''May I help you?'' It didn't sound like he wanted to.
''I'm looking for the ladies' room,'' Kris said.
''It's that away. You should have turned left off the stairs.''
''That's what I told her,'' Jack said.
''I hear that a lot,'' the guard said.
Kris retreated with ill grace.
''What did you see?'' Jack asked when they were out of the guard's earshot.
''That the offices are not locked off or all that well guarded,'' Kris said. ''Also, did you see that guard?''
''No body armor and I doubt if he's carrying more than a revolver or automatic.''
''Exactly. If he's what Inspector Johnson is counting on to handle a serious assault with the weapons we found in the warehouse, there's going to be lots of blood and guts on the floor but not an ounce of brain.''
Kris actually did make use of the ladies' room.
She was just coming out when Nelly said, ''Kris, you have a call coming in from Abby.''
''What's happening?'' Kris said.
''Cara's gone.''
''Where'd she go?''
''That's the problem, we don't know. She got a call, which she took outside the Tac Center. When she came back in she said it was not from Bronc, but that she needed to go to the bathroom. That was fifteen minutes ago. She's not in the bathroom and she's nowhere in the embassy.''
''Have you tried to trace her phone?'' Kris asked.
''Yep. She's got it throttled. Twelve and already breaking the law. I suspect it's the company she keeps.''
''She's got good teachers,'' Kris said. ''Where do you think she headed?''
''I bet either her mom or grandmom told her to go home,'' Abby said.
''Where she'll be safe?'' Kris asked.
That brought a long pause. ''I wouldn't bet an Earth penny on that,'' Abby said.
''You think Cara's included in the ‘kill them all,' coverage,'' Kris said, not really believing her own words.
''I'm thinking that tonight is supposed to be bigger than any of us can get our minds around.''
Kris let that hang in the air for a long moment. Apparently long enough for Abby to make up her mind.
''Kris, I'm headed down to Five Corners to pick up Cara.''
''Abby, I figured you to keep an eye on the place there, maybe lead some last desperate reaction team.''
''Gramma Ruth is doing a fine job of eyeballing this place. She's enjoying using her commander's commission.''
''What's your reserve commission?'' Kris asked. The last thing she expected was an answer. But now that things were getting interesting and deadly, any sort of answer from Abby would be enlightening.
''I hold a reserve first lieutenant's commission in Wardhaven Army Intelligence.''
''Admiral Crossenshield made you a first lieutenant!''
''I started as a second louie,'' Abby said. ''Having survived chasing you around space, I got a promotion awhile back.''
Kris didn't know which shocked her more. That Abby held a reserve commission…or that she'd admitted it. She was very worried about her niece. ''You really want to get Cara back.''
''I haven't been much use to her, my own flesh and blood. I will not let her down now.''
''Then you better go get her,'' Kris said. Only after the order was given did she glance at Jack. He was smiling proudly, like maybe a papa does when his little hellion is showing signs of becoming a civilized human being.
''Gramma Ruth, here.'' came over the line. ''I'm looking at a Marine sergeant that sure looks in need of going with Abby. Sergeant Bruce, isn't it?'' A ''yes, ma'am'' came in the background.
''Can you cover the center without him?'' Kris asked, not at all happy asking the old woman to take on that responsibility.
''I don't see a problem, Kris. And if things go south, I can always call them back. You do understand, Abby, I call and you come running no matter where you are.''
''Understood, Commander.''
Kris rang off and found a bench to sit down on.
''Abby holds a reserve commission,'' she marveled. Jack was busy looking up and down the lower halls, the north a duplicate of the one above. The south offices. He nodded agreement.
''And our forces are getting scattered all to hell in a hand basket,'' Kris growled.
''Somehow I don't think that is by accident,'' Jack said.
''These folks haven't been dumb since that first shoot-out. Why should they start dumbing down now?'' Kris sighed.
Chimes sounded upstairs.
''I suspect that either means dinner is served or the cattle are being lined up. Want to bet which?''
Jack offered Kris his arm and, with the Marine couple trailing them, they headed back the way they'd come.
Through the east-facing rear doors of the ground floor, Kris got a gorgeous view of a river reflecting back bloodred clouds on fire with the sunset.
Kris hoped that wasn't a harbinger of things to come as she turned to ascend the stairs and do her part in what would happen next.
45
For once, the order of presentation put Kris nowhere near the head of the line.
Three visiting dignitaries from Geneva had the honor of first place, followed by several representatives of the Mandate from Heaven. After that, the pecking order seemed to fall by corporate wealth. Even there, several corporations ranked ahead of Nuu Enterprises on Eden.
It didn't bother Kris a bit.
She spent the time getting to know the killing zone better.
Two floors above the main one had wide balconies looking down on the halls. And men in dark glasses who regularly talked into their sleeves standing watch beside marble columns.
They didn't look any more heavily armed than the fellow on the ground floor.
Clearly, Eden was making a try, but was totally out of their league.
Penny leaned close to Kris's ear. ''You think on Wardhaven your old man would have this many guards?''
Which was a good point. Kris mulled it over for a full second, then answered. ''He'd have more if he knew a coup was in the works. And if I had any say-so in the matter.''
Jack chuckled dryly.
Commander Malhoney listened stoically through the entire exchange. He didn't so much as twitch.
However, unless very pale was his normal skin coloring, he was more scared than he let on.
Kris reached the beginning of the reception line and began shaking hands with this senator or that senator's spouse.
Kris smiled and shook hands or exchanged gentle hugs. Formal introductions went quickly. Nelly offered to back up the brief name and main political office with something more, but Kris declined.
The line was clearly paced to move fast. If there was to be any serious talking, it would be after the formal meet and greet.
Assuming the hostile assault team gave them a few spare moments.
NELLY, ARE YOU GETTING ANY JAMMING?
NO, KRIS. I WILL TELL YOU AS SOON AS I DO.
And Kris moved on to shake another hand.
''We don't want to get a speeding ticket,'' Abby pointed out. ''Or wrap this car around a light post.''
Beside her, Sergeant Bruce didn't noticeably slow down. He'd picked one of the rentals. Not the hottest, but a middling type that had a surprising amount under the hood.
And he was using all of it.
''You sure you know where the kid is headed?'' he asked Abby.
''I'm pretty sure she's headed home,'' Abby said. Still, she activated a subroutine on her computer that she'd paid very good money for.
Everyone knew a phone could be located at any time by the authorities using the correct remote command. Many people paid good money for the illegal option that allowed them to eliminate that function. Abby had paid very good money for a bit of software that was supposed to get around that option.
It would be interesting to see if Bronc was better than all the money Abby had paid.
Surprise, surprise, the kid had a bit to learn. A map was projected onto the car's front screen. A green dot moved along the trolley line toward Five Corners.
''She's on her way home. Please tell me why.''
The sergeant offered no explanation. After a bit of silence he did change the subject.