Chapter 9 Charles & Deborah Kluge Charles & Deborah Kluge 2 2 2001-11-05T01:52:00Z 2001-11-05T01:52:00Z 2 606 3455 28 6 4242 9.2720

Chapter 9

A knock on the interrogation room door caused Billy Melrose to look up.  Nighthawk stuck his head in the door and motioned for him to come out into the hallway.  Melrose hesitated and then nodded.  Turning to McJohn, he said curtly, "Keep at it.  We need that information."  With one final disgusted look at the man lolling in the chair, he spun and stepped out into the hallway.  McJohn had been at it for close to an hour now, but Nate Perkins was turning out to be a much harder nut to crack than any of them had anticipated.

Out in the hallway, he found Francine Desmond, Leatherneck and Nighthawk waiting for him.  "Where have you two been?" Billy asked sourly.

"Sorry," Leatherneck replied.  "Pile up on Connecticut.  Got stuck in it."

"At this hour?"

"Drunk driver.  What can I say?"

Billy waved him off.  "Windsor and Amanda?"

"Still in place," Francine replied.  "Leatherneck managed to let them know they were on their own, though."

"I thought their equipment wasn't two-way."

Francine smiled slightly.  "It wasn't, but he found a way."

Leatherneck snorted.  "Yeah.  Just do me a favor and don't tell Scarecrow how I did it.  He wouldn't be pleased.  So what's up?"

Billy outlined what they knew.  "We're still trying to get the target out of Perkins, but so far McJohn's had no luck.  What about the search teams, Nighthawk?"

"Nothing," he replied with a sigh.  "I'd say that they were already in place when we intercepted our friend in there.  They aren't going to show until they're ready to run."

"And that's liable to be too late," Billy replied, smacking the wall in frustration.  "We need answers . . ."

Without warning, the lighting changed to a glowing red and a voice echoed through the hallways.

"Red alert.  Flash Priority Scramble.  Operation Rimrunner.  Agents need assistance.  Repeat, all available field agents . . . Flash Priority Scramble.  Operation Rimrunner . . ."

All four were moving at a run for the elevator before the telecommunicator even began the repeat.  The noise level in the bullpen had risen substantially by the time they arrived.  Billy's voice sliced cleanly through the din.

"I want a report.  Who's called the scramble?"

"Phoenix, sir.  She called in by land line from the Van Houssin estate.  Said they have ignition on Operation Rimrunner.  She confirmed the presence of Perkins, Abernathy and Stockton.  Said she didn't know how many others there might be."

"Son of a bitch!" Leatherneck swore violently.  "And we left them hanging out there with no backup!"

"You said the Van Houssins weren't the target!" Billy snarled at Beaman who had joined the group.

"They shouldn't be!  There's nothing there that this group could want!"

"There is or they wouldn't be there.  We've obviously missed something.  Did Phoenix say what action they were planning?"

The woman who had taken the call shook her head.  "She just said that Windsor had gone after Abernathy and Stockton and that she was on Perkins.  I tried to tell her to wait, but . . ."

"But what?" Melrose demanded, when the woman paused uncomfortably.

She sighed.  "She said to tell you that she wouldn't wait in the car anymore."

"Oh that's just great!" he said sarcastically, and shook his head.  "I suppose she isn't even armed."  Leatherneck shook his head silently.  "I want all four of you on your way to the Van Houssin estate on the double.  Windsor can handle himself, but this is way more than Amanda King ever bargained for.  You are to see to it that those two get out of there in one piece.  And I want Perkins, Abernathy and Stockton.  Go.  NOW!"  As Billy spun and headed for his office,  his worry over his novice agent triggering the acidic pain in his stomach.  If something happens to her . . . he thought miserably.  That thought suddenly reminded him of the last thing Lee said to him before he left for Rome.  He'd promised his best agent that his partner would be all right.  'She'd better be,' had been his only reply.  Melorse sighed softly as he opened the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out the antacid tablets.  Popping two of them, he thought morosely, If something happens to her, Scarecrow is going to kill me.