“And where would that be?” asked Robie.
Lambert said, “In a former Atlas ballistic nuclear missile silo. I’ve finished two, one here in Colorado. I missed out on another one in the area. But I’ve got another silo done in Kansas. And I’m developing several more.”
“Missile silos?” said Robie.
Lambert nodded. “They were decommissioned a long time ago and the government has been selling them off. At first you’d wonder what the hell to do with them. But then, when you combine the point one percenters’ cash with the world looking increasingly shaky, you have a wonderful answer. You take an already hardened facility in the middle of nowhere and you turn it into luxury living. Then the very rich have a place to go to and be safe when everything goes to hell.”
“And if it doesn’t go to hell?” asked Reel.
Lambert shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to these folks. They have homes all over the world. The silo condo—that’s what they are, by the way, each floor is comprised of condos—is just insurance for them. They probably never want to use it because that means the civilized world is no more. And they’re apt to lose a lot more of their wealth, if that’s the case. You know, stock markets tank, gated communities and high-dollar properties are overrun by the masses. But at least if they come to the silo they’ll get to live. Then when things quiet down, they can come out and pick up the pieces.’
“Sounds very egalitarian,” noted Reel sarcastically.
“Hey, I grew up poor,” said Lambert. “And while I make good money now, I’m not at the financial level of the people who have bought space in my silos. But there was a need in the market and I filled that need. Business one-oh-one.”
“So those who can pay get to stay nice and cozy in the lap of luxury while the rest of us fight it out on the outside?” said Malloy.
Lambert eyed her. “Look, Valerie, you and I have had this discussion before. I don’t make the rules. I don’t want doomsday to happen. But if it does, I’ve provided a service for folks who can afford it. It’s like catastrophic insurance.”
“Not exactly,” said Malloy, “but I won’t push the point.”
He raised his wineglass to her and smiled. “Appreciate it kindly, ma’am.”
“So there are silos around here?” asked Reel.
“There are five former Atlas E missile sites in Colorado alone,” replied Lambert. “They’re in the northern plains, Larimer and Weld Counties. There are others scattered across the country. The ones here were decommissioned in the sixties and the missiles removed. Before they can be put up for sale they have to be investigated and cleared from an environmental perspective, of course. Some are being developed as luxury residences, some for commercial purposes, and some are still owned by the government. They can be used for storage or just sit there rusting away.”
Claire joined them as Lambert finished speaking.
“I hope Roark isn’t boring you to death about his doomsday business,” she said brightly.
“It’s actually quite fascinating,” said Robie.
“Rich people escaping into their hidey-holes,” retorted Claire.
“Now, Claire,” began Lambert.
“Did he tell you about the billionaires building their own rockets and spaceships?” said Claire, her smile broadening. “They say it’s to colonize Mars or charge people for a ride in space, but I have an alternative theory.”
“Which is?” said Reel.
“Escaping into space, of course. No luxury bunker will do for them. They require an entirely new planet on which to ride out the chaos down here.”
“Sounds like they’re playing God,” said Reel.
“There’s no doubt about it,” said Claire. “They are playing God. And they’re quite comfortable doing so.”
Robie turned to Lambert. “Where is the silo you’ve completed in Colorado?”
“About an hour’s drive north of here. Would you like to see it?”
“I’m not sure we’re going to have time,” said Robie. “We’re a little busy right now.”
Lambert shrugged. “Suit yourself. I only offered because Claire told me about Roger Walton.”
“I’m not getting the connection,” said Reel.
“Well, I know the man has disappeared. But before he did he asked me to give him a tour of the silo. And I did.”
Reel looked at Robie and then turned back to Lambert. “Did he say why he wanted a tour?”
“He said he’d been here when the Atlas was operational and had always wanted to go inside. Back then, of course, he couldn’t.”
“When exactly was this?” asked Robie.
Lambert told them.
Robie and Reel exchanged another look. It had been shortly before Blue Man had disappeared, and after he had visited Holly at rehab.
Reel said, “On second thought, we’d love to take a tour.”
“Great. I’m not going back to Denver for a few days, so how about tomorrow?”
“Sounds good,” said Reel.
“Count me in,” said Malloy.
They all looked at her before Lambert glanced at Robie and Reel.
“Maybe you two would be interested in purchasing a condo. I’ve got two units left in the other silo I’m currently building out. The one I’ll be showing you tomorrow is sold out.”
An unsmiling Reel said, “I think we’ll be part of the barbarians on the outside trying to get in.”
“Well, good luck with that,” said Lambert.
“It’s never about luck,” said Reel.
Chapter
37
“THERE HAS TO be a connection,” said Reel.
They were standing in the lobby of the hotel.
She continued. “Blue Man wouldn’t just go on a tour of the silo after he’d heard what Holly had to say unless it was connected.”
Robie slowly nodded. “I agree. Presumably Lambert has been working on this silo for years, and Blue Man has been coming back here all that time. So he could have gone to the silo lots of times. But he picked that time period to do it.”
“What do you think he was looking for there?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he knew more than we do. We’ll just have to keep our eyes and ears open tomorrow.”
“You have time for a drink?”
They turned to see Malloy walking into the lobby. She came to stand next to Robie. “Well?” she said, looking only at him.
Reel said, “I’m hitting the sack.” She glanced at Robie. “Busy day tomorrow. We have to be at our best.”
Malloy continued to stare at Robie. “How about you?”
When Robie didn’t answer right away, Reel turned on her heel and headed for the stairs. Robie watched her go for a few seconds and then looked at Malloy.
“Okay,” he said.