The brigadier nodded mutely.
“You have a few control words for me,” Ludendorff told her.
“He just quoted from the Book of Ecclesiastes,” O’Hara told the Lord High Admiral. “My response comes from the Book of Daniel.” The brigadier cleared her throat, reading from the tablet. “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.”
“Wonderful, wonderful,” Ludendorff said in a cheery voice. “And here is my final response to you from Daniel chapter twelve. Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. One of them said to the man clothed in linen who was above the waters of the river, ‘How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled.’”
“Well?” Cook asked O’Hara. “Was that also correct?”
“To the word,” the brigadier said in a soft voice.
“What are the instructions of this Armageddon Protocol?” the Lord High Admiral asked.
“It doesn’t say,” O’Hara told Cook. “Instead, I’m to open a safe in an underground vault here in the building. The vault is in Room Twenty-seven. I’ve never heard of that room, sir.”
Cook’s eyes grew large. He stared at Ludendorff in astonishment. The Lord High Admiral stood abruptly. “How do you know about Room Twenty-seven? Only a few in High Command are told about it.”
“Yes, yes, I’m sure that’s true,” Ludendorff said. “I don’t care to divulge just yet how I know. Go and check the vault. Then come back and tell us what you’ve found.”
Cook hesitated before standing and marching for the door.
After the admiral left, Maddox studied Ludendorff. Despite the man’s seemingly cheery manner, Ludendorff struck him as strained, maybe even worried.
“You chose well with him,” Ludendorff told O’Hara, as the professor indicated Maddox. “I’m impressed with the both of you. That was well thought out on your part.”
The brigadier said nothing, although she pressed her lips together as if she worked to keep from talking.
Ludendorff slouched in his chair, letting his chin drop to his chest. It seemed as if he fell instantly asleep.
Time lengthened as the brigadier watched Ludendorff. Not once did she take her eyes from him. Maddox was content to sit quietly and wait. He was thinking about Strand, Ludendorff, Octavian Nerva and the Methuselah People. He also reconsidered the microwave-beam attack against the shuttle and the information someone had given High Command that suggested he was in the pay of the New Men. It felt to Maddox as if many secret threads were pulling together. The situation with the approaching doomsday machine was like a hurricane over a sea, but with just as many deadly underwater currents in play. The planet-killer was bad, but the hidden things held danger, too.
Perhaps fifteen minutes after Cook’s disappearance, the big man strode back into the room. He held an old, yellowed folder.
Ludendorff opened his eyes, sitting up. O’Hara tore her gaze from him and turned to Cook. The big man stared at the professor. The admiral seemed stunned.
Slowly, Cook went to his spot at the table and slapped the folder onto it. Then, he tapped a spot on the table.
The magnetic cuffs opened and dropped from Ludendorff’s wrists and onto the table. The professor rubbed his wrists afterward.
“What does the Armageddon Protocol say?” O’Hara asked.
Cook took his time answering, “We’re supposed to do everything the person who gives the correct coded responses says to do.”
“Who are you?” O’Hara asked Ludendorff.
Maddox nodded in agreement with the question.
“The admiral told you a few minutes earlier,” the professor told her. “I’m a mystery wrapped in an enigma. We’ll leave it at that for now.”
The brigadier blinked several times before she put her hands on the table as if exhausted. “Do we follow the protocol?” she asked Cook.
“We’ve sworn to obey all lawful commands,” Cook said. “This is lawful.”
“Yes,” the brigadier agreed, “but to just cede control to him like this…”
“I know,” Cook said. “Is seems wrong. Yet, I’ve followed Star Watch all my life. I intend to finish what I started.” The Lord High Admiral faced Ludendorff. “What are your orders?”
The professor smiled. “That was hard, wasn’t it? I can’t say I blame you.” The smile vanished as Ludendorff looked at Maddox. “This little incident has caught you by surprise, I’d warrant.”
Maddox said nothing. Among other things, he was thinking about Villars and Meta. What would the professor do with his newly acquired power? How had the man set up a situation where old protocols gave him the power to do as he liked at a time like this?
“Very well,” Ludendorff said. “I’ve had my fun. It’s time to get to work.” He pointed at Maddox. “Here’s my first order.”
Before the professor could finish, one of the guards drew his gun and pulled the trigger.
-31-
Slugs tore into Ludendorff, knocking him off the chair, hurling him onto the floor. The gunman took two steps to the left, pumping another two rounds into the professor’s head, shattering it.
Seconds earlier, when the guard first reached for his gun, Maddox noticed the motion. There had been too many surprise attacks against him today for him to sit comfortably with that. The gunman had caught everyone flatfooted except for Maddox. He thought the guard intended to kill him, though, not the professor.
The first boom caused several fellow guardsmen to flinch in surprise.
By that time, Maddox had already made his decision. He’d analyzed his options, deciding against quivering in fear as he tried to hide his last few seconds in life. Crouching behind the table wouldn’t save him. Therefore, the captain chose to attack.
At the second boom—with the second bullet riddling the professor like the first—Maddox leaped onto the table. By the third boom, he crossed the table and leaped airborne.
The professor tumbled to the floor. The gunman shifted position and managed two headshots. At that point, Maddox finally reached the man.
Incredibly, the gunman didn’t pay Maddox any heed. There was hypnotic determination in the man’s eyes. Thus, the gunman didn’t dodge or turn the weapon against Maddox. Instead, the gunman fired at the professor’s broken head once again.
Maddox hit the killer in the face as hard as he could. It catapulted the gunman backward so he slammed against the nearby wall. The assassin slid down the wall, letting the smoking gun drop out of his quivering hand. The shooter’s eyes fluttered. Then, his head slumped to the side.
Two other guards finally drew their weapons, aiming at Maddox. A second later, the rest drew their sidearms to do likewise.
Carefully, slowly, Maddox backed away from them. He turned to the admiral. “Better put the shooter on ice, sir, keep him unconscious.”
“What?” Cook asked in bewilderment. “Why? What are you talking about? That bastard just killed the professor.”
“Of course,” O’Hara said, as if figuring things out. “The shooter is a kamikaze. Yes, no doubt he is supposed to die after killing the target. Good work, Captain. Instead of letting him commit suicide, you’ve rendered him unconscious for us.”
“Do you mind if I check on Professor Ludendorff?” Maddox asked the Lord High Admiral.
“What?” the old man asked. “He killed the professor. He—”
“Sir,” Maddox said, interrupting the admiral. “May I check on Ludendorff? I want your permission so your guards don’t gun me down for approaching the professor.”
The white-haired, old admiral stared in shock at the remaining guards, each of them with a drawn gun. “I don’t understand this. You’re, you’re an elite group, the best in security. No one could have infiltrated your ranks.”