Chapter 14


Wednesday, December 29


Quest Compound

Dear Father,

If you have received this letter, then I am dead. I am so very sorry. I know that it will be hard for you to accept, and I also know that this note will not be easy for you to read. But I want you to know that this was my choice. We knew that there was a danger this might happen and Hadji tried to send me away, but I would not leave.

I cannot begin to explain all of the reasons why I chose to stay. Part of it is that I have felt so welcome here. Dr. Quest is like no one I have ever met, and for all that he has done for me, I felt that I owed him my loyalty. It is a lesson you taught me. And then there is Race and Estella . . . I was an attendant in their wedding, Father. I have never experienced such complete acceptance before. No one here seems to feel that I need to be anyone other than who I am . . . and I don't need to be afraid to say what I think or do what I think is right.

Jessie . . . what can I tell you about Jessie, Father? I love my sisters . . . please do not misunderstand me, but Jessie is like my twin. We enjoy the same things and we think so much alike. Often, we do not even have to talk to know what the other is thinking. It is . . . I am sorry. I simply do not know how to explain.

But the most important reason of all is Hadji. Father, I love him. I still do not understand what happened. When I first met him, I was so angry. He ran into me and almost bounced me off of a wall in the palace . . . I never told you about that. He was so apologetic. But even then, I think I knew. And being here has only reinforced it. I could not go . . . not and leave him here. I had to stay with him, Father. Karma has decreed it . . . it is where I belong.

So please do not grieve for me. I am very lucky. I am happier to have had a very short time together with Hadji, than to have lived a long life and never have known him. Please tell Mother, Sumant, Daria, Maia, and Srinivasan that I will miss them. Thank you for everything you have done for me, Father. I love you very, very much.

Goodbye,

Kefira

"You're supposed to be sleeping," a voice said quietly. Kefira looked up to find Jessie standing at her shoulder.

"Yes, I know. But there was something I needed to do."

Jessie's glance flicked to the screen that glowed brightly in the dim light of Kefira's room. Then she looked back and said, "Goodbye letter?"

"Yes," Kefira agreed. "I know it is silly, but . . ."

"It's not silly," Jessie disagreed. "I've had one done and cued to send to my mother for a long time. Now that she and my dad are married again, I guess it's not really necessary, but I understand how you feel. You want him to know . . ."

"Yes."

"So are you finished?"

Kefira gazed at the letter for a moment longer and then she sighed and said, "IRIS, save this file as an e-mail message. Set it to time send to my father."

"ACKNOWLEDGED. PLEASE SPECIFY DATE TO SEND."

"Send just prior to the execution of the failsafe protocol, or in the event of my confirmed death."

"ACKNOWLEDGED. MESSAGED CUED FOR DELAY SEND ACCORDING TO SPECIFIED PARAMETERS."

"So, did you get any sleep at all?" Jessie questioned.

Kefira nodded, "Some."

"Want to go back to bed?"

"No. I am going to go find Hadji."

Jessie nodded. "We're thinking alike, again. I want to find Jonny, too. I'll bet they're together."

"Yes, I suspect they are. Do you know where they would be? The lab?" Kefira replied, rising. The two girls headed for the door.

"Probably downstairs. I doubt that Dad will allow us to be split up like that. We'll all be in one place or the other."

As they descended the main stairs, they could see dim light flickering in the family room. They stopped in the doorway and saw Jonny and Hadji. The two young men sprawled on the large sofa, staring at flickering images on the wall monitor on the other side of the room. Every 10 seconds or so the images shifted, showing various views of the perimeter fence, buildings and grounds of the Compound. Some areas were dark and others were brilliantly lit. Without a word, the two women crossed to join them.

"You're supposed to be asleep," Jonny said neutrally, sitting up slightly and drawing Jessie down onto his lap.

"I did. Now I'm awake and want to be with you," she replied, settling comfortably and turning her eyes to the monitor. He nuzzled the top of her head, but didn't bother to reply. Next to them, Kefira had nestled up next to Hadji and put her arms around him. As she looked up, their eyes met. His held pain and guilt . . . where hers showed contentment.

"You should have left, Kefira," he said in a low voice. "This is not right. I do not want you to die here at the hands of a lunatic."

"My choice, beloved," she whispered softly. "I do not wish to be separated from you. From this day forward, I will stand with you . . . no matter what happens."

"But . . ."

"I love you, Hadji. I will not be without you."

He stared at her, shaken. "Just like that?"

"Just like that," she agreed. Then she smiled, hearing the echoes of the nearly identical conversation in her mind. "Was it any different for you?"

"No," he whispered. Then, an instant later, the pattern of the conversation registered and he smiled at her ruefully. "Am I being slow?"

She laughed and tightened her arms around him. "A little. Are we clear on the point now?" He nodded. "Good. Then let us move forward. I do not believe that Race has any intention of allowing any of us to die, anyway, so it really does not matter." She reached up and caressed the side of his face softly and then drew his head down and kissed him.

Jonny and Jessie glanced over, then looked at each other and smiled, before turning their attention back to the monitor once more.


* * * * *


Race slipped quietly into his suite downstairs and closed the door. He shrugged out of his coat and threw it across the sofa. The lab was locked down. Of the two complexes, the lab was probably safer. It's steep walls and small, high-mounted windows made it much more difficult to enter in the event of an assault. But the very nature of its security was also its disadvantage. It meant they were locked in with few or no options. Because of that, he had chosen to make their stand in the house. IRIS' defenses were formidable . . . he had seen to that . . . and the house provided more avenues of escape if that became possible. Strategies for the coming confrontation had been planned out with family members, and had been communicated to the government troops outside the Compound perimeter. They were as ready as he could make them.

Baxter's men would be allowed to breach the perimeter . . . not without a fight, certainly . . . but they would be allowed through. Race grinned humorlessly. Even Mother Nature seemed to want in on the game. The weather had turned again. Around nightfall, the temperature began to rise. Angry gray clouds had rolled in and the wind had come up from the northeast. By midnight, it had begun to sleet. A combination of ice and snow had continued throughout most of the night. Then, about two hours ago, it began to taper off and the temperature began to drop again. While out at the lighthouse a short time ago, Race had fought his way to the cliffs to check the ocean approaches. No one was going to try and hit them from that direction. The sea was wild . . . crashing against the rocks all along the shore with enough violence to smash anything attempting to approach that way. And even if they could reach the shore safely, there was no reaching the top of the cliff. He had destroyed the stairs leading down to the boat dock and scaling the cliffs, even with climbing gear, was out of the question. Ice coated everything. Their flank was safe.

That meant that their only choice was to come through some part of the fence. Race had taken some of the men from the perimeter and hidden them. They would not participate in the initial confrontation. The impression would be one of thin outer defenses. About 30 meters south of the main entrance was a section where the vegetation came almost up to the fence. It was the most logical place for a strike. There was surveillance and defensive armament concentrated along this area, but Race had isolated them. Without a doubt, they would be the first targets and he expected them to go down quickly. With the help of Bennett's people, Race had added hidden cameras in the trees to monitor the area. The attackers would be allowed to breach the fence there. The cameras would give them an idea of the numbers they were facing.

Hand-held rocket and missile launchers were certainly a possibility, but IRIS was programmed to identify and intercept any attack of that kind. Not only would she target and destroy any type of airborne missile before it reached its target, she would also trace the source of the launch and eliminate it. Race sighed. He didn't like that idea much . . . too bloodthirsty . . . but they really had no choice. If Baxter brought that kind of firepower against them, it had to be eliminated quickly and ruthlessly or they didn't stand a chance.

Bennett's men that had been pulled from the perimeter were now secreted throughout the forest outside the Compound. Their job was to spot the attackers and to determine how heavily armed they were. The one thing that could seriously hurt them would be a simultaneous missile attack on the perimeter fence in multiple places. Bennett's men were to spot their attackers, identify any missile launchers and pass that word ahead. IRIS' targeting abilities were outstanding. The hope was that she could eliminate the missile launchers before they were used against the fence.

Once Baxter's men tried to breach the perimeter, they would find that the fence was electrified and that there were guns all along it. Each 6-meter section was armed and electrified independently, so taking out one section would not take down the entire grid at once. Race anticipated that they would try hitting it in several different places, but was certain that when they managed to create a breach, the attack would gel in that one place. When they got inside, their attackers would come face to face with the full force of the Compound's defenses.

