Dr. Josh Nogami exited the plane and was greeted by Penner. "A real pleasure to meet you, Doc.
We're grateful for your efforts in getting information out to us. Your help was invaluable."
Nogami shrugged modestly. "I'm sorry I couldn't have saved Jim Hanamura."
"You might have given yourself away and been murdered too."
"Mr. Pitt did his best to prevent that." Nogami glanced around, but saw no familiar faces. "It looks as though I'm an agent without an assignment."
"When our Deputy Director of Operations, Don Kern, learned you were on board, he requested that you be temporarily assigned to us. Your superior agreed. If you don't mind working with a bunch of colonials for a few days, your knowledge of the Dragon Center's layout would be very helpful."
Nogami nodded. "The weather here beats rainy London any day."
Before Penner could reply, Giordino leaped from the tilt-turbine and ran toward a squad of air police that were herding
Suma and Toshie to the waiting C-20. He rushed over to the officer in charge and asked him to hold up the procession for a moment.
Giordino was only half a centimeter taller than Toshie. He looked straight into her eyes. "Dear heart, wait for me."
She stared at him in angered surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"Courtship, amorous pursuit, nestling, endearment, proposal. As soon as I can catch up to you, I'm going to make you the happiest woman alive."
"You're mad!"
"Only one of my many charms," said Giordino engagingly. "You'll discover lots of others in the years to come."
Amazingly, Toshie wavered. For a strange reason she couldn't comprehend, she began to find Giordino's very un-Japanese approach appealing. She had to struggle to suppress any friendliness she felt toward him.
Giordino recognized her uncertainty and grasped her slender shoulders in his beefy hands, kissed her briefly on the lips, and smiled. "I'll catch up to you as soon as I can."
She was still staring at him wordlessly over her shoulder as Penner took her by the elbow and brusquely led her away.
Pitt escorted Loren to the C-20 jet after Suma, Toshie, and Diaz were seated aboard. They walked in silence, feeling the warmth from the sun and the humidity stroke their skin.
Loren stopped several meters from the aircraft and stared into Pitt's eyes. "It seems one of us is always coming and going."
He nodded. "We lead busy, separate lives. Our schedules never mesh."
"Maybe someday. . ." Her voice died softly.
"Someday," he said in understanding.
"You're not going back?" she asked hesitantly.
He shrugged. "I don't know. Al and I have been ordered to remain behind."
"They can't send you back to that island. Not now."
"I'm a marine engineer, remember? I'm the last man they'd ask to assault the Dragon Center with six-shooters blazing."
"I'll talk to the President and request you and Al be sent home."
"Don
't put yourself out," he said easily. "We'll probably be on the next flight east."
She stood on her toes and kissed him gently on the mouth. "Thank you for everything."