He's almost there, Gerry thought. Just one more nudge . . .
"Look, " Ketter said. "If there was some way we could confirm the existence of this implant without letting either Marsden or Lathram know what we're doing, I'd go for it. But the damn thing's supposedly in his leg. What do we do? Knock him out and drag him into a hospital and x-ray him? " Gerry turned and stared at Ketter. Yes!
Ketter said, "What? " "I think I know how we can do it." TRICKS GERRY RAISED HIS FIELD GLASSES AS A SILVER-GRAY LINcoln Town Car pulled out of the driveway and turned right. Senator Marsden sat behind the wheel. He felt the butterflies begin to flutter against the walls of his stomach. They'd been fluttering all night. A lot hung on this little operation. By Bureau standards it was no big deal in resources, a couple of vehicles, a couple of field agents, a couple of civilians.
But it was a very big deal for him.
Butterflies? More like a couple of angry roosters going at each other.
Not many places to hide in this section of McLean. Mostly open horse country, zoned for high acreage, with big, sprawling homes set far back from the road. But Gerry had managed to find a stand of oaks that allowed him to pull off the road and keep an eye on Senator Marsden's driveway. Gin had called the senator's office and learned that he was expected in sometime between eight and nine.
Even if Gerry hadn't known his face, the white bandage on the left ear would have confirmed the ID. And he was wearing his seat belt.
Great.
A sensible man. He glanced at his watch, 8:05 Prompt too.
And as usual, he was driving himself. That had been a concern. As minor as the surgery was, there was always the possibility that the senator might order a limo to take him to his office. Fortunately he hadn't. An extra passenger or a different vehicle would complicate things.
Gerry punched two buttons on his cellular phone and it called a preprogrammed number.
"Okay. He's on his way. Using the Town Car. I'll keep you posted. " He eased his Bureau Ford into gear and followed Marsden as he wound past horse farms and meadows and turned north onto Dolley Madison Boulevard. They passed the CIA entrance and eventually fed into the traffic on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. He understood why Marsden took this route. It was beautiful. Wooded hills and vales undulated to the right, beginning their shift into fall colors, while the tranquil Potomac flowed far below on the left. Across the river the towers of Georgetown University pierced the morning sky. Gerry's tension mounted as they passed under Key Bridge. Marsden could choose from two bridges into the District from here, the Teddy Roosevelt or the Arlington Memorial. If he'd had more time, Gerry could have learned the senator's usual route, but it had been less than twenty-four hours since the surgery. Gerry had prepared for both routes, but he was hoping for the Memorial.
He had to hand it to Ketter. Once his SSA got moving, he moved.
They'd spent a lot of overtime last night getting approvals, securing personnel and equipment, but by seven this morning, everything was in place, waiting.
When he saw Marsden go past the off-ramp for the Teddy, Gerry relaxed a little. But only a little.
He called in again.
"Okay, folks. He's right on course. Hitting the Memorial bridge now.
Everybody be ready to roll as soon as he hits Constitution." Gerry didn't hang up this time, but kept the channel open as he passed the Seabees Memorial and cruised between the granite bald eagles that flanked the entry to the bridge. The massive white marble box of the Lincoln Memorial squatted directly ahead on the far side, and the Washington Monument loomed to his right. He followed Marsden around the Lincoln and onto the Henry Bacon diagonal to Constitution.
As a dark wedge of the Vietnam Wall in its depression slipped past on his right, he said, "Coming to Constitution. Go! " And now those stomach roosters were really kicking up. Timing was crucial here. It had to go down within the next few blocks, but the Bureau's stunt driver had to wait for an opportunity. Not only did he have to make contact, but he had to get away.
A Nova . . . he'll be driving an old blue Chevy Nova.
Cruising with the commuters as they paced the Potomac along Constitution Avenue, Gerry's gaze roamed side to side, flicked from mirror to mirror. Then he spotted the car, weaving through the traffic behind him. He pulled over to let it pass. A brief glimpse of the driver showed a knitted cap pulled low over the forehead, an old flannel shirt with the collar up. Gerry couldn't help a nervous smile.
Trevor Hendricks looked to be anything but a special agent.
"Don't miss, Hendricks, " he whispered. "Please don't . . . miss .
Gerry chewed his lip as he watched Hendricks edge nearer the senator's car, looking for his chance. He found it at Igth, across from the Department of the Interior. Marsden was just pulling up to a red light when the Nova lunged ahead and swerved into the senator's Town Car.
Only a glancing blow but enough to cave in the left front fender. The Lincoln lurched to a halt while the Chevy burned rubber and peeled off down Constitution.
Gerry pulled to a halt directly in front of the senator and - trotted back to his window.
"You okay? " "Yes, " said Marsden, looking a little pale and shaken, but apparently uninjured. "Did you see that crazy son of a bitch? " Gerry stared down Constitution and saw the Nova make a right onto 17th.
Hendricks would dump the car there, mingle with the tourists gathering around the Washington Monument, then walk the few blocks back to the Bureau. The car was a gift from the DEA, the unregistered, confiscated property of a drug mule.
"Saw the whole thing." He pulled a card from his pocket.
. "If you need a witness, say . . . aren't you Senator Marsden? " '"Yes. Yes, I am. ' Gerry thrust his card through the open window.
"Canney. Special agent FBI. I'll call this in." Without giving Marsden a chance to reply, Gerry whipped out his cellular phone, flipped it open, and turned his back to the senator as he pretended to make a call.
"The police should have someone here in a second, " he said, turning back to the car. "You're sure you're all right? " "Positive. Look, we're blocking traffic here. Why don't I just pull ahead and see if I can get off the road. ' Gerry looked back and saw that they'd created a minor traffic jam by reducing inbound traffic from three lanes to two. But he didn't want Marsden going anywhere.
"Don't know if that's such a good idea. Let me take a look at the damage here." He stepped toward the front fender and bent over it.
Hendricks had done a perfect job, the metal was folded in against the tire.
"I don't think you're going anywhere, sir." As he straightened he saw Marsden starting to get out. Gerry stepped up and gently eased him back into his seat.
"Maybe you shouldn't move just yet, Senator."
"I'm perfectly all right. It was just a fender bender." Gerry stood firm, blocking the door with his body. "Still, sir, I think it would be smarter and safer if you moved as little as possible until help arrives."
"Don't be ridiculous! I'm perfectly fine and fully capable of, " A blue and white unit roared up then, sirens wailing, lights flashing, followed closely by an ambulance and a mobile ICU, all with the Bureau.
The senator was adamant against being taken to the hospital. He protested vigorously, but since his car wasn't going anywhere, and since the cop and the E.M.Ts weren't taking no for an answer, and G.W.U hospital was only six blocks up the street, he finally relented.