Julia would know that they would have a fight on their hands once they got inside, but even she would have no idea just what they were facing. After the fiasco with Surd's Thoughtscape program, Race had completely redone the security of Quest Compound. Lorenzo and his people had penetrated the defenses way too easily that time and he had been determined that it wouldn't happen again. Baxter and his people would be facing a hellstorm the like of which they couldn't begin to imagine. Laser-based targeting guns permeated the trees and the ground was mined, as well. It would make the storming of Omaha Beach look like a picnic. If Baxter brought enough men to survive the transition from the perimeter fence through the trees inside the Compound to the edge of the clearing on the coast, they would then face a dual prong attack. From there, targeting lasers would take over. These weapons were set throughout the lawn area and each of them had a cloaking device specially designed by Benton that would make them extraordinarily difficult to target. Also, buried just below the surface of the soil was a complex net that was capable of carrying an electrical charge. If Baxter's men got to the grounds around the house, IRIS could send electrical current through the ground, stunning . . . or even killing . . . their attackers as they crossed the lawn. Again, this was set up in sections, so it could be done selectively to maximize the confusion. At the same time, the family members would be armed and targeting their attackers from the house. Additionally, Bennett's men were now hidden on the outside of the fence. They would follow Baxter's men through the breach in the perimeter fence and keep up a constant, flanking assault. And if all of that failed, they were left with the failsafe protocol. Race sighed. He really hoped it wouldn't come to that.

He crossed the outer room of the suite and opened the door into the bedroom silently. The bathroom light glowed softly behind the semi-closed door. A smile flickered briefly on his face. A nightlight. She had always done that when he was due in late, knowing it make him edgy to enter a room that he couldn't survey first. He crossed to the bed and knelt beside it, being careful not to cast a shadow across her face. Her shallow breathing told him that she was dozing rather than being deeply asleep. He knelt there, gazing at her silently. His wife . . . After all of these years . . . after all of the things they had been through . . . and she had taken him back. He still couldn't quite believe it. She was heartbreakingly lovely, lying there on her side with one hand curled up under her cheek like a child. Suddenly, as though sensing his presence, she opened her eyes and gazed up at him. After a moment, she smiled.

"Hey," she said softly.

He reached out and stroked her cheek gently. "Hey yourself," he replied.

"Are we all set?"

"As we can be. All we can do now is wait."

"Where is everyone?"

"Bennett's elected to stay with his men outside and lead that assault. Benton's still in bed, I think, and the four kids are all together in the family room watching the security monitors."

"I thought the girls were supposed to be asleep."

Race snorted softly. "Supposed to be and doing it are two totally different things."

"I can understand that." She caught his hand and kissed it. "Strength comes from many different places, and sometimes, rest can be the least effective source."

Race rose abruptly and sat on the edge of the bed. Catching Estella up in his arms, he drew her to him and cradled her close, burying his face in her hair. "Dammit!" he swore fiercely. "You shouldn't be in the middle of this . . ."

"If you're in the middle of it, then I belong here, as well." She leaned away from him enough to be able to look him in the eye. "We've fought our battles separately long enough. We're stronger together, Race. We will win this one . . . I know it. I have faith in you."

Holding her tightly against him once again, he prayed she was right.


* * * * *


Benton Quest lay in the middle of his huge bed staring at the ceiling. Time seemed to have slowed to a crawl and he found himself unable to sleep. Whatever happened, he just wished it were over.

The choices he had facing him in the next few hours scared him. He thought about his life and all that he had accomplished in his 54 years. Is it worth it? he asked himself. All the things I've done . . . all the things I've accomplished. Are they worth the lives of my sons? He cringed, thinking of what would happen if he was forced into voicing the authorization code that would activate the failsafe protocol. His instructions to Jonny and Hadji had been firm and uncompromising, but would he be able to do it if they were backed into that corner? Could he kill his own sons and the two women they loved?

Rachel, his mind cried out to her desperately, please come back. I need you now more than ever! I can't make this decision alone . . . But she was silent . . . gone forever. He knew it even before he called to her. Then he remembered her last words.

Jonny and Hadji would never accept anything less than what he had set in motion . . . anymore than he would. With a soft sigh, Benton thought about that for a long time, remembering his earlier concern about Race and his relationship with Jonny and Hadji. It would seem that both he and Race had taught them more than they realized . . . both bad and good.

He shifted restlessly. If they lived through this, he had the feeling that this Christmas would not stand out as one of the better ones he had ever experienced.


* * * * *


In the deep darkness of pre-dawn, unseen shadows flitted through the trees along the perimeter of the Quest Compound. This was not an easy feat considering the deep snow that lay heavily across the area. Compounding it was the screaming wind and driving sleet that made conditions miserable and cut visibility to nothing. But difficult conditions could also have their advantages. The heavy snow and miserable weather conditions hampered the defender just as it did the adversary, and the sleet and snow limited visibility for everyone.

"Field base, this is Forward One. Do you read?"

"Go ahead, Forward One."

"I've completed scouting the perimeter and identified the most likely target zone. Defensive lines outside the perimeter are lighter than I expected them to be and appear to be concentrated around the main gate."

"How many men?"

"I counted seven."

Back in the trees near the road, Julia frowned. "Odd. I would have expected Bannon to have a much tighter line guarding that fence."

"Maybe he's pulled 'em back inside the fence to guard the house," Lorenzo suggested.

"Maybe," she said uneasily. "Or maybe it's a trap." Around her, the strike commanders waited. There were ten of them, all large, grim-faced men with long experience as professional mercenaries. Each of them commanded a group of 20 men who were also battle-scarred veterans. Julia had been put in charge of the operation since she and Lorenzo were the only ones who had experience with a frontal assault on the Compound. She had been impressed when she discovered that Baxter had put a small army at her disposal. He really did want the place! Of course, he really didn't have much choice now.

When Baxter had turned the laptop over to his lab people, she tried to tell them not to attempt to download anything to their mainframe computers. However, the head of Baxter's computer research team was a haughty asshole that was not about to let her tell him anything. She knew him by reputation, of course . . . a leading researcher in the field and probably, next to Quest or Jeremiah, the best there was available. But his ego was huge and he simply refused to take guidance from anyone. She had wondered briefly how he had managed to survive, working for a man as volatile and violent as Baxter. The man had spent about 10 minutes browsing over the contents of the system and then had ordered his technicians to hook it into the system and transfer the contents so they could begin analysis. She had tried again to warn him that the contents of the laptop were not downloadable, but he informed her that he had developed a buffer that would allow him to download anything without a disruption of security protocols. When the man wouldn't listen, Julia had appealed to Baxter, insisting that he would lose everything if he allowed the man to persist. Baxter wouldn't listen either. At that point, Edgerton had stepped in and drew her away. In a soft voice, he had warned her that there was no point in pushing. They were determined to try it and there was nothing she could do. When she repeated her warning again, Edgerton had shrugged philosophically and said that Baxter always had to learn the hard way. So she had shut up and let them proceed.

Initially, she thought that maybe he was going to be able to pull it off . . . the system seemed to be willing to transfer data . . . but that didn't last long. After about a minute, the screen had suddenly flickered and the transfer of data stopped. It sat there for about 30 seconds, and then a box had popped up with a simple message . . . UNAUTHORIZED DOWNLOAD ATTEMPT DETECTED. SAFETY PROTOCOLS ACTIVATED. The screen went blank briefly and then a new message appeared. NON-RECOVERABLE CATASTROPHIC ERROR. The screen went blank again, and then the words SYSTEM FAILURE filled the screen. After that, it had died totally. A subsequent check found the laptop totally empty . . . devoid of anything whatsoever. Baxter had flown into a rage, screaming incoherently and smashing anything he could lay his hands on . . . including the portable computer system. It was only Edgerton's intervention that had prevented Baxter from shooting his lead computer scientist on the spot. Watching Baxter's fury over the failure, Julia had decided that maybe saying 'I told you so' wasn't a good idea.

She shivered suddenly as a blast of frigid wind flung a needle-like spray of ice into her face. Baxter was just plain nuts . . . worse that Surd had ever been. Jeremiah had been pretty bent, Julia would never deny that. And the older he got, the worse it had become. But all of Baxter's screws were loose. He was a raving lunatic. She had no idea what made Nathaniel stick with the man. Hell, he was lucky to have lived this long!

"What are we waiting for?" an irritable voice behind her demanded. Julia turned in the darkness and stared at the black shape that materialized at her shoulder.

"Daylight," she replied flatly. "Trust me, Baxter, you don't want to try to go up against what we have in store for us in the dark."

"They don't even know we're coming," he replied contemptuously.

