Having no love for his former female captors, Claus relished the opportunity.
"Our agents will be waiting for you when we land in Managua," Flidais said scornfully
.
"That's comforting to know."
Giordino turned quickly, entered the cockpit and dropped into the copilot's seat. Pitt glanced at the elevator doors and saw them close. Alerted by the woman in the suite, security guards were waiting for it to descend before they could swarm up to the roof. He reached down and pulled up on the collective, lifting the helicopter into the air. Then he pushed the cyclic forward, the nose dipped and the MD Explorer leaped from the roof of the building. Pitt quickly brought the aircraft up to its top speed of one hundred and eighty-four miles an hour, soaring over the Odyssey facility toward the airstrip stretching between the volcanic mountains. As soon as he reached the slopes of the Madera volcano, he banked the Explorer around the peak and brought it down less than thirty feet above the trees before crossing over the shore above the waters of the lake.
"Not heading for Managua, I hope," said Giordino, putting on his earphones. "Her Royal Highness said her flunkies will be waiting for us."
"I wouldn't be surprised," Pitt said with a wide grin. "That's why we're heading west out over the Pacific before cutting south to San Jose, Costa Rica."
"Do we have enough fuel?"
"Once we take her to cruising speed, we should make it with a couple of gallons to spare."
Pitt skimmed the surface, staying out of contact with Odyssey's radar systems, before crossing over the spit of land on the west side of the lake. Ten miles out to sea, he turned south and slowly increased altitude as Giordino locked in a course for San Jose. For the rest of the flight, Giordino kept a wary eye on the fuel gauges.
There was a light overcast, not thick enough for rain but just enough to blot out the stars. Pitt was tired, more worn-out than he could ever remember. He turned over the controls to Giordino and slouched in his seat, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. There was still one more job to do before he could allow himself the luxury of sleep. He pulled the satellite phone from a waterproof bag and dialed Sandecker's private line.
The admiral's voice came through the earpiece almost immediately. "Yes!"
"We're out," Pitt said wearily.
"About time."
"There was little need for an extended tour."
"Where are you now?"
"In a stolen helicopter on our way to San Jose, Costa Rica."
Sandecker paused to take it in. "You didn't feel you had to snoop around the facility during the daylight hours?"
"We had a break," said Pitt, fighting to keep from nodding off.
"You collected the data we need?" Sandecker asked impatiently.
"We have everything," replied Pitt. "Through the use of scientists he took as hostages, Specter has perfected fuel cell technology by using nitrogen instead of hydrogen. The Red Chinese are cranking out millions of electrical heat-generating units, which will be distributed and ready for sale when they open the tunnels and the freeze hits the U.S. coast and Europe this winter."
"Are you telling me this crazy scheme is all for the sale of fuel cells?" Sandecker said incredulously.
"You're talking hundreds of billions of dollars, not to mention the power that will come from owning the monopoly. No matter how you slice it, the world economy will be in Specter's pocket when the first snow starts to fall."
"You're certain Specter has perfected the technology when the best minds in the world have yet to make a breakthrough," Sandecker persisted.
"Specter has the best minds," Pitt countered. "You'll get the story from two of them who worked on the project."
"They're with you?" Sandecker said with growing anticipation.
"Sitting just behind me along with the woman who murdered Renee Ford."
Sandecker looked like a batter who had hit a home run with his eyes shut. "You have her too?"
"Charter a plane for us in San Jose and we'll set her in your lap by this time tomorrow."
"I'll put Rudi right on it," said Sandecker, pleasure and excitement evident in his voice. "Come to the office with your party as soon as you land."