It made too much sense to be a lie, and Lina's silence confirmed it for Duarte.
Duarte leaned forward slightly and said to the FBI agent, "You were never sent to help us. You were sent to keep him quiet."
She remained silent.
Duarte felt like an idiot.
Ike felt some sort of release to finally say out loud what he had done. Sure, the FBI knew it, but they had scared him into silence years before. He never realized how serious they were until this bitch, Lina, was about to kill him to keep him quiet.
He had been mesmerized by the news following the blast when the news anchors had blabbed on and on about John Doe #2. After Timothy McVeigh had been arrested by an Oklahoma state trooper, everyone had seemed to focus on that numbskull. No one ever asked how smart he was. Sure, he was crazy, as crazy as anyone Ike had ever met, but he was a dumb-ass. So was his buddy Terry Nichols. Once those two were fingered, no one asked if anyone else was involved, and "John Doe #2," Ike, had faded from the public consciousness.
Over the years, so had the bombing. After 9/11, no one seemed to care about Oklahoma City. Middle Easterners were all anyone talked about.
Now, years after he had anguished about working with the FBI, he had said it out loud: He was John Doe #2.
But that didn't mean he was sold on Mr. Ortíz's crazy-assed idea.
Pelly liked hearing other people's secrets come out. He had no idea that Ike had such an interesting history. The whole story sounded like one of Colonel Staub's elaborate plans.
As they approached the big warehouse, Pelly said to Ike, "You did well getting such a low-profile truck."
Ike just nodded.
Once the truck stopped, Pelly slipped out and orchestrated the two federal agents' exit from the high vehicle. He allowed Lina to slip out of the embrace, leaving Duarte handcuffed in front. He nodded toward the door, and everyone started shuffling that way.
As they entered the large area where the professor's vehicle was parked inside by the small glass office, Pelly stopped and stared. He couldn't believe it. In front of him stood Colonel Staub standing over the still, naked body of Professor Tuznia. She was draped over her case of tools, her large breasts hanging to one side as her head lolled down toward the floor. Her dark eyes were still wide open.
Colonel Staub looked up at Pelly and his captive, but said only, "Make no comment. I have already arranged for an alternative."
"So fast?" asked Pelly.
"Money can do wonders." He cut his eyes to Duarte and Lina. "And we can deal with these two at the same time." He smiled at their expressions. "Yes, my young friends. Nothing is ever as it appears." He walked toward them. "I could ask how you found us, but it does not matter now." He winked at Lina.
Lina mumbled, "Asshole."
Colonel Staub stepped closer, standing next to the small office. "I should have a little extra time to deal with you, Lina." He looked at Pelly. "Where is the third member of your little group? The DEA man."
Pelly answered, "I didn't see him. These two had Ike in a parking lot down the road."
Suddenly, the glass to the office shattered, at the same time the thunder of a gunshot echoed through the giant metal structure.
Pelly ducked, drew his Beretta and scanned the large storage area. There were several doors an assailant could've entered. He raised his pistol, seeking a target.
He glanced at his prisoners and was shocked to see that Duarte had managed to vanish in that second of distraction. Lina still stood, shocked, next to Colonel Staub.
The colonel looked at Pelly and said, "Take the bomb somewhere safe. You know what to do. Make it quick."
Pelly fired two shots as he moved. He grabbed Ike's arm and dragged him toward the door, too. He heard return fire, but thought it was directed more toward the colonel.
In a matter of seconds, he and Ike had the truck with the bomb and were headed down the street.
53
ONCE ALEX DUARTE HEARD THE FIRST SHOT, HE ACTED WITHOUT hesitation, ducking slightly and running first to the side, as Pelly focused his attention toward the shooter, then back into the rows of stacked merchandise. The tall shelves allowed him to disappear in a matter of seconds.
He heard a few more shots and some return fire as he turned down one row toward the sound of the shots. He knew it was Félix Baez. No one could've slept through that racket back at the truck. He'd really used his head, following the pickup truck back to the warehouse.
"Félix," shouted Duarte.
"Here," came one quick response, but it was enough, and Duarte found his friend.
Félix crouched behind a shelf. "I was hoping Lina would make a break, too. Now we gotta get her back." He turned and fumbled with his DEA identification, where, like all good cops, he had an extra handcuff key secured. He had Duarte free quickly.
Félix said, "The hairy guy and Floyd just ducked out the front door."
Duarte peeked down the aisle and saw Staub with a gun to Lina's head.
Félix said again, "Let's get Lina."
Duarte shook his head. It hurt to say it, but he did. "We need the other two."
"No way they're more important than Lina."
"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.