"Bullshit! Not only do they know we're coming, they're ready for us. They're just waiting for us to make the first move."

"Field base, this is Forward Two. Come in . . ."

"This is field base. Go ahead, Forward Two."

"Field base, flanking approach is out of the question. Seas are too rough and the access to the cliff top has been destroyed."

Julia nodded in the dark. "I expected as much. Pull back, Forward Two. We're going to have to go head-on against the land perimeter. Bring your men back and join the main attack force."

"Acknowledged. Forward Two out."

"Not expecting us, huh?" Julia said sarcastically to Baxter. Then she sighed. "It was just too much to expect that Bannon wouldn't have closed off the seaward access after we got in that way the last time. We'll just have to do it the hard way."

"We've identified three spots where the perimeter seems the most vulnerable," one of the squad commanders volunteered. Spreading a map out on the hood of a nearby vehicle, he illuminated it with a flashlight as he pointed to three evenly spaced sections of the fence. "These two have a fair amount of open ground between the trees and the fence, but this one has vegetation up to within a foot of it. A single man, moving under cover, should be able to reach the fence and set an explosive device that will bring down that section and disrupt the system."

Julia shook her head. "Bring down that section maybe, but don't rely on it taking the rest of the system down as well. Bannon won't make it that easy. Pick your man, commander, and have him get started. In the dark, the vegetation should give him enough cover to plant explosives along about an eight foot section of the fence. Have him be excessive with the explosive. My guess is there are monitoring stations and defensive weapons hidden just inside that fence. Anything we can take out in the initial explosion is that much less we have to face when we cross the perimeter line. You and you," she said pointing to a second and third man, "send a four man team each to the other two sections that have been identified as potential weak points. Let's see if we can get someone close enough to mine those, as well. I have my doubts, but let's see what happens. If nothing else, it will tell us one way or the other if they have been caught sleeping or if they really are ready for us." The three men moved off silently.

Baxter stirred restlessly and Julia heard him inhale, but before he had the chance to comment, a new sound interrupted them. Static filled the air briefly and then a voice crackled over the radio in the vehicle. "Julia, are you there?"

She reached out and snatched up the microphone and thumbed the switch. "Here, Nathaniel. What have you got?"

"Nothing," the voice replied in disgust. "The weather is too bad. No satellite images are coming through at all."

"Which means we have no aerial recon of any kind," Julia said resignedly. She turned to Baxter who still stood at her shoulder. "Are you sure you want to do this? Everything is against us. The weather's bad, we have no visuals of what we're facing in there, and we know that they're going to be waiting for us." As though to emphasize her point, the silence was suddenly broken by the whining sound of laser blasts. In the distance off to their right, an explosion rocked the night, and a brilliant flash of light silhouetted the trees for a brief instance and then died away to a dull glow. Her head jerked around and she snapped, "What . . ."

One of the commanders listened closely to the whispered voice coming over the headset he wore and then replied grimly, "The man attempting to set the explosives on the far right side of the perimeter was killed as he tried to cross the open ground in front of the fence. He didn't get within ten feet of it."

"They're waiting for us," she said grimly to Baxter once more. "This is suicide."

"We have sheer numbers on our side," Baxter replied flatly. "If we don't have enough men, I'll get more. We will overwhelm the place. But one way or the other, it will be mine before the day is out. Do you understand me? If you can't handle it, you can be replaced. It's your choice."

Julia turned away again. "Commander, pull the team on the left side of the perimeter back and recall the remaining men from the right side assault force. There's no point in losing people in vain attempts. We'll concentrate on the one section of fence where we have some cover and then hit them with everything we've got in that one spot. Where are the men with the mobile missile launchers? I want them to line up just out of sight all along that section of fence. Once the explosives go, the automated systems will react. I want them targeting the defensive retaliation sites. We need to clear a corridor that we can move through."

"What about using the missile launchers to breach the fence in several different places?" one of the men volunteered.

"No," Julia replied flatly. "We won't have a second chance to use those launchers. Once they've been fired, the men using them will be primary targets and will be as good as dead. They won't have a chance to reload and fire again. We stand more of a chance of getting through if we use the majority of them to clear a corridor deep into the grounds rather than creating several different shallow penetrations."

"You're giving Quest an awful lot of credit," Baxter said sourly.

"No, I'm not giving Quest any credit whatsoever. But I am giving Bannon every ounce of credit he deserves." She turned in the dark and said fiercely. "Understand me, Baxter. I'll lead this suicide charge of yours and I'll do my damnedest to get you what you want. Why not? With Jeremiah gone, I really don't have much else. But mark my words; if a handful of us walk away from here today it will be a miracle. Now stay out of my way." Turning back to the others, she said harshly. "We have about an hour until dawn. We strike at first light. Position your men, gentlemen, and wait for my signal."


* * * * *


"What happened?" Race demanded, striding into the family room. Estella and Benton followed him closely. All were fully dressed.

"A group of men tried to approach the fence," Jonny replied, eyes never leaving the monitor. "Judging by the size of the blast after the laser struck, he was carrying explosives."

"What are the thermal sensors telling us about numbers?"

"It was a four-man team that tried the fence," Hadji replied. "Three of them got away. There was also some indication of a second team approaching another spot on the far left side, but they never got close enough to get a count of numbers and they pulled back as soon as the first attempt failed."

"Any indication of an attempt on the section of fence near the gate?"

"Not yet," Jessie answered. "But I don't think it will be long now. And the rest of the assault force is taking care to stay out of range of the sensors."

"I think I'll see what Bennett has to report," Race started to say, but his daughter cut him off.

"I just talked to him. His men are being very careful to stay well out of sight. He says that the lieutenant recognized one of the attackers as a professional mercenary. They can't tell exactly how many of them there are, but the force is sizeable."

Race sighed. "Swell. There's nothing left to do but wait."


* * * * *


It was close to 7:30 when the force of the first explosion shook the walls of the main house. Race had expected the assault to start earlier, but the heavy overcast and threatening weather conditions had made visibility extremely poor until well past dawn. From his vantage point at one of the front windows on the second floor, he watched the plume of smoke and fire shoot skyward with a curious sense of anticipation. The waiting was finally over. Even through the heavy stone walls, he could hear the responding laser fire. A second explosion . . . and a third reverberated through the stone under his feet. Through the miniature receiver in his ear he heard IRIS' whisper.

"MISSILE LAUNCHERS IDENTIFIED. TARGETING. COUNTER MEASURES IMPLEMENTED."

The sounds of fighting escalated until explosions and gunfire merged into a continuous, non-stop din. IRIS' soft running commentary was a constant litany in his ear.

"FIRST LINE ASSAULT REPELLED. PERIMETER SECURE."

"FIVE MISSILE LAUNCHERS ELIMINATED. SECOND WAVE ASSAULT COMMENCING."

"PERIMETER DEFENSIVE LASERS IN SECTION B5 NEUTRALIZED. PERIMETER HAS BEEN BREACHED. FALLING BACK TO SECONDARY DEFENSE LINES."

"SECOND MISSILE ATTACK COMMENCING. SOURCE IDENTIFIED AND COUNTER MEASURES IMPLEMENTED. SIX MISSILE LAUNCHERS ELIMINATED."

"SECONDARY DEFENSE LINES FAILING. FALLING BACK TO GROUND DEFENSES. ESTIMATED NUMBER OF ENEMY REMAINING . . . 100 . . . ALL HEAVILY ARMED."

"Shut down all perimeter and secondary defense lines in sections B3 through B7 and divert all power to ground defenses," Race directed steadily. The perimeter and secondary defenses had to be disarmed or Bennett's men would be caught in them when the flanking maneuver began. Unfortunately, it also meant that it would leave their enemies free to move back and forth through that corridor unmolested. If Bennett's men fell, Baxter could bring in reinforcements any time he liked and there would be nothing they could do about it. But they had no choice. Race tightened his grip on his laser rifle and stared through the window intently. In moments, the attacking forces would clear the forest and reach the open ground between the house and the trees. The fight was about to get a lot more personal.

Next to him, he heard Estella pump a round into the chamber of the rifle she held and then her reassuring warmth disappeared. He looked to his left just in time to see her vanish into the room at the far end of the hall. He knew that the rest of the family was spreading out along the front of the house on both floors in an attempt to cover as much as they could. He thought of Estella again. They were separated now and he might never see her again. He thrust that thought away, knowing he couldn't afford the distraction. Reaching out, he opened the window and allowed the icy wind to whip in around him. Kneeling on the floor, he balanced his laser rifle on the sill and watched the distant tree line intently, waiting for a target.


