«He’ll be flanked and assisted by our two men of the cloth every step of the way.»
«Our Desis?» said Jennifer.
«Exactly. It’s Hawkins’s idea and it’s a beaut… The ‘Reverend Pristin’ and ‘Monsignor Alizongo’ have joined with ‘Chief Rabbi Rabinowitz’ in a religious protest to the Supreme Court over recent decisions they consider to be both anti-Christian and anti-Semitic. You can’t beat that rap unless you throw in antiblack, which would naturally diminish the television coverage.»
«It’s certainly unique,» admitted Sam. «By the way, where’s Roman Z?»
«I hate to think,» replied Cyrus.
«He hasn’t deserted, has he?» said Jenny.
«Not for a minute. There’s an old Gypsy proverb stolen from the Chinese that says a man who saves the life of another can live off that person or persons for the rest of his life.»
«I’m not sure he’s got that right,» said Aaron. «I believe it’s the other way around.»
«Of course it is,» agreed Cyrus, «but the Gypsies changed it, and that’s all he has to know.»
«So where is he?» asked Redwing.
«I gave him money to rent a video camera. At this moment I suspect he’s stealing one from an unsuspecting clerk by telling him he just wants to check the lens refraction in the sunlight. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. He hates to pay for anything—I think he really believes it’s unethical.»
«He should run for Congress,» said Sam.
«But why a camera?» asked Redwing.
«It’s my idea. I think we should have an audiovisual record of the Wopotami protest, as extensive as possible, including any attempts by specific individuals to interfere, harass, or prevent citizens from the exercise of free assembly and their rights of petition.»
«I knew it,» exclaimed Pinkus weakly in the chair. «He may be a professional soldier and a chemist, but he’s also a lawyer.»
«Not so, sir,» contradicted Cyrus. «Due to the confusion of an early turbulent youth, I—we—had to understand certain basic constitutional rights.»
«Wait a minute,» said Devereaux, a note of skepticism in his quiet voice. «Let’s dispense with ‘We Shall Overcome’ for a moment, and carry this where I think you’re taking it. An unedited videotape, the date and time counted off by seconds in every frame, is generally conceded to be irrefutable evidence, right?»
«I’d think a number of congressmen and senators and a mayor or two would agree with you, Sam,» agreed the mercenary, the hint of a smile on his face. «Especially those who’ve temporarily given up eggs Benedict for the powdered variety on less than elegant china.»
«Yes, and if we have such a tape featuring ‘specific individuals’ engaged in unlawful behavior of a violent nature during the Wopotami protest—»
«And,» interrupted Redwing, glancing at Devereaux, who nodded, as if to say be-my-guest, «if those nasty individuals were identified as being under the orders of one government agency or another, we’d have considerable legal leverage.»
«Not just government-oriented,» said Cyrus. «There are a bunch of goons in that crowd who’ve been paid to stop you. Their employers are so much in debt that even the thought of you has them chewing rugs while soiling their trousers.»
«Violent obstruction of the legal process,» added Sam. «Facing ten years in jail, there’s not one of those thugs who wouldn’t break.»
«Colonel, I salute you!» said Aaron, struggling forward in the chair, the sound of metal against metal heard in the room. «Even if everything goes wrong, we’ve got secondary positions of defense.»
«I call it frying the asses of those who would fry yours first, Mr. Pinkus.»
«Indeed! You know, law degree or no, I wish you’d consider a position in my firm, say as a strategist in the criminal law department.»
«I’m flattered, sir, but I think you’d better talk with your friend, Cookson Frazier. Apparently he has a home in the Caribbean, two in France, a flat in London, and several he can’t remember in the ski country of Utah or Colorado. They’ve all been broken into, and he wants me to take over his far-flung security.»
«My word, how wonderful for you! You’d be terribly well paid. You’ll accept, of course.»
«Perhaps for a few weeks, but if there’s any way I can work it out, I’d like to get back to the laboratory. I’m a chemical engineer; that’s where the real excitement is.»
«Now I’ve heard everything,» said Devereaux, shaking his head, his porkpie hat above his checkered suit swiveling.
There was furious knocking at the door. «Stay where you are,» said Cyrus calmly as the others reacted in shock. «It’s Roman. He thinks his entrance into any room is a command performance—especially when the police are chasing him.» The mercenary opened the door; the figure standing in the corridor was, indeed, Roman Z, but instead of a single video camera, he held two in each hand, as well as a large nylon case suspended from his broad shoulder by a thick strap. Also, gone were the silk orange shirt, the blue silk sash, the tight black trousers, and the dangling gold earring. Instead, he was the image of a working media stiff, the kind one sees climbing out of television news vans at the scene of an accident or a fire. He wore neat but abused Levis below a white T-shirt on which was printed in large letters:
WFOG-TV PRESS
«Zee mission is accomplished, my dearest best fren … Colonel,» announced Roman, walking into the room, his words trailing off as his eyes absorbed the sight of Sam, Jenny, and Aaron. «Iss zerr a dancing bear somewhere?»
«If there is, it’s you,» said Cyrus. «Bears forage… Why four camcorders?»
«Maybe one get hurt,» replied the Gypsy, grinning. «Also plenty of tape,» he added, gesturing at his case.
«Where’s the receipt?»
«Zee what?»
«The paper that shows the amount of the rental and the deposit you gave the store.»
«Oh, zey don’t want it. They hoppy to cooperate.»
«What are you talking about, Roman?» asked Redwing.
«I charge it, Miss Janey—if you are Miss Janey under zat beautiful dress.»
«To whom?» said Devereaux.
«Zeez people!» The Gypsy pointed with pride to his T-shirt. «I wass in a great hurry, and they understand.»
«There are no such people!» cried Cyrus.
«I write them a letter sometime. I tell them how sorry I am.»
«Please, Colonel,» said Pinkus, struggling out of the chair with Jenny’s help. «We haven’t time for an audit. What do we do now?»
«It’s simple,» answered Cyrus.
It wasn’t.
2:16 P.M. Boom-boom, boom-boom, boom-boom—boom-boom, boom-boom, boom-boom!… Hai-ya, hai-ya,—hai-ya—hai-ya, hai-ya, hai-ya! The drums went bang while the stompers sang, and the signs were raised and the crowds were hazed, and the steps of the Supreme Court were Wopotami madness. The tourists were famous, wives more than husbands, as the dancing-girl protesters were to a dancer inordinately attractive and their skirts flew high.
«Jebediah, we can’t get through!»
«Right.»
«Where are the police?»
«Right.»
«Olaf, these crazy people won’t let us by!»
«Right.»
«There should be laws!»
«Right.»
«Stavros, this never happened at the temple of Athena!»