"Leave him alone, Drakov," Andre said. "He has nothing to do with this."
"My dear Miss Cross, he bas everything to do with this," said Drakov. "If not for him, you would never have stumbled upon this little venture of mine until it was far too late for you to do anything about it. As it is, I was forced to move ahead of schedule and alter my plans somewhat. Altogether, you've been very irritating."
"I think you'll find us a lot more irritating before it's all over, Nikolai," Andre said.
"Really? Oh, I see. You're no doubt anticipating rescue by your two gallant young comrades,… Steiger and Delaney. Well, you may have quite a wait. Knowing those two as I do, I imagine the first thing they did upon questioning young Mr. Gulliver was to go looking for my island base. If they've been unfortunate enough to find it, they will have also found the reception committee that I left behind for them.
Somehow, I doubt you will be seeing them again. In any case, for you, Miss Cross, it is all over. Savino, bring her."
Savino came up behind her and grabbed her by the arm, lifting her up and shoving her away from Hunter.
"Savino?" she said, staring at him. "Vic Savino?" "That's me," he said. "Get moving."
"Traitor." She spat in his face.
He punched her in the jaw and knocked her to the ground. "Coward" shouted Gulliver. "You craven coward, hitting a woman!"
Despite his hands being cuffed behind his back, Gulliver rushed Savino, but Savino merely stepped aside and tripped him.. sending him sprawling
"Enough of this nonsense," Drakov said, irritably. "Bring her, I said!"
Savino grabbed Andre and manhandled her into the elevator. As he got in after them, Drakov beckoned to the two men he had brought with him. He indicated
Gulliver and Hunter.
"'Kill them and dispose of the bodies in the river," he said. "No! Wait!" shouted Gulliver.
The elevator doors closed.
The two men came forward, reaching inside their custom tailored jackets.
Dr. George Ericson, the chief hospital administrator, was not pleased with Lt.
Harris and he let him know it in no uncertain terms.
"Now look here, Sergeant-" he began.
"Lieutenant," Harris corrected him, testily. It was not an auspicious beginning.
"Lieutenant," the administrator said, his tone clearly indicating that whether it was sergeant or lieutenant made not the slightest bit of difference to him. "This has to stop immediately. I can't have you turning this hospital into an armed camp."
“This hospital is on a military base, sir," said Harris, wryly. "It's right in the middle of an 'armed camp,' as you put it."
"I fail to see what that has to do with anything, “ Ericson said, impatiently. "You have literally invaded this hospital with your armed guards. It's disturbing the patients and the staff feel practically besieged. We simply cannot have this. I cannot allow you and your men to goon harassing the patients and the staff, making everyone coming in and out submit to being searched, checking identification, really, it's quite intolerable. By what authority do you-"
"By the authority of the acting base commander, Col. Steiger, sir," said Hams, interrupting him. "That gives me all the authority I need. As to invading this hospital, sir, that's precisely what we're here to prevent."
"You're disturbing the patients-"
"I don't really think that we're disturbing any of the patients, sir. Most of them are military personnel in the first place and would certainly understand the need for security under the circumstances. Thc only patients who can even see any evidence of additional security on the premises are those who were up on General Forrester’s floor and they've all been moved. Our people up there are doing all they can to make their presence as inconspicuous as possible."
"Nevertheless," Ericson persisted, "this entire so-called security operation of yours is an unwarranted intrusion and it's interfering with the function of this hospital. It simply won't do. I cannot allow it to continue."
"I think what's happening, sir," Harris said, evenly, "is that your doctors are complaining about being searched every time they come into the hospital or pass one of the interior checkpoints we've established. And frankly, sir, that's tough.
You might remind them that one member of the hospital staff has already been murdered by an infiltrator. We're here to see that it doesn't happen again."
"Well, I take the strongest possible exception to this," the chief administrator protested.
"I'll make a note of it, sir," said Harris.
"Don't you condescend to me, Sergeant-"
"That's Lieutenant," Harris said.
"Whatever. I demand to speak to your superior officer at once”
“That would be Col. Steiger, sir"," said Harris.
"Fine, I'll speak to him."
"As you wish, sir."
"Well?" said Ericson.
Harris sighed wearily. "Well, what? Sir."
"I'm waiting."
"For what?"
"For you to go and get Col. Steiger,' of course!" the chief administrator said, as if Harris were a total idiot.
Harris lost his patience. "What the hell do I look like to you, an errand boy? You think the acting base commander's going to come running just because you snapped your fingers? In case it's escaped your attention, Dr. Ericson, the base is on full alert and the reason General Forrester is in this hospital is because there have already been several attempts on his life and the last one damn near succeeded!
Now I'm here to do a job and I don't intend. to leave my post simply because some prima donna doctors have been inconvenienced. Now if you want to speak to the acting base commander, I suggest you go through the proper channels and request an appointment. If Col. Steiger thinks that your request warrants sufficient priority, he'll see you, but frankly, I wouldn't hold my breath. Now get the hell out of my face. I've got work to do."
The chief administrator looked as if he were about to have apoplexy. "How dare you speak to me like that? Who do you think you are? I'll have your stripes for this!"
"I haven't got any goddamn stripes;" said Harris, rolling his eyes. "I'm a commissioned officer. Now I'm really trying not to lose my temper, but-"
"You are the most arrogant, insolent, and uncooperative young man I've ever met!"
Ericson said, puffing himself up like a blowfish. "Now I demand to see Col. Steiger this very instant, do you hear me? This very instant!"
"That's it," Harris said, "I've had it. If you're not out of here in three seconds, I'm placing you under arrest. One…"
"Arrest?" The administrator’s face turned purple and his eyes bulged. "On what charge?"
Two…
"You must be out of your mind! You wouldn't dare-" Three, Donnelley, Kruger, place this man under arrest.” As the two men moved in to take the astonished hospital administrator into custody, a well-dressed man hurried past the checkpoint, carrying a briefcase.
"'Wait a minute!" Hums called after him.
"Can't stop now!" the man called back over his shoulder as he hurried on. "I'm Dr.
Blake, I'm due in surgery! It's an emergency!"
"Stop!" shouted Harris.
The man ignored him. "Stop that man! Right now!"
Donnelly and Kruger forgot about the hospital administrator and rushed after Dr.
Blake, drawing their weapons as they ran.
"Now see here!" the chief administrator shouted as he hurried after them. "You men! Stop! You can't do that! That man's on his way to an emergency surgery! You can't-"
"Ericson!" Harris shouted. "Get back here!"
Dr. Blake suddenly dropped his briefcase on the floor, sliding it towards the lift tubes. Then he pivoted around sharply, drawing a plasma pistol from a shoulder holster.
"Look out!" yelled Kruger.
Donnelly dived to the right while Kruger leaped to the left as "Blake" fired. The plasma charge took Dr. Ericson full in the chest as he came running up behind them. He screamed as the searing heat enveloped him and then an instant later, his charred remains fell to the floor. As the briefcase stopped sliding, there was a faint, explosive pop and the lid flew open. A bright, incandescent glow came from within the briefcase.