* * * * *


Leeds waited near the main road for the initial assault to begin. As soon as he heard the first explosion, he abandoned his position and sprinted down the road toward the main gate. Almost immediately, he was intercepted by two of Bennett's men. Leeds identified himself and suddenly found himself on the wrong end of a military rifle. One of the soldiers informed him that he had orders to take him into custody and detain him pending the Admiral's arrival. Leeds reacted instantly, disabling the man closest to him and bringing the confiscated rifle to bear on his companion. Unfortunately, the other soldier was not prepared to back down and Leeds was forced to shoot him. As he moved away from the road and into the trees, he hoped that the man was still alive. But somehow he doubted it.

He quickly found himself in a highly undesirable position, caught between Baxter's forces as they laid siege to the perimeter of the Quest Compound and Bennett's men, who were preparing to launch a flanking attack. Leeds moved constantly, ducking both sides. The heavy snow and ice made this extremely difficult, however the poor visibility and bad weather conditions provided some assistance. Somehow, he managed to avoid both sides as he searched with single-minded intensity for one man. Baxter would be his . . . one way or the other.

A sudden shout of triumph warned Leeds that something had happened. In desperation, he had finally taken up a position in a large oak tree about 100 yards from the perimeter assault. As he peered down from his elevated position, he saw Baxter's men surge forward suddenly. The abrupt stillness of the guns within the fence marked the fall of the perimeter defenses. Baxter's men were in. Uneasiness gripped Leeds. What if Quest was wrong and they couldn't hold the Compound? Hatred flared as he searched the crowd of men streaming through the gap in the fence. Take out the heart and the rest would crumble. He had to find Baxter.

Surveying the surrounding area swiftly, he assured himself that he could descend unseen and then dropped to the ground. He hesitated for a brief instant, taking stock of the situation. He had hoped to be able to take Baxter before he managed to get inside, but that was clearly not going to be possible. If he were coordinating the flanking assault, he would allow the attacking force to throw itself against whatever defenses Bannon had set up in the trees, further decimating their numbers. Once they reached the clear land that stretched up to the house, he would deploy his forces in the trees behind them and pin the attackers down in the open. Leeds had no doubt that as soon as the assaulting force was involved with fighting their way toward the house, Bennett would move in and hit them from behind. There would be no way for him to take Baxter without one side or the other getting him.

Time for Plan B. Turning away from the gap in the fence, he moved carefully back from the perimeter searching the surrounding snowcover. There . . . a path through the snow running parallel to the fence! Military defensive protocol was very predictable. Bennett's men would have been patrolling the entire length of the outer perimeter. This path was sure to follow the fence line straight down to the ocean. He turned onto the path and moved down it at a trot. Now he would see just how trustworthy the Hamilton girl actually was . . .


* * * * *


Francesca watched in grim amusement from her hiding place not far away as Leeds dropped from his tree and disappeared onto the path that led down to the ocean. So far, so good . . . everything was going as planned. Now for the next step. Watching carefully for Bennett's men, she moved away from the combat zone. She continued until the sounds became muted and indistinct. Finally, she stopped and pulled out her cell phone. Dialing quickly, she waited. It cut off in mid-ring and a harsh voice snapped, "Edgerton!"

Making her voice sound breathless, she gasped, "Edgerton! It's Francesca. Tell Baxter it's done. I managed to convince Leeds that you've found a way into the Compound from the beach on the far southern perimeter. He's headed down there now and he's alone. Quest's people have discovered he was the one that breached the Compound's computer security and they've got a shoot-on-sight order out on him. Baxter can take him out without any risk."

"What? He's going down there even though he expects to walk into an assault team?" the man replied sarcastically.

"No, you idiot," she snapped. "He thinks that you and Baxter will be down there, getting in on your own. I told him that Baxter is using the assault team as a diversion so the two of you can get in under their security and reach the lighthouse."

"There is no secret entrance down by the beach!"

"Of course there isn't," she practically screamed at him, "but Leeds doesn't know that! If Baxter doesn't get down there, Leeds will get away and then he will continue to pursue all of you with even more single-minded hatred than he already is. And believe me, Edgerton, after all the work I went to, if you blow this because you don't tell Baxter it's set, I'll see to it that you don't live to see the light of another day!" Francesca stabbed the off button on the phone viciously and then turned to follow the path toward the beach. Edgerton better not screw this up. She needed both men there. If she were forced to kill one or both of them separately, there would be no way for her to make it look like they killed each other. She wanted out from under both of these men and today was going to be the end of it.


* * * * *


Baxter's Lair
Portsmouth, Maine

Edgerton swore violently and slammed the phone down. Around him, the situation was rapidly deteriorating. Men were calling frantically back and forth as computers and electronic systems everywhere went crazy. Lights flickered and died, electronic systems crashed, and even the warning alarms were suddenly still. It was like a growing ripple effect, starting in one place and spreading swiftly and with growing destruction in all directions.

"What is it?" he yelled over the din to the computer chief.

The man straightened abruptly from the computer he'd been using and replied, "A virus. It can't be anything else."

"Well, isolate it! At the rate it's spreading, it's going to take the entire computer network down."

"It's too late. It's already infected the entire system . . . it did that before it became active. I've never seen anything this virulent. It spreads like wildfire, it destroys utterly, leaving absolutely nothing behind to recover, and then even destroys itself so there's no way to analyze it."

"Then pull the plug on this base!" Edgerton snapped. "We can't let it get beyond this facility . . ."

"Don't you understand what I'm saying?" the other man screamed back. "It's too LATE. Wherever it came from . . . however it got into our system . . . it's already spread. It's everywhere! Bangkok was the first to report it. Then the main Middle Eastern hub. Before it began shutting us down, every single facility reported being infected. We can't stop it . . . there's going to be nothing left!"

"The archives . . . " Edgerton said hoarsely.

"Gone," the man replied helplessly. "The initial infection must have occurred prior to the nightly backup run to the main computer archive in Europe. When it was done, the sleeper virus went with it. It's over. There's nothing we can do but abandon it all."

"What about the equipment itself? It is salvageable?"

"No, I don't think so," the man replied in defeat. "Every system I've checked has not only been wiped but all major components have been irretrievably damaged. It's all junk.

Edgerton turned away, swearing. "How??? How did this happen? We had the best of everything in the way of security. How is this possible?"

For a long moment, the other man didn't reply. Around them, the chaos was slowly ebbing away as every system died. Technicians wandered away in dazed silence, stunned by the sudden and absolute destruction. Finally, he answered softly, "There's only one man alive with the expertise to have developed something like this. But I never thought he would do it."

"Who?" Edgerton demanded harshly, turning back with a wild light in his eyes.

The other man shook his head and said softly, "Benton Quest."

"Quest!" The name was like a curse. Turning, Edgerton strode across the room and burst into Baxter's private office. Like the rest of the building, it was dark and silent. Slamming the door shut behind him, he reached out and picked up the phone. Dead . . . just like everything else in this God-forsaken place. He stood for a second longer and then made a swift decision. Turning, he fumbled around until he found the flashlight in Baxter's desk. Using it's light, he located the release that triggered Baxter's emergency exit. Edgerton smiled grimly. The man always left himself a way out. Grabbing the coat that hung nearby, Edgerton entered the exit corridor and closed the door behind him. Carefully, he moved down the dark passageway until he came to a staircase. He climbed several flights of stairs and finally arrived at a landing and another corridor. This one angled sharply away from the building. He followed the second corridor for about ten minutes and finally came to another door. Fumbling with it, he shoved it open and emerged into a dimly lit building that smelled of diesel fuel and dust.

The silence around him told him the building was empty. Crossing the large room, he eased the door open a crack and peered out cautiously. He was in a warehouse in the middle of one of the light industrial districts not far from the river. No one was in sight. Pulling the coat tightly around him, he stepped out of the building and closed the door behind him. Then he strode away as though he had just finished a business meeting and was off to his next appointment. When he left the industrial complex, he found himself on a small street just off one of the main thoroughfares in Portsmouth. On the corner of the main road he spotted a convenience store. He made for that at a brisk walk. When he arrived, he went straight to one of the pay phones that stood outside. Dropping money in the phone, he punched in a number from memory and then waited impatiently. After a moment, a voice answered. The sounds of fighting could be heard clearly over the connection.

