Solemn Duty (1997) (39 page)

"About what?"

"About being a bad driver. Eli, if you keep it up, we're not going to have to worry about Devoe killing us."

"Sir, give me a break. I'm just a little nervous here, and the damn traffic and shitbirds for drivers around here don't help.

I'm sorry I ran over the curb leaving the fort. And I'm sorry I didn't see that car when we merged into that damn lane. Hell, that idiot must have been doin' fifty-five, sixty."

"That's right, Eli, he was; it's the speed limit. I'll keep an eye out next time and maybe we can get through this together.

You want some Cheetos?"

Eli reached in the bag, took out a handful and motioned with his head toward the bumper-to-bumper traffic only twenty-five yards away. "I hate traffic. I don't know how these people do it"

"It's called making a living, Eli. I have friends who work in the city and their commute is two hours in the morning and two and a half in the evening. They get home in time to eat, catch the news, and go to bed. . . . It's crazy here. It's no wonder the government is screwed up, everyone is a zombie."

Eli popped one of the Cheetos into his mouth and was about to respond when his cell phone beeped. "Agent Tanner," he said.

"Agent, move immediately to Lady Bird Johnson Park. It is to your south and very close. Stay in right lane, there is only one exit. Drive into parking lot and park on east side. On the south side of lot you will see a blue trash can. You and Anderson exit your vehicle and leave everything behind including your cell phone. Take nothing from your vehicle.

You will find envelope under trash can. Read instructions and follow to the letter. No tricks."

Eli spoke quickly. "Listen, bub, the colonel can't walk without crutches, so he'll be using them and-"

"My name is not Bub. I am called Sovan. No crutches. Carry him. Nothing is to be taken with you. No tricks, bub."

The line went dead. "I don't like that guy," Eli said.

The car speakers crackled and O'Malley's voice filled the van. "Team Tan, this is Command. We monitored the call. Be cool, Tanner, keep a rapport. The park is very close by, less than a mile. Looks like you'll be switching vehicles there.

From here on out you two are on your own until it's over, but know we're close and got you on our screens. Over."

Eli started the van and pressed the dimmer. "Roger, Command, we are moving now. We appreciate your support. Will call when we arrive at the park. Out"

Eli shook his head as he slipped the gear into Drive. "Be cool, he says. He's not havin' to drive in this damn traffic. Rapport? Yeah, right"

Anderson filled his mouth with Cheetos and rolled his eyes.

Eli pulled to the east curb, turned off the engine and pushed the dimmer switch. "Command, this is Team Tan. We have arrived and see a bunch of cars in the parking lot. There's a boat marina to our west. Any last minute instructions? Over."

"Negative, Team Tan. Good luck and good hunting. Over."

"Roger, Command. Team Tan exiting vehicle. Out."

Eli opened the door and walked around to help Anderson.

"Okay, sir, easy does it to the ground . . . good. How do you want me to do this, carry you, or can you lean on me and hop on one foot?'

The colonel steadied himself and tested a small hop. "I can hop along if you just help me keep my balance . . . yeah, that's good."

At the blue trash can, Eli helped him sit on the curb before rolling the can back and finding the manila envelope. Inside were a single piece of paper and two keys on a ring. He began reading and his face flushed. He looked up at the morning sky and mumbled, "Damn, damn, damn."

Anderson worriedly looked up at him. 'What's wrong?'

Eli's shoulders slumped forward. "We're not exchanging cars. We're going to get in a damn boat. Note says a bass boat at Slip Ten, on Pier Two just behind us. We're to drive the boat upriver toward Georgetown and stop once we pass under the Francis Scott Key Bridge. . . . Once there, we're supposed to strip naked. Everything is to go over the side, and then buddy boy will call us. Says our new phone is in the cooler on the boat. Damn, damn, damn, why a damn boat?"

"What's wrong with a boat?' Robert asked.

Eli helped him up and sighed. "It's a long story. Come on."

.

Airborne Command Post.

