Jeff closed his eyes. The outside and the inside of the helicopter were instantly covered with blood.
Norman Bronson said, “I’m going to be sick.” He turned off the ignition.
Jeff glanced at the decapitated body on the ground, jumped out of the helicopter, and raced to the limousine. He opened the door. Dana was unconscious.
“Dana…darling…”
Dana slowly opened her eyes. She looked at Jeff and mumbled, “Kemal…”
The limousine was almost a mile from Lincoln Preparatory School when Jeff yelled, “Look.” Ahead of them in the distance, they could see smoke starting to darken the sky.
“They’re burning the school down,” Dana shrieked. “Kemal is in there. He’s in the basement.”
“Oh, my God.”
A minute later the limousine reached the school. A heavy cloud of smoke was rising from the building. A dozen firemen were working to put down the fire.