"It's me. Don't ask questions . . . just listen. We're screwed. Quest has infected our entire computer system with a virus and it's just finished self-destructing. No, I mean totally . . . there's nothing left . . . anywhere. And the Hamilton girl called. She says that Leeds is on his way down to the beach on the south perimeter and that we can take him easily. I think she's set us up and anyone who walks into it is a dead man. No, listen to me! It's not worth it. Just leave it! There's no time. We need to cut our losses and get out. I'm on my way to our pre-arranged rendezvous point. Leave the troops fighting and slip away. Their battle will cover your exit. Yes, I got the money transferred. It should be safe. The virus must have been transferred when we penetrated their computers and got into their VR system. I made the money transfer before then. Just get out . . . now. If you're not there in two hours, I'll go without you."

Edgerton reached out and pressed the disconnect lever, smiling grimly. He was no fool. It was over and he was not going down with this ship. Releasing the lever, he dropped more coins in the phone and dialed again. "Yellow Cab? I need a taxi . . ."


* * * * *


"Where are you going?" Julia asked Baxter harshly.

"I have some unfinished business with one of the government's men," Baxter replied shortly, turning away from his attack force. "I'll leave this in your capable hands while I deal with this other thing."

"You mean the little scene that the Hamilton girl set up for you? I tell you, Baxter, that girl's using you. It's a trap."

"I don't believe it," Baxter replied. "The girl is too much of a self-preservationist to double cross me. She knows where her best interests lie. I'll take care of this business and be back here before you manage to break through to the open ground around the house."

Julia looked over and watched the last of her men clear the perimeter fence and move into the trees. They were dropping like flies . . . losses had been high just getting through the fence and into the trees on the other side. She didn't even like to think of what they still had ahead of them. "How do you propose to get down to the meeting place?" she asked sarcastically. "Wade hip-deep snow?"

Baxter laughed harshly. "No, I'm going to make use of 'government issue'. Quest's government lackey's have already cut a trail all along the fence line. With everyone involved in the assault on the facility, the path will be clear. You just take care of this and I'll deal with the other."

Julia shrugged. "It's your neck. But if you're serious about wanting to take this place, you better call for reinforcements. We've lost over half of our fighting force already and we haven't seen the worst of it yet."

Baxter nodded as he turned away. "I'll call them in as soon as I get back." Then he moved off and quickly disappeared. Julia stared after him in disgust. Absolutely, 100% certifiably crazy . . . there was no doubt about it. Call in reinforcements when he got back? If he got back was more like it. Glancing back at the gap in the fence again, she saw that all of her combat troops had disappeared into the woods. Well, she wasn't crazy.

Passing on Edgerton's message about the Hamilton girl's plans ensured that Baxter would be out of her way. Nathaniel hadn't wanted her to find the man. She wasn't sure if it was actually because he felt she didn't have the time to waste or if he still held some fragment of loyalty to the lunatic. But whatever the reason, she had decided to take the time to send Baxter to that rendezvous. She wanted him out of her way while she made her escape. This enterprise had been doomed from the start. She hadn't lied to him . . . they were losing men by the dozens. And her sixth sense was telling her that they were missing something. It bothered her that there was still no sign of military personnel. All of the reconnaissance had told them there was a good-sized unit stationed here. What had happened to them? She just couldn't believe they had pulled back and left the Quest Compound vulnerable. They were here somewhere. She was sure of it. And she didn't want to be around when they finally made their appearance. Her combat troops were fully occupied and Lorenzo had already been warned to make himself scarce. Her brother may not be very bright, but he was good at losing himself when the situation called for it. She'd contact him again later when things had settled down a bit. Right now it was time for her to disappear, as well. She had a rendezvous to make.


* * * * *


From his position on the north end of the house, Hadji could tell that the grounds defenses were weakening. The men they were fighting were tough and intelligent. They sent out small attack teams . . . suicide squads really . . . who moved quickly across the open ground, shooting at anything that moved. IRIS' defensive guns quickly dispatched these men. But in the mean time, the remaining attackers marked the sites of the return fire and systematically destroyed the emplacements from the relative cover of the forest. It was a war of attrition. It was just a question of whether Baxter would run out of men before all of the defensive guns were neutralized. Hadji wondered briefly what had happened to Bennett's men. There had been no sign of the flanking attack. He supposed that they had been caught outside the fence and never had the chance to move into place. Using the failsafe protocol is looking more and more likely, he thought grimly. Glancing down, he checked the power pack on his laser rifle. Dead.

He looked around quickly, wondering where Kefira was. He suddenly had the desperate desire to be with her. If this was his last fight, he wanted it to end with her beside him. The time they'd had together had been so short. There were so many things they had never had the chance to share. A sudden surge of envy shook him. Jonny and Jessie had been allowed so much more. He wanted the chance to know the kind of happiness those two shared now. This wasn't fair . . .

On the other end of the house, Jessie dropped down beside Jonny and peered over the sill at the advancing forces. Clear inroads in the grounds defenses had been made and the enemy was getting bolder, beginning to move out into the open with more confidence.

"We don't have much time left," she observed calmly. "IRIS isn't going to be able to hold them much longer."

"We've still got the electrical ground net. They just haven't advanced far enough to encounter it," Jonny replied, snapping off a shot at the lead man of the pack.

"If it's still operational," she replied doubtfully. "Their systematic elimination of the gun emplacements has to have severed an awful lot of it. How much of it can be broken before the entire system goes down?"

Jonny shook his head. "I don't know. You'd have to ask Race."

"I don't want to know that badly," Jessie replied with a sour chuckle. Reaching out, she propped a standard high-powered rifle against the wall in his line of sight. "Give me your laser rifle. The power pack has to be low. Mine's gone. I'll get new packs for them and be right back." Jonny handed off the gun and reached for the one she had provided as she rose to a crouch to move away.

"You'd better check with Hadji. He probably needs a replacement, too." Suddenly, he stiffened. "What the hell is that?" he demanded, staring out the window and rising slightly to get a better look. Abruptly, three things happened at once. From above, they both heard Race's frantic yell of alarm. At the same time, IRIS's cool voice said, "UNIDENTIFIED WEAPON OBSERVED. DEFENSIVE MEASURES COMMENCING." And finally, they both heard the low, distinctive thump and whine of a missile launcher through the shattered window. An instant later the opposite end of the house seemed to erupt in flame as the missile struck home in the heart of the kitchen.

"HADJI!!!!!!!!!!!!" Jonny and Jessie screamed simultaneously as they started to rush toward the inferno. But it was obvious to both of them that nothing could have survived that attack. It had been a direct hit.

Jonny turned back to the window in fury, firing wildly as Jessie stumbled across the room toward the open gun cabinet. Dashing away tears, she snatched up the power packs and jammed them home and then returned to the window to join Jonny. As she watched, IRIS' deadly aim took out the missile launcher that had struck the house.

"ONE MISSILE LAUNCHER ELIMINATED. FIRE CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS ACTIVATED."

Then, a new sound was added to the chaos. Automatic weapons fire . . . Bennett's people had joined the fight. As they watched, Jonny and Jessie saw their attackers turn in confusion only to be confronted by soldiers. They advanced, firing mercilessly, catching the remaining attackers between their assault and the Compound's defenses. IRIS immediately compensated, shifting her remaining weapons so that the enemy was driven back into the deeper snow on the open lawn.

"ATTACKING FORCES NOW WITHIN EFFECTIVE PERIMETER. ACTIVATING ELECTRICAL GROUND NET."

And just that quickly it was over. A low level current in the ground net had formed a film of water under the snow layer. When the net was activated, the current conducted through the film of water and up through the moist snow causing the remaining attackers to drop senseless to the ground. Warned ahead of time, Bennett's men hung back and remained out of the range of the net's effect. As the enemy fell, the soldiers broke off the assault and sudden silence settled over the Quest Compound.

Jonny sagged against the wall and the gun slid from his suddenly nerveless fingers. He lowered his face into his hands as his shoulders shook in grief. Beside him, he could hear Jessie sobbing softly at his feet. He raised his head slowly as a thump in the foyer was followed by Race's appearance in the doorway of the family room.

"Was anyone . . ." Race said hoarsely.

"Hadji." Jonny replied numbly, his voice breaking on the name. "Hadji was in the kitchen . . ."

"Oh, God . . ." Race murmured painfully and stumbled over to sink down into a nearby chair.

Jonny sank to the floor and put his arms around Jessie. "Was anyone else hurt," he asked with difficulty.

"No. Benton was on that end of the house, but he ran the instant he saw what direction the weapon was aimed. Kefira and Estella were on the other end of the house." A loud thump from the foyer heralded Benton's arrival this time. He stared from one of them to the other and then to the still burning remnants of the dining room and kitchen. Blindly, he turned and stumbled toward the devastation.