Seated in a high-back swivel chair, Agent O'Malley leaned closer to the large color monitor where a map of a small portion of the Washington area was displayed. O'Malley canted his head and looked at the Air Force captain seated beside him, who sat behind an identical monitor. "What the hell is going on? My blinking dot has them in the middle of the Potomac River."

The captain nodded. "That's a roger, sir, they are in the middle of the Potomac. They are obviously traveling in a boat.

There! You can see they passed beneath the Memorial Bridge heading north toward Roosevelt Island."

Seated behind O'Malley, Chris Pullen rolled closer in his chair. "It's a good move on Devoe's part. Avoids the chance of any tail and Team Tan can easily be watched. Devoe is even better than I thought."

O'Malley didn't respond. He hadn't anticipated the move, either, and that worried him. Devoe had just surprised him, and that had rarely happened in his twenty-four years in the Bureau. He shut his eyes for a moment. He told himself the unexpected boat ride wouldn't make any difference, but instinct told him Devoe wasn't finished springing surprises just yet.

Naked, Eli unwrapped Anderson's leg bandage and tossed it over the side. He helped the colonel to his feet and raised his hands in the air. "Buddy boy's note said we were to turn around slowly three times then be ready for a call. Sir, please turn real slow so you don't rock the boat."

Anderson raised his hands, carefully balanced himself, and began moving around. "Eli, you're still wearing your gold necklace, you'd better lose it."

Eli kept slowly turning. "Can't, sir, it's a part of me. I haven't taken it off in over twenty years. It's my honest-to goodness good luck charm. When we get to the guy that checks us, I'll tell him he can drill into the Buddha or do anything he wants to prove to himself it's not bugged but I'm not taking it off unless I absolutely have to."

Anderson hopped around again. "I understand."

The new cell phone began beeping and Eli answered. He listened for a full minute and finally said, "Got it, Mr. Sovan. We will comply."

Eli handed Anderson the phone and, speaking over his shoulder, walked very slowly toward the front of the bass boat.

"Buddy boy says there's a built-in fish hold up here. Inside is a plastic bag with different sizes of shorts, T-shirts, and sandals At least we won't be meeting Devoe in our birthday suits. He says there's new bandages, too, and a cooler with drinks."

Anderson lowered himself to the deck. "Where do we go next?"

"I don't know. We're to proceed upriver just a ways to a boat dock on our right, where we'll see a green Impala parked in a lot just behind the dock. He wants us to take the car.

Instructions and keys are in the glove compartment. Oh great, take a look at these iridescent green shorts. They're the same color as tennis balls."

Twenty minutes later Eli helped Anderson into the passenger seat and shut the Impala's door. Getting in behind the steering wheel, he looked at Robert, who had already opened the glove box and was reading the single page of instructions.

Finished, he handed Eli the keys. "We're to get on MacArthur Boulevard, just behind us, and take it north to a small park in the small town of Glen Echo. Says we'll be meeting a person named Kenny there."

Eli started the engine and looked down at the iridescent yellow-green shorts and bright orange T-shirt. "All we need is a boom box--we could be rappers!"

Identically dressed, Anderson lifted his foot and admired his black and blue Nike sandals. "These are cool. That's the right word, isn't it, cool?"

Eli shrugged as he backed the car up to turn around. "If cool means ugly, then it's right on. All I know is we're easy targets in this getup."

Anderson set the piece of paper on his lap and studied Eli's face. "Do you think your idea will work?"

Eli kept his eyes straight ahead. "It has to."

General Walker sat inside the cavernous cabin of an Air Force PAVE Low III Special Operations helicopter that sat on a concrete pad at Bolling Air Force Base. With the general were seven men, seated behind sensor consoles and radio communications equipment. An Army major motioned to his monitor. "Sir, the C and C just downlinked to us. Take a look."

Wearing a headset, Walker looked at the map display on the monitor and saw the blinking yellow ball. "Command, this is Delta Six. We have a good downlink and have your picture. I have them on MacArthur Boulevard heading north, over."

"Roger, Delta Six, that's a good copy. When will your scout birds begin tailing, over?"

