The Sky Is Falling

The memory of the bloody bodies of Sasha Shdanoff and his friend flashed through Dana's mind.

"Sasha Shdanoff and his brother, Boris, were very clever. We haven't found Boris yet, but we will."

"Roger, Kemal has nothing to do with any of this. Let him - "

"I think not, Dana. I first began to worry about you when you met poor ill-fated Joan Sinisi. She overheard Taylor talking about the Russian plan. He was afraid to have her killed because she was associated with him. So he fired her. When she sued for unfair dismissal, he made a settlement, on the condition that she never discuss the matter." Roger Hudson sighed. "So I'm afraid that you were really responsible for Joan Sinisi's "accident.""

"Roger, Jack Stone knows - "

Roger Hudson shook his head. "Jack Stone and his men have been watching your every move. We could have gotten rid of you at any time, but we waited until you got us the information we needed. We really have no further use for you."

"I want to see Kemal."

"Too late. I'm afraid poor Kemal has had an accident."

Dana looked at him in horror. "What have you - "

"Pamela and I decided that a nice little fire is the best way to end Kemal's pitiful little life. So we've sent him back to school. Naughty of him to break into the school on a Saturday. He was just small enough to fit through the basement window."

She was filled with a blinding rage. "You cold-blooded monster. You'll never get away with this."

"You disappoint me, Dana. Resorting to cliches? What you don't understand is that wehave gotten away with it." He walked back to his desk and pressed a button. A moment later Cesar appeared.

"Yes, Mr. Hudson."

"I want you to see to Miss Evans. And make sure she's still alive when the accident happens."

"Yes, Mr. Hudson. I'll take care of it."

He was one of them. Dana could not believe it. "Roger, listen to me - "

Cesar took Dana by the arm and started leading her out of the room.

"Roger - "

"Good-bye, Dana."

Cesar tightened his grip on Dana's arm and marched her down the hall, through the kitchen, and out to the side of the house, where a limousine was parked.

The WTN helicopter was approaching the Hudson estate.

Jeff said to Norman Bronson, "You can set it down on the lawn and - " He stopped as he looked down below and saw Cesar putting Dana into a limousine. "No! Wait a minute."

The limousine started moving down the driveway and onto the street.

"What do you want me to do?" Bronson asked.

"Follow them."

In the limousine, Dana said, "You don't want to do this, Cesar. I - "

"Shut up, Miss Evans."

"Cesar, listen to me. You don't know these people. They're murderers. You're a decent man. Don't let Mr. Hudson force you to do things that - "

"Mr. Hudson isn't forcing me to do anything. I'm doing this forMrs. Hudson." He looked at Dana in the rearview mirror and grinned. "Mrs. Hudson takes good care of me."

Dana looked at him, stunned. I can't let this happen. "Where are you taking me?"

"To Rock Creek Park." He didn't need to add:where I'm going to kill you.

Roger Hudson, Pamela Hudson, Jack Stone, and Mrs. Daley were in a station wagon, heading for Washington National Airport.

Jack Stone said, "The plane is all ready. Your pilot has the flight plan to Moscow."

Pamela Hudson said, "God, I hate cold weather. I hope that bitch burns in hell for putting me through this."

"What about Kemal?" Roger Hudson asked.

"The fire at the school is set to go off in twenty minutes. The kid is in the basement. He's heavily sedated."

Dana was growing more desperate. They were nearing Rock Creek Park, and the traffic was beginning to thin out.

Kemal is terrified, Dana. I've never seen anyone so terrified. He knows he's going to die, and I told him that you're going to die, too.

In the helicopter trailing the limousine, Norman Bronson said, "He's turning, Jeff. It looks like he's heading for Rock Creek Park."

"Don't lose him."

At the FRA, General Booster stormed into his office. "What the hell has been going on here?" he asked one of his aides.

"I told you, General. While you were away, Major Stone recruited a few of our best men, and they're into some big deal with Roger Hudson. They've targeted Dana Evans. Look at this." The aide pulled up a screen on his computer, and a moment later there was a picture of Dana naked, getting into the shower in the Breidenbacher Hof Hotel.

General Booster's face tightened. "Jesus!" He turned to his aide. "Where is Stone?"

"He's gone. He's leaving the country with the Hudsons."

General Booster snapped. "Get me the National Airport."

In the helicopter, Norman Bronson looked down and said, "They're heading toward the park, Jeff. Once they get there, we won't be able to land because of the trees."

Jeff said urgently, "We have to stop them. Can you land in front of them on the road?"

"Sure."

"Do it."

Bronson pushed the controls forward and the helicopter began to descend. He passed over the limousine, and then began gently to bring the helicopter down. It landed on the road, twenty yards ahead of the limousine. They watched as the car screeched to a stop.

"Turn off the engines," Jeff said.

"We can't do that. We'll be at the guy's mercy if - "

"Turn them off."

Bronson looked at him. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"