"Dad, no!" Jonny launched himself at his father. He caught him on the threshold of the dining room and forcibly dragged him back away from the door. "Don't."

"We have to check . . . be sure he isn't lying there hurt . . ." Benton tried to pull away, but Jonny clung to him tightly, drawing him further back from the heat and smoke.

"No, Dad. It was a direct hit. Nothing could have survived. There's nothing you can do." From above, they heard a strangled sound. Both men looked up and saw Kefira standing at the head of where the main staircase used to be. Splintered shreds of wood and a huge pile of debris were all that remained.

"No," Kefira said in a tight voice. "He cannot be dead." Estella moved up and put her arm around the girl's shoulder and Kefira turned to her blindly. "Tell me it is not true . . . please . . . "

Stumbling footsteps behind them caused Jonny and Benton to whirl around.

"What happened?" Hadji staggered unsteadily into the foyer from the study corridor. He had a large gash above one eye that was bleeding profusely and he appeared dazed. But he was alive. With an inarticulate sound, Benton pulled free from Jonny and flung himself at his eldest son. Catching him in his arms he held the young man tightly.

"Kefira, wait . . ." Jonny said in alarm as the young woman pulled free from Estella. But it was too late. She had already swung herself over the edge of the landing and let go. Jonny staggered as he caught her before she could hit the floor. Then she was out of his grasp and into his brother's arms as Benton stepped back to allow them room.

"Dr. Quest, are you all right?"

Benton turned as Admiral Bennett appeared at the main door, followed closely by two other soldiers. The thump behind him told Benton that Estella had made the drop from the second floor and had joined the rest of them. Unsteadily, Benton leaned against the wall and replied, "I believe everyone is safe and accounted for, Admiral. Is it over?"

"Finished," Bennett said flatly. "My men are still rounding up the last of them, but the assault is over. Those few that avoided the effects of the net have been routed and are fleeing in disarray."

Benton nodded slowly. Then he cleared his throat and said, "IRIS, temporarily stand down on the failsafe protocol pending confirmed end of hostilities. Are you able to reestablish as least partial Compound security?"

"NEGATIVE. PERIMETER BREACH AND PARTIAL DESTRUCTION OF DEFENSES HAVE LEFT GAPS THAT CANNOT BE ADEQUATELY COVERED. ADDITIONAL MANUAL SECURITY IS RECOMMENDED UNTIL REPAIRS CAN BE COMPLETED."

"Do you have monitoring capabilities on the breached areas?"

"NEGATIVE."

Benton nodded wearily. "Admiral, I know I said I would never again have military personnel within the grounds of my home to protect my family, but I wonder if I might impose on you this once to provide that service for me. We seem to be a bit thin in defensive capability at the moment."

"Certainly, Dr. Quest. We'd be honored to provide that service until you can get your systems up and operational again. May I also offer to send a man into town to pick up Dr. Mason and bring her out here? Mr. Singh looks like he could use her attention and I believe there will probably be others who need it, as well."

"Thank you. I'd appreciate that."

"I'll join you again once I have a better idea of where we stand." With a brief word to the two officers with him, Bennett disappeared. One of the remaining men took up an alert stance at the front door, as the other disappeared. A minute later, Race saw him pass the big window on the side of the family room as he circled the house. After a moment, he rose slowly from his chair and said wearily,

"It's too cold to stay in here. Let's go back to the study. At least it still has all of its windows and we can light a fire in the fireplace for warmth." As one, the seven of them turned away from the destruction and followed Race out of the room.


* * * * *

The sound of the ocean caused Baxter to slow his headlong pace to a wary crawl. It was possible that Julia was right and that Francesca had set him up. He didn't believe it, but it never hurt to be careful. Stopping just inside the treeline, he scanned the clearing ahead of him. The fence he had been following moved out of the trees, crossed a section of beach, and then cut back sharply to anchor itself firmly in a high rock cliff on his left. About 25 feet off to his right, the cliff rose abruptly again and trailed off into the distance. Spread out ahead of him was a wide expanse of rocky beach. Looking around in surprise, he suddenly realized that the path he had been following must have dropped down into a river of some kind that fed out into the sea through a break in the coastal cliffs. The tides and heavy seas had scoured much of the ground in front of him free of snow, leaving only ice-glazed sand, rocks and boulders. Baxter looked up at the sky. The weather was beginning to change. The clouds above him were rising steadily and beginning to break up. The wind had also shifted, blowing now from the north rather than from the east. As a result, the temperature was dropping steadily and it was turning bitterly cold. The seas had also begun to calm so that the spray coming off of the cliff wall did not obscure visibility. Footing would be treacherous, he knew, but at least he would be able to see and wouldn't be struggling to keep from foundering in the snow.

Suddenly, down near the waterline, he caught a sudden flash of movement. Baxter grinned wolfishly. Leeds! It had to be. Soon, he would be rid of this thorn in his side once and for all! Staying carefully concealed, he raised his voice and called,

"Leeds! I know you're out there. Show yourself!"

Harsh laughter echoed through the thunder of the surf. "And have you use me for target practice? I don't think so. Why don't you come out?"

"Because I'm not a fool. And I've got the advantage on you. I'm on high ground. How long do you think you can hold out down there with the tide coming in?"

"Longer than you can," Leeds replied confidently. "It won't be much longer before Bannon and Bennett's people finish yours off. And then Bennett's men will begin running the perimeter line again to ensure that the Compound is secure. What do you suppose they will do to you when they find you?"

"You seem pretty sure my forces are going to be beaten," Baxter challenged.

Leeds laughed again. "I am. Your weakness is your overconfidence. You think that no one can best you so you underestimate your opponent. Bannon's the toughest bastard alive. Add in the fact that he's protecting his own home and family and you're dead meat. He's never lost yet, and I can promise you that under those circumstances you won't be the one to beat him."

Baxter shifted uneasily as he searched the beach for any sign of where Leeds was hiding. Nothing moved. After a moment, he sneered, "Maybe he'll win this time. We'll see, won't we? But even if he does, I won't quit. I've got the money and power to keep coming back at them until I get what I want." Baxter's chuckle was ugly. "I'll do it, too. You know me well enough by this time to know that, I think." Carefully, he began moving down onto the beach, using several large icy boulders as cover. Pinpointing the location of the other man's voice was proving impossible due to the echoing thunder of the surf, but his earlier movements had given Baxter a hint and he thought he now knew Leeds' location. Keeping silent, he worked steadily toward that spot. All he needed was one, clear shot . . .

Leeds continued talking, deliberately goading the other man. "I wonder just how much you'll really have left once this is over. I have to say, the best thing you ever did for me was taking on the Quests. You signed your own warrant when you did that. If I don't get you, Quest and Bannon will." Leeds paused for a minute and then continued in a musing tone. "That would almost be better, really. I'd love seeing you caged like the animal that you are. No power . . . no money . . . no influence . . . nothing. Just a rat caught firmly in the trap. It would make the last ten years more than worth it!"

Baxter flushed a dark crimson and snarled, "You'll never live to see it!" He dived forward into the open, snapping off two quick shots toward the spot he had pinpointed. But the return fire came from a spot about 200 feet to the right. Baxter threw himself to the ground and rolled, cursing viciously, as Leeds bolted from behind a large rock, spraying gunfire and he went.

For the next several minutes the deadly ballet continued as each maneuvered to get the advantage over the other. In the end, it was the icy conditions that proved to be Baxter's undoing. Both men darted from undercover at the same instant. Leeds managed to get off a shot but it was slightly off and the bullet struck the rock at Baxter's shoulder, sending a spray of rock chips flying in all directions. Baxter leaped away from the rain of sharp slivers as his gun snapped up to return fire. But his controlled lunge turned into a sprawl as his feet hit a thick patch of ice and he was thrown headlong onto the rocky sand near the water's edge. Baxter rolled desperately and came to his knees again, trying to bring his gun to bear on his advancing adversary, but it was too late. Leeds' shot caught him full in the chest. The force of the impact flung Baxter backwards and he landed flat on his back in the foaming surf. His gun went flying, glanced off a nearby rock and disappeared into a maze of broken boulders near the base of the cliff.

For a moment, the only sound was the thundering crash of the surf against the nearby cliffs and the high, distant cry of the gulls out over the sea. Leeds walked over and stared blankly at the man at his feet for a long instant. Suddenly, blind hatred flared in his face and he brought his gun up and deliberately fired two more shots into the dead body of his adversary. "Take that, you son of bitch!" he screamed at the dead man hoarsely. Then his arm dropped to his side and he allowed the gun to hang loosely as he swayed in exhaustion.

