“You should have your own show,” Jett said. “I stood up on the hood and watched everything from the overlook. You
can hear from up there, too. Did you really yell ‘Free Willy’?”
“Yes ma’am, I did.”
Jett shook her head and grinned as she drove down the street.
I said, “Hondo get in okay?”
“Yeah, he went over the wall while everyone was chasing you.”
“Is he going to meet us on the road?” I asked.
“He said to wait at the next intersection, he wouldn’t be long.”
Jett no sooner said it than Hondo jumped into the back seat of the convertible without touching the sides. I said, “Are you part gazelle?”
Hondo said, “Do you have that CIA guy’s number, Harris?”
The hair rose on my neck, “What did you see?”
“Second floor, in a very large room that opens out to the balcony overlooking LA. They have the MAVs arranged on the floor like a miniature airplane squadron. Two men in lab coats and rubber gloves were putting three canisters of something into stainless steel lockboxes, plus there’s another guy working on a laptop that must be the guidance programming, because he hit a key on it and a dozen MAVs came off the ground, then he hit another one and they landed again.”
“Shit!” I said, “And the canisters? Are you thinking biological?”
Hondo said, “Yeah.”
I said, “And the laptop controls the MAVs, and they’re using it here?”
Hondo looked grim, “We had it all wrong. They aren’t trying to smuggle the MAVs out of the country, they’re going to use them here, in LA.”
CHAPTER 19
“Holy shit,” I said. I dug out my cell phone, dialed Agent Harris’ number--and got his voicemail. I left a quick message, then started to dial Vick, but saw Hondo was already on the phone with him and giving Vick the address.
Hondo said, “Yes, that’s where Berenko and his men are. Yeah, but listen, Berenko has the MAVs…MAVs…I don’t have time to explain right now, call the FBI, CIA, or Homeland Security and talk to them, they’ll explain it. Yes, yes. Vick, they’re going to attack here, in Los Angeles. Yeah, come fast.” He hung up.
I said, “What’d he say?”
“He’s calling everybody and they’re all coming.”
Hondo looked up the hill for a long moment and said, “They’re not gonna be in time.”
“Then it’s up to us,” I said.
“All three of us,” Jett said.
**
I returned to the gate and Big Biceps came to meet me. He was not happy.
I put on my best smile and said, “Buddy, you did great out there,” I nodded at the Mansion grounds behind him.
“Get out of here,” He said.
I laughed as if we were old partners and said, “Come on, you knew who I was the whole time, don’t try to fool me.”
His eyes squinted, “What are you talking about?”