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“There！”　he　exclaimed。
“Como？”　said　Refugio　with　a　guilty　start。
“The　dark　green　car。”
There　were　three　dark　cars　within　view；　all　parked　on　his　side　of　the　street。
“Which　one？”
“Slow　down！　There！　Third　car　on　the　right。　See　the　red　blanket？”
Refugio　slowed　to　a　crawl；　peering　out　the　windshield。　He　spotted　the　car　with　a　blanket　shoved
carelessly　onto　the　rear…window　ledge；　blocking　most　of　the　window。
“Where　is　the　woman？”　asked　Refugio。　Kestrel　would　be　very　angry　if　Vanessa　were　not
captured　for　questioning。　He　could　not　even　set　Salvador　onto　Masarek　until　Vanessa　was　within
easy　reach。
“Stop　next　to　the　car；　wait　for　a　moment　and　then　park　ahead　of　her。　She’ll　wait　in　the　car　for
us。”
Refugio　followed　the　instructions；　turning　as　though　to　peer　into　the　car。　Out　of　the　corner　of
his　eye　he　saw　Salvador；　who　was　not　quite　close　enough　to　the　Russian　to　be　certain　–　and
Refugio　wanted　Masarek’s　death　to　be　very　certain　indeed。
Refugio　pulled　even　with　the　green　car。　Vanessa’s　face　appeared　briefly　in　the　side　window。
“Good；”　grunted　Masarek。　“Now　park　up　ahead。”
Refugio　pulled　forward；　jerking　the　van　when　he　let　out　the　clutch。　His　clumsiness　covered
Salvador’s　forward　creep。　Only　a　few　inches；　but　it　was　all　Salvador　could　safely　manage。
As　Refugio　angled　the　van　toward　the　curb；　he　knew　the　time　to　attack　had　come。　He　wished　to
every　saint　he　had　ever　known　that　a　gun　were　not　pointed　between　his　legs。　But　it　must　be　now；
while　Masarek’s　mind　was　divided　between　Vanessa　and　the　men　in　the　van。
“Masarek。”
It　was　the　first　time　Refugio　had　spoken　Masarek’s　name　since　they　had　left　Hunters　Point。　It　was
meant　to　be　the　last。
Salvador’s　garrot　sang　free　of’his　belt　as　he　lunged　for　Masarek。　The　Russian　turned　at　the
unexpected　sound　even　as　his　hand　started　to　squeeze　the　trigger。　Refugio’s　fist　lashed　out；
trying　to　knock　away　the　gun；　but　it　was　like　trying　to　bend　stone。
Only　the　garrot　saved　Refugio；　the　razor　wire　tightening　with　a　jerk　that　yanked　Masarek
off…balance　a　fraction。　Not　much；　hardly　a　finger’s　width；　merely　the　difference　between　a　bullet
through　his　thigh　and　a　bullet　through　his　balls。
Refugio　bellowed　like　a　gored　bull；　but　he　held　on　to　Masarek’s　hand　and　gun。　He　bellowed
again；　straining　against　the　Russian’s　strength。　They　were　locked　together；　clawing　for　control　of
the　silenced　gun。
The　first　snap　of　Salvador’s　wrists　failed　to　kill　Masarek。　In　the　split　instant　before　the　garrot
closed；　Masarek　had　jammed　his　left　hand　between　the　razor　wire　and　the　vulnerable　flesh　of　his
neck。
The　garrot　bit　deeply　into　Masarek’s　hand；　drawing　blood　from　a　cut　so　fine　that　for　an　instant
the　Russian　did　not　even　feel　it。　When　wire　met　bone；　Salvador’s　momentum　was　broken。
Masarek　tried　to　turn　the　gun　back　on　Salvador；　but　Refugio　held　on　despite　his　wound；
preventing　Masarek　from　shooting　the　man　whose　cruel　hands　were　sawing　on　the　wire。
Lopez　leaped　into　the　fight；　grabbing　for　the　bulbous　silencer。　The　gun　was　forced　upward　just
as　it　coughed　once；　then　again；　clearing　its　throat　of　two　deadly　bits　of　metal。　One　penetrated　the
sheet　metal　ceiling；　the　other　struck　a　strut　and　rebounded；　tearing　through　Lopez’s　face。　He
screamed　and　staggered；　one　eye　gone。　He　dropped　to　his　knees；　clawing　at　his　face。　He　was
dead　before　his　forehead　bounced　off　the　van’s　floor。
The　gun　hawked　twice　more；　sending　bullets　screaming　off　metal　surfaces。　Salvador　yanked　on
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the　thin　wire；　struggling　to　pull　the　garrot　through　the　bone　in　Masarek’s　thumb　and　then
through　the　flesh　on　his　neck。
The　muzzle　of　the　pistol　wove　erratically；　a　blind　black　eye。　Sweat　ran　down　Salvador’s　face　and
his　heavy　arms　bulged　as　he　pulled　against　the　stubborn　bone。　The　razor　wire　jerked；　found　new
purchase　on　the　thumb　joint；　and　sliced　through　to　Masarek’s　neck。　Gagging　helplessly；　he
jerked　the　trigger　again　and　again。　Bullets　grazed　Salvador’s　hand；　but　the　pressure　on　Masarek’s
neck　did　not　lessen。