"Did that feel good, Leeds?" a harsh voice demanded over the sound of the surf. Leeds head snapped up and he started to raise his gun again, but the voice snapped, "Don't!" and he froze. "Stand very, very still. Don't even breathe." From behind the rocks at the base of the nearby cliff, a form moved.

"Who are you?" Leeds demanded, turning to his left to face his new adversary. A bullet struck the sand at his feet and he froze again.

"I said, 'Don't move'! Drop the gun."

Leeds stared fixedly at the spot where he had seen the earlier motion, but he didn't release his weapon.

"Drop it, I said!"

"No," he countered sharply. "Not until I know who you are." Then his eyes narrowed sharply as the form stepped out from behind the rocks. "Francesca???" he demanded, incredulously.

The young woman smiled unpleasantly, keeping the gun she held trained steadily on the government man. "Surprised?"

Leeds relaxed and laughed sourly. "Yeah, but I don't know why I should be. It would be like you to want to see the outcome of your handiwork, wouldn't it?"

"You know me, Leeds. I've never liked loose ends or unfinished business." She let the gun drop to her side casually.

"Well, it's finished now," he replied, turning away from her to look down at the dead man.

"Not quite," she replied in a hard tone.

Leeds looked up. "What?"

"There's one last loose end to take care of. Tell me, Leeds, was my father already dead when you decided to use me to get to Baxter or did you arrange to have him eliminated? Did you figure I'd be more controllable with him out of the way?"

Leeds became very still as he stared at the young woman in front of him. Quietly, he replied, "No, Francesca, I didn't have him killed. He crossed one too many people and he was killed by one of the guards. It was actually his death that brought you to my attention."

"But you lied to me about it. You used him as bait to make me do what you wanted."

"Yes," he acknowledged. "When I realized how determined you were to get both of you out of Egypt, I used that." He looked at her face and, after a minute, he added softly, "I'm sorry, Francesca. It was a lousy thing to do. But you have to understand, Baxter had to be taken down. I'd been trying for ten years and had never been able to get close to him. You were the only person that I had come across who could help me do that. And by the time I realized the importance of you and your father, he was already dead."

"He was all I had," she said raggedly, her eyes huge and dark. "All I've ever had."

"But it's over now," he said gently, taking a tentative step forward. "You held up your end of the bargain. You're free and clear. I'll see that your record is cleared and you can even have a new identity if you want one. You can start over . . . be anything you want to be."

"Alone . . . I'm all alone . . . " She sounded like a frightened child.

Leeds stared at her, strangely disturbed by the change in the young woman. She had always seemed so hard and self-sufficient . . . a survivor. But this young woman was something different. Pity stirred in him and he said, "You could come to work for I-1. You're good . . . they'd have you in a minute. There's a place there for you if you want it."

Francesca's eyes snapped into focus and her expression hardened. Leeds watched as she changed before his eyes, like Jeckyl and Hyde. She laughed harshly. "To do what? Become your pawn? Something you can use when it suits you or throw away when you feel that it's outlived its purpose? I'm tired of being used, Leeds. You say you can give me a new life. Well, guess what? I've already got one. I've paid my debt, remember? I live with a good family, have a nice, respectable boyfriend, and will soon be going off to college. There's only one thing standing in the way of ensuring that I don't get screwed over again . . . and that would be you." Deliberately, she brought the gun up and aimed it at him again.

Leeds began backing away slowly. Carefully, he said, "Francesca, this isn't necessary. No one knew you were planted here. You were right . . . it was a rogue operation. If you want out, it's done. I walk away and forget you even exist. Your current cover is sound. It won't be questioned. I swear to you."

"And how long will it stay that way, huh? Until the next time you need something, that's how long. You will always have the threat of what you know about me to use as leverage. My father was a very good teacher. You know what one of his earliest lessons was? Never . . . ever . . . leave any loose ends behind."

The single gunshot echoed loudly in the small, enclosed inlet. As if in slow motion, Leeds looked down. He saw the scorched hole in the middle of his coat and he could feel the sudden warm wetness running down his chest. The pain came next, intense and overwhelming. He dropped to his knees. His last thought as he collapsed onto his face was to wonder why it hadn't occurred to him to wear a vest. And then he died.

Francesca stood in silence for a long moment, the gun rock steady in her hand. Finally, she lowered it and took a deep breath. It was over. All she had to do now was take care of a few minor details and then get out of here. No one would ever connect her with this. Crossing the wet sand, she stopped and gazed down at the two bodies at her feet. Baxter lay sprawled on his back, his head pointed toward the sea. Already, the foaming surf was washing around his head as the tide came in. Carefully, she leaned over and dropped the gun she held next to his out flung hand. Her smooth leather gloves would leave no prints, nor should they have blurred Baxter's prints on the weapon. It had been her good luck that when Baxter lost the weapon it had landed in a spot where she could access it. She had come armed, just in case she wasn't able to get to the weapon until after both men were dead, but it hadn't been necessary to use it. Their combat had played right into her hands . . . as had their deaths. Leeds body was even in an acceptable position. The appearance of the bodies said that they had killed each other in their ensuing struggle. There were signs of that fight all across the beach. Next, she searched for signs of her own presence. She had taken care to stay close to the waterline the entire time; what marks of her presence she was able to find would all be gone within 10 minutes or so . . . obliterated by the incoming tide.

Finally satisfied, she turned away, keeping carefully to the foaming surf. Moving to the base of the cliff where she had secreted herself while she waited for Leeds and Baxter to appear, she drew a small, motorized skiff out of its hiding place. It had been a struggle to bring that little boat into the inlet earlier that morning without being dashed against the rocks in the heavy seas. It was only with sheer determination and a lot of luck that she had been able to accomplish it. Looking out across the calming seas, she was grateful that it would not be as difficult getting out again.

She shoved the little boat out into the water and jumped into it. She hit the starter on the electric motor and turned the boat into the waves. As she pulled away, she took one last look back at the dead men on the beach. This is the end, she thought. My past is gone. Today I start over and build a new life.


* * * * *


A knock on the door caused Benton to wearily raise his head from the back of his chair. After they had retired to the study, Race had started a roaring fire and the seven of them had sat down to wait. No one had much to say. Race had prowled restlessly until Estella coaxed him to sit down with her in one of the big wing chairs. She had allowed him to sit in the chair and put her in his lap. She had leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder and that seemed to quiet his restlessness. Hadji and Kefira had gone straight to the sofa where she had made him lie down. She cleaned the gash on his forehead and then sat beside him quietly. Outwardly she appeared calm, but Benton didn't miss the fierce way she clung to his hand or the way her other hand moved to touch his hair every few minutes. The only two of his family who seemed relatively unfazed were Jessie and Jonny. Once the two of them recovered from the shock of what had happened to Hadji, they both seemed to shrug off the entire incident. Now they sat together in another of the big wing chairs, and every so often he would hear their low voices as they spoke softly to each other. Once, he even heard Jonny laugh quietly. Benton envied them. He felt numb . . . exhausted almost beyond endurance, both physically and emotionally. For the first time since Rachel died, he found himself wishing that he was nothing but a common, ordinary person like Doug Sanderson or any of his other friends in Rockport. He was sick of having enemies he knew nothing about and of having people from all over the world bringing their troubles to his doorstep. Right now, he wished the entire world would go away and leave them alone.

"Come in," he finally called, suppressing his resentment with an effort. The door opened and Admiral Bennett stepped aside to allow Barbara Mason to precede him into the room. Her eyes swept the room swiftly and then, without a word, she turned to the young man lying on the sofa. Benton watched silently as Kefira rose to make room for the older woman. He also saw the pleading look she turned on the doctor. Barbara's reassuring smile seemed to ease some of the young woman's anxiety, and Benton suddenly found himself feeling better, as well. He waved Bennett to a chair and said quietly, "Have a seat, Admiral." Sudden, loud banging from the front of the house caused him to straighten in concern and he demanded, "What's going on out there?" Nearby, Race stiffened and Benton saw Estella stand swiftly as Race prepared to rise. But Bennett waved all of them back into their seats.

"I'm assured that there's nothing to be concerned about. Dr. Mason brought a small army with her. Both she and IRIS vouched for them all, so I went ahead and let them in."

