D.C. Dead (Stone Barrington 22)

“It’s good to see you in Tech Services, Todd,” Tank said. “You’re go

ing to have a good time here, I can tell you that.”

“I know I will, Tank.” Then they all sat down, and Tank gave him an overview of what they were doing for the three pending operations.

A LITTLE BEFORE SEVEN that evening, Todd left the building and walked to his car. There was a note on the windshield: Never mind the phone calls, meet us at J.Paul’s as soon as you can.

Todd got into his rental car and drove away from the Agency. He was going to need a new car, and he was thinking Porsche. The promotion would make it easy to handle the payments, and he could drive it for a long time.

He found the pub in Foggy Bottom, and when he walked into the place, a reproduction of an old saloon, there was a shout from a big table at the rear. They were all there, and somebody handed him a double of his favorite scotch as he sat down.

“We’re alive!” his number two said. “All of us. Great assignments, though we’re not supposed to tell you or anyone else what we’re doing.”

“Then don’t,” Todd said, “but I’ll see you all again anyway, when you come to Tech Services for your gear.” He took a huge swig of his drink.

“You got Tech Services?” number two asked. “That’s cushy work—interesting, too.”

“Not as interesting as what you’re all going to be doing,” Todd said, “but I’ll never have to pull a stakeout on a cold night again, or save one of your asses from something dire.”

“I’ll drink to that,” someone said, and they all did.

“And we’ll never have to worry about what’s-his-name again,” Todd said, owv>n’t“and by the way, that name is never again to be mentioned by any of us, not even to each other. Everybody got that?”

There were grumbles and nods.

“That’s the way the cookie crumbles,” said number two.

“The cookie doesn’t exist,” Todd said. “Not anymore.” He tossed off the rest of his scotch. “Now, who do I have to fuck around here to get another drink?”

“That would be me,” said a pretty waitress at his elbow. That got a big round of applause.

Todd watched appreciatively as she went back toward the bar for his drink.

“Watch it, Chief,” one of his men said.

“I am, pal, I am.”

TEDDY FAY WORKED AWAY at his airplane in his hangar at Clinton Field. He borrowed a small crane from the airfield’s shop and spent the morning unbolting his engine from the airframe and lowering it into a crate, for shipment back to the manufacturer. The engine had served him well, but it was near the end of its Time-Between-Overhauls period, and he had elected, for reasons of speed, to replace it with a factory remanufactured engine, which came with a zero-time logbook and a full warranty. The new engine would arrive the following day. Teddy also had plans to replace most of the instruments in the airplane’s panel with new glass cockpit instrumentation.

Teddy screwed the lid of the crate into place and affixed a shipping label. The engine would be picked up the same day. He was having the propeller overhauled locally.

Lauren called down from upstairs. “The movie starts at two,” she said.

“I’ll get cleaned up, and I’ll buy you lunch,” he called back.

He went upstairs, used grease remover on his hands and scrubbed his nails, then he took a shower and changed clothes.

Lauren was waiting in the almost new Toyota convertible he had bought her the day before, and he got into the passenger seat. “Take me for my first spin,” he said.

They drove across the ramp, past the FBO (Fixed Base Operator), where they stopped to let a Cirrus pass in front of them, on the way to parking. Teddy exchanged a wave with the instructor, sitting in the righthand seat. “I’ve talked to that guy a couple of times,” Teddy said to Lauren. “He’s trying to get me to become a part-time instructor here. The FBO has a busy little flying school.”

“Why don’t you do that?” Lauren asked, driving behind the airplane toward the exit gate.

“Tell you what I’d rather do,” Teddy said. “I’d rather teach you to fly.”

“Me, fly?”

“I think you’d enjoy it. As soon as I get the airplane back together, let me give you a few lessons. If you don’t like it, we’ll forget about it.” Teddy was concerned about her becoming bored in their new location.