Suddenly, unexpectedly, the last of the screws sheared off and the nose cone came loose in his hands. Tenderly, as though it were a sleeping baby, he set it aside and looked inside the warhead.
Then Pitt began to disconnect the explosive charge that was set to split the warhead and release the cluster of bomblets containing the QD organism. There was nothing tricky or particularly hazardous about the procedure. Working on the theory that too much concentration makes the hands tremble, Pitt idly whistled under his breath, thankful that Lusana wasn't plying him with questions.
Pitt cut the wires leading to the radar altimeter and removed the explosive detonator. He paused for a moment and took a small money sack from his coat pocket. Lusana was mildly amused to see that the lettering on the soiled canvas read WHEATON
SECURITY BANK.
"I've never admitted this to a soul," Lusana said, "but I once robbed an armored truck."
"Then you should feel right at home," replied Pitt. He lifted the QD bomblets from the warhead and gently deposited them in the money bag.
"Damned clever smuggling method," Lusana said, smiling tightly. "Heroin, or diamonds?"
"I'd be interested in knowing that myself," Patrick Fawkes said as he ducked under the door frame into the compartment.
63
Lusana's first reflex was to shoot Fawkes. He spun around in a firing crouch and threw up the Colt, confident he couldn't miss such a massive target, dead certain the captain had the split-second advantage of a first shot.
Lusana barely caught himself in time. Fawkes's hands were empty. He was unarmed.
Slowly lowering the Colt, Lusana looked down at Pitt to see how the jther man was taking the situation. As far as he could see, Pitt gave not jthe slightest reaction. He continued loading the sack as if the intrusion lad never occurred.
"Have I the honor of addressing Patrick McKenzie Fawkes?" Pitt Snally said without looking up.
"Aye, I'm Fawkes." He moved closer, his expression one of curiosity. |"What goes on here?"
'Excuse me for not rising," Pitt said casually, "but I'm deactivating a joison-gas warhead."
Perhaps five seconds passed as Lusana and Fawkes digested Pitt's Drief explanation, staring at each other blankly and then back down at Jitt.
"You're daft!" Fawkes blurted.
Pitt held up one of the bomblets. "Does this look like your everyday explosive charge?" "No, it does not," Fawkes admitted. "Is it some sort of nerve gas?" Lusana asked. "Worse," Pitt answered. "A plague organism with an ungodly potency. Two shells containing the deadly organism were mixed in with the
shipment sent by the arms supplier." There was the stunned silence of incredulity. Fawkes hunkered down and examined the shell and the bomblet in Pitt's hand. Lusana bent over and stared, too, not sure what he was supposed to be looking at.
The skepticism slowly faded from Fawkes's eyes. "I believe you," he said. "I've seen enough gas shells to recognize one." Then he gazed questioningly into Pitt's face. "Mind telling me who you are and how you came to be here?"
"After we find and deactivate the other shell," Pitt said, brushing him off. "Do you have another projectile-storage area?"
88
Fawkes shook his head. "Except for the three shells we've fired, all of which were of the armor-piercing variety, this is the lot-" He broke off as the realization struck him. "The turret! All guns are loaded and the breeches locked. The other plague projectile must be inside one of the three barrels."
"You fool!" Lusana shouted. "You murdering fool!"
The agony in Fawkes's eyes was apparent. "It's not too late. The guns will not fire except by my order."
"Captain, you and I will find and neutralize the other warhead," Pitt ordered. "Mr. Lusana, if you will be so kind as to drop this over the side." He handed Lusana the sack bulging with the QD bomblets.
"Me?" Lusana gasped. "I don't have the vaguest idea how to get out of this floating coffin. I'll need a guide."
"Keep making your way topside," Pitt said confidently. "Eventually you'll hit daylight. Then throw the sack in the deepest part of the river."
Lusana was about to leave when Fawkes placed a great paw on his shoulder. "We'll settle our business later."
Lusana stared back steadily. "I look forward to it."