"Command, they are airborne now. I will keep them west of road. Be advised my scouts' transmitters will show up as blue balls on your screens. The strike unit and I will redeploy north in five mikes and laager vicinity Bethesda to keep us in general proximity to Team Tan, over."

"Roger, Delta Six. Good copy. Out."

Walker pointed at the screen and spoke to the major. "Keep the scout birds at least three miles to the west of Team Tan, but parallel. We won't need to keep the strike force airborne until Tan gets away from the urban sprawl."

The major nodded. "Roger, sir, I understand." He pushed his mike sidebar and spoke in a monotone. "Scout One, turn heading zero three zero and maintain course. I will direct you to re-con area Over."

Anacostia Ashley wiped the white gypsum from her hands and shook her head as she backed up from the wall. "It's brick behind the Sheetrock. Looks like we're stuck here until help arrives."

Sandy stared at the door. "You think they're all gone?"

"Nobody responded when I yelled," Ashley said. "They must be. Just as a precaution, help me move my mattress to the door. I'm going to lay behind it and listen for our help at the door."

Sandy raised her eyes to Ashley. "Robert is giving himself to them, isn't he?"

Ashley knew she couldn't lie to her. She sat down on the bed and put her arm around Sandy's shoulder. "Yes, he is, Sandy, but Devoe told me Eli is going to be with Robert. I know Eli Tanner and I can tell you he won't give Robert up without a fight."

Tears streamed down Sandy's face as she rested her head on Ashley's shoulder.

Ashley felt her eyes water and lowered her head.

Kenny Chun lit a Kool and pushed away from the Ford Bronco he was leaning against. He put the lighter in his pocket and picked up the bag at his feet as the green Impala pulled into the park and rolled to a stop only a few feet away.

Inside the car, Eli turned off the ignition and looked at Anderson. "Remember to stay down when the action starts."

Anderson dipped his chin as the small brown-skinned man wearing a huge black cowboy hat approached.

Kenny took the cigarette out of his mouth, tapped on the window, and Eli rolled it down. "I'm Kenny, and I am not armed. Both of you step out of the car and stand by that picnic table. Keep your hands above your heads."

Eli got out slowly and looked down at Kenny's footwear.

"Nice boots."

Seeing that the colonel was having difficulty, Kenny motioned to him. "You can help Anderson, G-man."

As Eli helped Robert walk to the table, Kenny opened the bag and took out a metal detector wand and stepped up to both men. "Take off the shirts and pull down your shorts, please."

As soon as Eli took off his shirt, Kenny's eyes narrowed and he pointed at the gold necklace. "You didn't listen, G-man."

Eli lifted the Buddha from his chest "Kenny, check it, man.

Break it in two if you want, but be careful so I can glue it back.

I've worn it since 1972 and he blesses me."

Kenny lifted the Buddha from Eli's hand and eyed the wearer. "Are you a Buddhist?"

"I believe it's good luck. It belonged to my Cambodian scout who was killed in Vietnam."

With a pocketknife, Kenny scratched both sides of the worn ivory likeness, then ran his hand all the way around the thick gold chain. Satisfied, he raised his wand. "Lift your chain, G-man, so I can pass this over your chest and stomach. You may keep your charm. . . Now turn around and bend over... stand erect and spread your feet apart." Kenny passed the wand beneath Eli's legs, and seemingly satisfied, commanded, "Help Anderson keep his balance."

After checking the colonel, he replaced the wand in his bag and took out a cell phone. Seconds after pushing keys, he spoke. "This is Kenny, they are clean . . . Yes, we will depart immediately." He lowered the phone, took car keys from his pocket and tossed them to Eli. "Mr. Devoe is pleased. Both of you get in the Bronco. Time for us to ride."

.

11:03 A. M. Airborne Command Post.

O'Malley unconsciously spat out the end of an eraser he'd been chewing on as he watched the monitor. A small piece of the eraser struck his own hand, startling him, and he looked down. Seeing the eraser tip, he stared perplexedly at his pencil for a moment before realizing what he'd been doing. He turned. "How long have they been moving since they last stopped?"