Refugio　felt　his　own　strength　give　way　to　pain；　but　he　clung　to　the　Russian’s　arm；　spoiling　the
assassin’s　aim。　Desperately；　Masarek　tried　to　throw　himself　up　and　over　the　back　of　the　seat；
bringing　himself　closer　to　Salvador　and　thereby　easing　the　bite　of　the　wire。　But　his　movement
gave　Refugio　the　leverage　he　needed。　He　forced　the　pistol　back　on　its　owner。　Masarek’s　twisting
struggle　could　not　evade　the　bullet　that　tore　through　his　throat；　killing　him。
Breathing　rapidly；　Salvador　wiped　sweat　and　blood　from　his　face。　His　arms　hung　like　bags　of
sand　and　his　fingers　were　numb。　Never　had　it　taken　so　long　to　kill　a　man。　Never　had　one　of　his
victims　died　so　hard。
“Are　you　all　right；　Refugio？”　asked　Salvador；　looking　away　from　Masarek；　remembering　where
the　first　bullet　had　been　aimed。　“Refugio？”
“The　woman！”　gasped　Refugio。　“We　must　get　the　woman！”
Hunters　Point
3　Hours　10　Minutes　After　Trinity
Coughlan’s　footsteps　had　stopped　short　of　the　corpse。　He　flipped　Finn’s　credentials　at　him
without　meeting　Finn’s　eyes。　The　FBI　agent’s　lips　were　puckered　as　though　he　were　chewing　on
quinine。　He　faced　Riley。
“Give　him　his　gun；”　said　Coughlan。　“He’s　your　new　boss。”
“What？”
“He’s　in　charge　of　this　investigation；”　said　Coughlan；　distaste　in　every　syllable；　“and　you　are
hereby　assigned　to　be　his　fetch…and…carry。　So　give　him　the　goddamn　elephant　gun　before　he
breaks　your　arm。”
“For　the　love　of　God；”　said　Riley。　He　holstered　his　own　gun　and　returned　Finn’s　。45。
Finn　stuck　the　。45　in　the　back　of　his　belt。　“Amen；　Riley。　Let’s　give　the　partnership　a　pass。”
Coughlan　smiled　thinly。　“Nice　try；　but　Groves　–　whoever　the　hell　he　is　–　said　you　work　with　us。
If　Riley　is　too　much　for　you　to　handle；　I’ll　find　someone　with　fewer　teeth。　Either　way；　it’s　you
and　us。”
Finn　looked　from　Coughlan　to　Riley。　“It　can　be　easy；”　he　said；　measuring　Riley　with　pale　eyes；
“or　it　can　be　hard。”　He　pointed　to　the　dead　sentry。　“Hold　on　to　him。”
Without　waiting　to　see　if　Riley　understood；　Finn　turned　and　squatted　on　his　heels　by　the　dead
boy。
Riley　hesitated；　then　grabbed　the　corpse；　holding　it　against　Finn’s　pull。　It　was　clearly　the　first
time　Riley　had　touched　a　corpse；　but　he　was　determined　not　to　show　his　revulsion。
Finn　liked　the　feel　of　dead　flesh　no　better　than　Riley。　Willing　hmself　not　to　notice　smell　or
temperature　or　texture；　Finn　wrestled　against　the　cold　strength　of　the　sentry’s　clenched　fingers。
Once　he　almost　pulled　over　the　body。　He　looked　up　at　Riley；　who　flushed　and　grasped　the
corpse　more　tightly。
Finally；　Finn　dragged　the　thick　paper　out　of　the　dead　boy’s　grasp。
Coughlan　could　restrain　himself　no　longer。　“You　keep　dicking　with　the　evidence　and　the　crime
boys　will　be　all　over　you　like　a　cat　covering　shit。”
“I　don’t　give　a　damn　about　evidence。　All　I　want　is　information。”
Coughlan　shut　up。
Finn　smoothed　out　the　paper。　It　was　an　indentification　card　from　the　Lawrence　Radiation
Laboratory；　issued　to　a　health　inspector　named　Mr。　Stan　Grummin。　But　the　face　belonged　to
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Masarek。　Finn　turned　to　one　of　the　Navy　officers　who　had　drifted　back　in　Coughlan’s　wake。
“Did　the　Lawrence　Radiation　Lab　send　someone　over　to　check　the　shipment？”
“Yes；　Captain。”
“Who？”
The　ONI　man　consulted　a　notebook。　“Dr。　Kenneth　Cooper　logged　in　at　the　gate　last　night　at
2400。　He　logged　out　at　0100。　However；　this　sentry；”　his　glance　flicked　over　the　corpse；　“came
on　duty　at　0130。　Somebody　checked；　saw　him　alive　at　0200。　Dr。　Cooper　couldn’t　have　been
involved。”
Finn’s　glance　turned　back　to　the　card　in　his　hand。　He　smoothed　the　card　and　turned　it　slowly　so
that　light　played　over　the　small　photograph。　In　spite　of　its　recently　wrinkled　face；　the　card　was
new；　its　edges　crisp　and　unsmudged　by　handling。
“You　can　let　go；”　said　Finn　to　Riley　without　looking　up。
“My　pleasure；”　muttered　Riley。　He　stepped　back　from　the　corpse　with　no　attempt　to　hide　his
relief。
“Coughlan；”　Finn　said；　“how　long　will　it　take　to　find　out　if　this　card　really　came　from　the
Lawrence　lab？”
Coughlan　approached　and　took　the　card　from　Finn。　He　smoothed　it　out　and　studied　the　picture
and　the　printing　carefully。　“Paper