tickets on the Bellerophon, three small apartments in Katyville were rented using three new credit cards, issued sequentially by Nuu Financial Support that morning. They have not been used for any further purchases.”
“Show us the apartments, Nelly.”
A map of Heidelburg, the capital of Turantic, flashed on the screen. Whereas Wardhaven City bordered the ocean, Heidelburg was downriver from a lake. The three apartments were along a low ridge near the river on the south side of the growing city, about eight blocks apart. “I don’t see a Katyville,” Jack said.
“Doesn’t show on the standard-issue roads and street map package,” Penny said.
“I have the latest update,” Nelly answered, with maybe a hint of hurt in her voice.
“You probably do,” Penny said quickly, eyeing Kris like she was nuts. Maybe two nuts. “Katyville is an industrial slum. Mainly warehouses, machine shops, meat packing, places where anyone could get some kind of a job. This hill,” Penny pointed to the ridge with the apartments, “eighty years back was expensive residences. Now it’s tenements. Not every industrialized city is as beautiful as Wardhaven.”
“So I’m learning.” Kris nodded.
“I’ll pass this to my cops. They’ll raid them tomorrow.”
“You willing to bet Tommy’ll still be there?” Kris asked.
“You only landed today. They had us stymied. They won’t expect you to change things that fast.”
Kris eyed the time line. “They’ve been moving fast from the start. Any chance they noticed what we’ve been doing here?”
“The screen is protected,” Nelly said, “but I have been pulling data from many sources. If they have alerts there . . .”
“Can you get your cops moving tonight?” Jack cut in.
“I can try.”
Kris ran the time line through her head. Damn, this Calvin Sandfire was no slacker when it came to knowing what was happening and making things happen faster. Was Kris willing to bet Tom’s life on Sandfire going slow tonight? What was she willing to bet her own life on? Again, that family mantra was humming in her head. There really was no other choice.
“You can try to get your cops moving, Penny, but we can be moving in ten minutes,” Kris said.
“Lieutenant, JG,” Lieutenant Pasley said to Kris, “there are parts of Wardhaven cops only travel in pairs after dark. In parts of Heidelburg, cops only travel in fours during the day. After dark, cops don’t travel in Katyville.”
“Which means your friends are going to move slowly,” Kris said evenly. “We need to move fast. Who’s with me?”
Kris knew Jack could move fast when he wanted to, but she was still shocked at how quickly he got around the tub to grab her arm. “Woman, you are not leading a pack of heavily armed Marines into a prepared assault. You’ve got one Secret Service Agent, one Intelligence desk jockey, one timid maid who probably won’t venture her nose outside this suite, and one Princess who does not know her limits. That doesn’t a rescue mission make.”
“Who says I won’t venture out of here?” Abby shot back.
“We are not equipped for a rescue mission,” Jack answered, not taking his eyes from Kris.
“Honey, speak for yourself.” Abby laughed as she hustled into Kris’s room. A moment later she shouted, “Catch,” as a large and rather cute pink beret sailed Frisbee style through the door. Kris caught it; it was heavier than it looked. She put it on.
“Ceramic weave all around?” she asked as Abby led an auto trunk back into the bathroom.
“Will stop a four-millimeter slug at five paces. Covers as much of your head as most helmets. Here’s a couple of watch caps for Penny and me. Not as pretty, but we all can’t be dolls.”
“There’s a lot more of her to protect,” Jack growled.
“Yes, honey, and while you can pass for just one of us girls most times, we’re about to get down to our unmentionables, so make yourself scarce. You must have brought along a few
“Show us the apartments, Nelly.”
A map of Heidelburg, the capital of Turantic, flashed on the screen. Whereas Wardhaven City bordered the ocean, Heidelburg was downriver from a lake. The three apartments were along a low ridge near the river on the south side of the growing city, about eight blocks apart. “I don’t see a Katyville,” Jack said.
“Doesn’t show on the standard-issue roads and street map package,” Penny said.
“I have the latest update,” Nelly answered, with maybe a hint of hurt in her voice.
“You probably do,” Penny said quickly, eyeing Kris like she was nuts. Maybe two nuts. “Katyville is an industrial slum. Mainly warehouses, machine shops, meat packing, places where anyone could get some kind of a job. This hill,” Penny pointed to the ridge with the apartments, “eighty years back was expensive residences. Now it’s tenements. Not every industrialized city is as beautiful as Wardhaven.”
“So I’m learning.” Kris nodded.
“I’ll pass this to my cops. They’ll raid them tomorrow.”
“You willing to bet Tommy’ll still be there?” Kris asked.
“You only landed today. They had us stymied. They won’t expect you to change things that fast.”
Kris eyed the time line. “They’ve been moving fast from the start. Any chance they noticed what we’ve been doing here?”
“The screen is protected,” Nelly said, “but I have been pulling data from many sources. If they have alerts there . . .”
“Can you get your cops moving tonight?” Jack cut in.
“I can try.”
Kris ran the time line through her head. Damn, this Calvin Sandfire was no slacker when it came to knowing what was happening and making things happen faster. Was Kris willing to bet Tom’s life on Sandfire going slow tonight? What was she willing to bet her own life on? Again, that family mantra was humming in her head. There really was no other choice.
“You can try to get your cops moving, Penny, but we can be moving in ten minutes,” Kris said.
“Lieutenant, JG,” Lieutenant Pasley said to Kris, “there are parts of Wardhaven cops only travel in pairs after dark. In parts of Heidelburg, cops only travel in fours during the day. After dark, cops don’t travel in Katyville.”
“Which means your friends are going to move slowly,” Kris said evenly. “We need to move fast. Who’s with me?”
Kris knew Jack could move fast when he wanted to, but she was still shocked at how quickly he got around the tub to grab her arm. “Woman, you are not leading a pack of heavily armed Marines into a prepared assault. You’ve got one Secret Service Agent, one Intelligence desk jockey, one timid maid who probably won’t venture her nose outside this suite, and one Princess who does not know her limits. That doesn’t a rescue mission make.”
“Who says I won’t venture out of here?” Abby shot back.
“We are not equipped for a rescue mission,” Jack answered, not taking his eyes from Kris.
“Honey, speak for yourself.” Abby laughed as she hustled into Kris’s room. A moment later she shouted, “Catch,” as a large and rather cute pink beret sailed Frisbee style through the door. Kris caught it; it was heavier than it looked. She put it on.
“Ceramic weave all around?” she asked as Abby led an auto trunk back into the bathroom.
“Will stop a four-millimeter slug at five paces. Covers as much of your head as most helmets. Here’s a couple of watch caps for Penny and me. Not as pretty, but we all can’t be dolls.”
“There’s a lot more of her to protect,” Jack growled.
“Yes, honey, and while you can pass for just one of us girls most times, we’re about to get down to our unmentionables, so make yourself scarce. You must have brought along a few
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