"They have a nuclear weapon in that truck."
Félix just stared at him and said, "The back door is this way." They both scurried toward it, then barreled out the door and into the Cobalt.
As Duarte started the car, Félix said, "We need backup."
Duarte said, "He took my cell. Where's yours?" He stomped on the gas, just seeing the taillight of the truck as it took a corner a few blocks away. The little car bounced and rattled over a curb and onto the street.
Félix said, "My phone is lost in this mess in the backseat."
Duarte could hear him sift through old newspapers and food wrappers as he searched for his Nextel.
Félix called out over his shoulder as he looked in the back, "Who was the dead, naked woman?"
"My guess is she could activate the bomb." He bumped over railroad tracks, still having the truck in sight. They tried to close but the little whining engine couldn't do it. They stayed in sight several more minutes as the truck weaved in and out of the light traffic, leading them farther and farther from the warehouse and Lina. Duarte's stomach hurt just thinking of her back there with Staub. But they had to find the truck.
"Staub killed Gastlin, didn't he?"
"Yeah."
Félix was silent as he sat forward without his phone, simmering. Duarte could see his face change color as the DEA man thought about the Panamanian police colonel.
They automatically fell into a grid search, hoping to catch a glimpse of the truck or at least see a cop he could hail for help.
Duarte turned his head to his friend and said calmly, "Félix, look for your phone again. We need to get help." He hoped it might distract the DEA man as well as help them as their situation grew more desperate.
Then Duarte saw Pelly's plan in his head. He slammed on the brakes, throwing the unprepared Félix hard into the dash.
Félix cursed then said, "What? What is it?"
Duarte started to back up the small car to turn it around and said, "Staub said he had a replacement for the dead woman. A replacement to arm the weapon. This was a trick. They're going back to the warehouse."
Pelly had no idea why the colonel would kill the pretty Ukrainian scientist other than her looks. It was done, so it no longer mattered. He had worked for the colonel so long that he knew what the man thought in certain situations. He knew his job was to draw Duarte and his partner away from the warehouse so that he could bring the bomb back and have the new scientist arm it. He had even had to slow down a couple of times so the little Cobalt driven by Duarte would catch up enough to keep him interested. Then, when he had him near the other side of the city, Pelly lost him for good and returned, using a good, direct route he had memorized on his trek away from the warehouse.
The entire ride back, Ike seemed like a different man. Quiet and nervous, he only looked up occasionally. He seemed disturbed by Lina and her actions.
Pelly gained respect for her. Not only was she beautiful, she was willing to take drastic steps as part of her duties. She was great. He wondered if he would ever get to see her again when all this unpleasantness was finished.
Staub raised the garage door as soon as Pelly drove the truck back into the lot. He spun it around and backed into the bay next to poor Professor Tuznia's Audi. He popped out of the pickup and felt some relief when he saw Lina, unharmed and tied to a chair next to the office door. A boney, balding, nervous man was next to her, smoking a cigarette. Obviously the new professor.
As Pelly walked behind the Audi, he noticed the trunk lid was open and the naked body of Professor Tuznia lay curled in the clean, empty trunk. The colonel had not even bothered to close her eyes. Pelly took a second and pushed down her eyelids.
Colonel Staub said, "Quickly, Pelly, take Ike and uncrate the front of the weapon. We have little time to waste."
The skeletal, balding man paced back and forth in front of the office, then changed his direction and headed toward them near the truck.
With Ike's massive shoulders and arms, they easily slid the crate back onto the tailgate. Pelly used a crowbar from a nearby shelf to pry open the wooden face of the crate.
The colonel joined them as the bald man reached in and swept away some packing straw. He had apparently already discussed with the scientist what was needed and shown him the cash.
The man worked amazingly fast, fastening wires and then splicing in his own plug. The plug fit into the back of a cell phone. The man taped the phone next to the open space on the bomb where the wires came out.
The man looked up at Staub. "When you want to detonate, call number of phone."
Pelly thought the man sounded German, with his sharp sounds and Ws changed to Vs.
Staub looked at a small sheet of paper. "I have the number."
The bald man said, "On the fourth ring, it will answer automatically. Press the numbers one, two, three, four, and that will trigger the mechanism. It will then initiate the first reaction that will then start the fissionable material."
Staub smiled. "How big will the blast be?"
"This is a warhead that would've been launched by a Soviet SS-18 missile. Modified, of course. Should be very good explosion. The tamper material is U-235. This surrounds the core. It should yield ten full kilotons. Enough."
The man didn't look remorseful or proud to Pelly. He was just another guy trying to make a buck off his skills.
"And this phone will detonate it anywhere?"
"Anywhere Nextel has service, so not too many places, but it should work if it has a signal."
"Excellent," said Staub as he motioned for Pelly and Ike to help shove the whole crate back into the truck. Then Staub looked at Ike and said, "Start driving."
The wide man said, "Now?"
"Of course now."
"Where?"
The colonel looked at him like he was an idiot. "Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada."
"Where in the hell is that?"
He handed him an envelope. "Here is a map, and a number to call when the bomb is in position."
"Why there?"
"It is the perfect target. Symbolic, military and devastating."
Ike moaned, "It'll take me more than a day just to drive there."
"We have time. I will not call the number until you say the truck is in position and you are a safe distance away."
Ike just stared at the colonel and swallowed hard.
The colonel raised his voice. "No delays. Get started, now."
Pelly and Colonel Staub watched as Ike shuffled over to the pickup truck, closed the tailgate on the open bomb, crawled into the driver's seat and slowly pulled the truck out as Staub used a remote to open the big door. Pelly could tell Ike was a beaten man.
Pelly waved to his American comrade.
Ike gave him a dispirited nod back.
The colonel said, "Good luck, Ike. You will be a hero in the new America."
Ike didn't look thrilled with his potential status as hero. He backed into the lot and paused. Then, after about thirty seconds he pulled onto the street and headed toward downtown Houston.
Staub turned back toward the office. He called over his shoulder, "Thank you, Professor. Here is your cash." He gestured toward the crate now at the door of the office.
The bald man said, "I will count."
"As you wish." Staub placed his phone and a few things from his pocket on a shelf outside the office, then turned toward Lina, who had been following the tall colonel with her eyes every time he moved.
Pelly felt a twinge of anxiety the way the colonel looked at Lina and said, "Now to tie up loose ends."
Duarte felt sure they had been gone too long on their wild-goose chase when he found the street to the warehouse again. As he came down the street, he saw a vehicle, then said, "Unbelievable. It's the truck."
Félix said, "You gotta leave me off. I'll get Lina."
Duarte didn't answer.
"I can call in help from the office phone. C'mon, just slow down. I'll jump."