As he had done several times already, Georgos went over the details in his mind.
With some more of Birdsong's money, Georgos had bought a Dodge pickup truck-used, but in good condition and by happy coincidence painted red. He had made the purchase with cash and employed fake identity papers, so later the ownership would not be traceable.
The truck was now hidden in a locked, private garage adjoining a second Friends of Freedom hideaway-a recently rented apartment in the city's North Castle district which only Georgos; knew about. The apartment would serve as a location to fall back on if the Crocker Street house became unusable for any reason.
The red truck was already lettered neatly on both sides: FIRE PROTECTION SERVICE, INC. A masterstroke (another of Georgos' ideas) was the choice of an open pickup rather than a closed van. The vehicle's contents-seemingly innocent fire extinguishers-would be exposed for all to see.
Georgos' own regular transportation-his old VW van-was in a private parking garage not far from the Crocker Street house and would not be used in the NEI attack.
How Birdsong's diversionary scheme would work was that he, with about a hundred p & lfp supporters, would stage an anti-GSP & L demonstration at the hotel at the same time that the load of fire extinguishers-cum-bombs would be driven to the service entrance and unloaded. The demonstrators would make themselves sufficiently a nuisance so that any police or security forces on the scene would be kept busy, permitting the red Dodge pickup to pass unnoticed. As to other details, Birdsong had come through, as promised, with sketch plans of the Christopher Columbus Hotel main floor and mezzanine. After studying them, Georgos had made three trips himself to the hotel to verify details and decide on exact placement of the high explosive bombs to go off first.
Another thing Georgos learned was that behind-scenes service activity was so busy, at times frantic, that in the daytime almost anyone could walk through the hotel's service areas unquestioned, provided they appeared purposeful and on some business mission. To test this, on the third trip to the Christopher Columbus, Georgos wore one of the neat blue-gray coverall uniforms, embroidered with the words "Fire Protection Service, Inc." which he and the other freedom fighters accompanying him would wear three days from now.
No what. No problem. He had even received friendly nods from several hotel staff members who found his presence unremarkable, and, for his part, Georgos practiced the role to be played when the time came to put the bombs in place. Then, he and the others would become obsequious flunkies-the way capitalists liked their serfs to grovel. Chameleons all, the freedom fighters would smile sweetly, mouthing inanities -"Excuse me," "Yes, sir," "No, madam," "Please"-a sickening abasement to inferiors, but one to be suffered for the cause of revolution.
Results would make it all worth while!
For extra cover, in case any freedom fighter were stopped and questioned, Birdsong had had some Fire Protection Service, Inc. work orders printed.
These were now filled in. They instructed that supplementary fire extinguishers were to be delivered to the hotel and left in place for subsequent mounting. Birdsong had also typed, on hotel stationery, an authorization for Fire Protection Service personnel to enter the hotel for that purpose. He acquired the stationery during one of his sorties into the Christopher Columbus where it was available, for use by hotel guests, at desks on the mezzanine.
The two documents replaced Georgos' original idea of getting hotel purchase orders, which had proved too difficult. Neither document would stand up to close scrutiny, Georgos and Birdsong realized, but might make the needed difference in a pinch. As far as Georgos could see, they had thought of everything. Only one thing, at this moment, vaguely troubled him and that was his woman, Yvette. Since the night, four months ago, when he executed the two security pigs on the hill above Millfield and afterward Yvette protested, he had never quite trusted her. Briefly, following Millfield, be considered eliminating her. It would not be difficult, as Davey Birdsong once pointed out, but Georgos decided to postpone action. The woman was useful. She cooked well; also she was cowenient when he chose to work off his sexual excitements, which had become more frequent lately as the prospect of killing more people's enemies loomed closer.
As a precaution, Georgos had kept secret from Yvette the plan to bomb the Christopher Columbus Hotel, even though she must realize something important was pending. Perhaps her exclusion was the reason she had been silent and moody these past few weeks. Well, no matter! At this moment he had more important concerns, but soon he would almost certainly have to dispose of Yvette, even at some inconenience to himself.
Remarkable! Even thinking about killing his woman was giving him an erection.
With growing excitement-in so many agreeable ways-Georgos returned to writing in his journal.
PART FOUR
1
In a twenty-fifth-floor suite of the Christopher Columbus Hotel, Leah looked up from an exercise book in which she was writing.
"Daddy," she said, "can I ask you something personal?"
Nim answered, "Yes, of course."
"Are things all right between you and Mommy now?"
It took Nim a second or two to grasp the import of his daughter's question.
Then he answered quietly, "Yes, they are."
"And you're not Leah's voice faltered. "You're not going to break up after all?"
"If you've been worrying about that," he told her, "you can stop worrying. That won't happen, I hope, ever."
"Oh, Daddy!” Leah ran toward him, her arms flung out. She embraced him tightly. "Oh, Daddy, I'm so glad." He felt her young face soft against his own and the wetness of her tears.
He held her, and gently stroked her hair.
The two of them were together because Ruth and Benjy had gone down to the lobby floor a few minutes ago-to sample the wares of an ice cream parlor for which the hotel was noted. Leah had chosen to stay with Nim, claiming she wanted to finish some schoolwork she had brought. Or was it, he wondered now, because she saw an opportunity to ask that crucial question?
What parent, Nim reflected, ever knew what went on in children's minds, or the hurts they suffered through parental selfishness or lack of thought? He remembered bow Leah had carefully avoided the subject of Ruth's absence while she and Benjy were staying with the Neubergers and they had talked on the telephone. What agony was Leah a sensitive and aware fourteen-year-old-going through then? the memory left him ashamed.
It also raised the question: When should both children be told the truth about Ruth's condition? Probably soon. True, it would create anxiety, just as it had-and continued to-with Nim. But better Leah and Benjy should know than have it sprung upon them suddenly in a crisis, as might happen. Nim decided he would discuss the subject with Ruth within the next few days.
As if Leah sensed part of his thinking, she said, "It's all right, Daddy. It's all right." then, with the adaptability of the young, she wriggled free and went back to what she had been doing.
He walked to the window of the suite living room, observing the panoramic, picture-postcard view; the historic city, its busy ship-filled harbor and the two world-famed bridges, all touched with gold by the late afternoon sun. "Hey," he said over his shoulder, "that's some fantastic scene."
Leah looked up, smiling. "Yeah. Sure is."
One thing was already clear: Bringing his family to the National Electric Institute convention, now in its first day, had been a great idea. Both children were excited when they all checked into the hotel this morning.