Barbara looked up and smiled at Benton. "When Admiral Bennett called to tell me he was sending someone to get me because one of you had been hurt, he explained that some people had assaulted the Compound and had done extensive damage to the house. Judging by what he told me, I knew you would need help getting things fixed up temporarily. It's way too cold to leave things as they are. So I made some phone calls before Admiral Bennett arrived. Milt Neece and his entire building crew from Camden are here, along with a group of volunteer workers. Milt and his people are surveying the damage in the foyer, dining room and kitchen. If Milt doesn't have blueprints to you by Friday for completely rebuilding it all, I'll be seriously surprised. The others are working on getting windows boarded up, the rubble cleared and trying to get the house sealed up so that the furnace has a chance of being effective. Oh, one other thing, Admiral . . . you can expect a steady stream of local people turning up at the gate over the next couple of days. The area churches are already organizing a food chain. They'll bring meals out here daily for the family and your men until some sort of operational kitchen can get set up again. You'll want to coordinate with Mrs. Evans on that."

Benton stared at her in astonishment. "But . . . but . . . " he sputtered.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"But that wasn't necessary. We don't want to inconvenience anyone . . ."

Barbara snorted. "Try to stop them. For God's sake, Benton, it's no less than any of you have done for us when we were in trouble. Sit back and be on the receiving end for once." She smiled down at Hadji. "Well, I think you'll live, young man. You've got a hard head and it doesn't appear to be much damaged. You've got a mild concussion and a host of cuts and bruises, but that's about it. Take it easy for a couple of days and you should be fine. You want something for the headache?"

Hadji returned the smile. "No, it seems to be subsiding. I believe I will be fine."

Barbara nodded. "Okay, who's next . . ."

Kefira held out an arm to her as Benton turned to look at Admiral Bennett. "What about Baxter and his people?" he asked in a low voice.

Bennett looked grim. "Casualties were high, Dr. Quest. I won't lie to you. But they were virtually all Baxter's men. I lost two people . . . good men, both of them . . . and there were five others hurt. Dr. Mason has agreed to take a look at them when she's done here. As close as we can tell, Baxter hit this place with a force of close to 200 men. Only a handful escaped. Of those that didn't get out, only about a dozen of them lived. It was wholesale slaughter."

Benton looked sick. "I didn't alter IRIS' programming," he protested. "She didn't deliberately strike to kill . . . at least not until there was a risk of the attackers reaching the house. How could this happen?"

Bennett shook his head. "Don't blame yourself, Doctor. These men did this to themselves. When hit, they got up and came at the defenses again and again until they died. And you saw the way they attacked the open ground defenses. That was deliberate suicide. I don't understand what hold Baxter had over these men to make them so fanatical, but he definitely had something that was virtually unshakable."

"What about Baxter?" Race asked, hiking a hip up on the corner of the desk. Glancing up, they saw Barbara bending over Estella in the chair. Jonny and Jessie had also drifted over.

"No sign of him. Or of Julia, Lorenzo or Leeds." Bennett sighed. "The two men that died? It's possible that Baxter's people didn't kill them. They were found in the woods behind the lines."

"Then who . . ." Jonny started to ask, but Race interrupted him.

"You're thinking it was Leeds."

"Maybe," Bennett agreed heavily. "My men had orders to stop and detain him if he was seen in the area." Reluctantly, he added, "And if he refused to be detained, they were authorized to shoot him." Benton's wordless exclamation caused Bennett to shake his head. "No, Doctor, I didn't over-react. Leeds has turned rogue. What he did here proves that. I've suspected it might be the case for some time. Oh, I don't mean that he was an active traitor. No, it was more a case of letting his own interests take precedence over his orders. And there's no question of him quitting. You know how rare it is that the agency lets one of our agents retire. They generally know way too much for it to be an acceptable risk. Race is the only one I can think of in recent memory that has managed to accomplish it. And a man like Leeds, who is suspected of running his own operations . . . No, he is way too dangerous . . . one we can't afford as a free agent. He will be tracked down and taken into custody, and a full investigation will be done. Best case, he'll end up in jail for a very long time. Worst case . . . . " Bennett sighed. "Worst case, an investigation finds him guilty of treason and he is executed." Race bowed his head and rubbed his face wearily. Estella came over to him and slid her arms around him as she stared directly at Bennett. Something in her eyes made him shake his head again. "He was a good man once, Mrs. Bannon . . . a good man who became obsessed with bringing down an adversary and who let it consume him." After a moment, she just nodded wordlessly and tightened her arms around her husband.

After a moment, Jonny asked quietly, "How much damage is there to the outer perimeter?"

"There's a good 15 feet of the outer fence line destroyed, along with all of the monitoring and defensive equipment. They also pretty well demolished a ten-foot wide corridor through the trees at that point, and the grounds leading up to the house looks like it has been shelled by heavy artillery. And then there's the house." Bennett looked at Benton sadly. "The entire north end of the ground floor is a total loss, and I suspect the second floor isn't much better. Even if the damage isn't apparent, I'd say the structure is so undermined that it won't be safe. I'm terribly sorry, Dr. Quest. We should have stopped them before it got to that."

It was Race that answered. "Not your fault, Admiral. Whoever commanded the attack forces was smart and had a very good idea of what to expect. And there was only one person who had enough knowledge to do this kind of damage."

"Julia Canova," Benton said flatly.

Race nodded. "Julia. She knew that IRIS would target the missile launchers the instant they were used, but she also knew that they were about her only way to clear some of the defensive weapons she faced. And she was cagey enough to hold back one of them until they were in the clear and could use it against the house."

"But you said you didn't think they would try this kind of attack because they didn't want to risk damaging IRIS," Bennett protested.

Race looked grim. "My guess is that the missile attack on the house was a cover. You said you couldn't locate her or Lorenzo, right?"

"Yes, they're both missing."

"I'd say that by the time she ordered that missile launch, she knew they weren't going to get what they wanted here." He stared directly at Benton. "Julia knows you won't let anyone else have QuestWorld and she's not stupid."

"You're saying she knows the Compound is rigged to blow, just as the van was, and that I was prepared to destroy it and us to keep her from taking it," Benton replied slowly. A soft, strangled sound from behind caused all of them to turn. Barbara Mason stood, staring at them in shock. She sank slowly into the chair, her eyes never leaving Benton Quest. He returned her gaze for a long moment and then leaned his head back against the chair again in exhaustion. "She sacrificed all of those men and blew our house to hell just to cover her escape."

"That's my guess," Race agreed wearily. "That and as final retaliation for the death of Surd." He glanced at Bennett. "You won't find her . . . not here. She's long gone."

Bennett sighed and nodded. "I think you're right. I've got men running the fence line right now to make sure everything else is intact. Once that's done . . ."

A sharp knock on the study door caused all of them to look up.

"Come!" Benton called, and the door opened to admit the Lieutenant who had been in charge of the exterior defense forces outside the Compound perimeter. He saluted sharply.

"Admiral, sir, I've just received a report from the recon team checking the perimeter."

"Yes, go ahead," Bennett said as the young man paused.

"Sir, the team has found the bodies of two men in an inlet down by the south perimeter fence. Both of them have been shot."

Benton sat forward as Bennett shot to his feet. "Identities?" Bennett demanded sharply.

"One man we don't know and there was nothing on him to indicate who he was. But the other man we were able to identify, sir." The lieutenant looked uncomfortable. "It was Connor Leeds, sir."

"The second man . . . describe him."

"Middle aged, snow white hair, pale skin . . . he didn't look healthy, sir . . . like even before he died he would have been too pale . . ."

"Baxter," Bennett said grimly. "So Leeds got him in the end after all. Any sign of what happened, Lieutenant?"

"Both bodies were half immersed in water. The tide's coming in. But by all appearances, the two of them fought. There's signs of a struggle all over the beach. It looks like they shot each other, sir."

Race rose as Bennett turned toward the door. "Hang on, Admiral. I'm coming with you."

"So am I," Benton added. He turned to the others. "I want the rest of you to stay here. Hadji needs to rest and shouldn't be left alone. I'd also like you to touch base with our friends. And Barbara . . ." He turned to the woman who had recovered from the shock of the overheard conversation and had risen with the others.

Reaching out, she caught his hands and looked at him closely. "You weren't hurt? I didn't have a chance to look at you."

"No," he replied, squeezing her hands with a smile. "I'm fine. No damage."

"You should rest, though. You're exhausted."

"I will. I just need to see to a few more things first. I really do appreciate your coming. We've been a lot of trouble for you recently."

She smiled back. "You're never any trouble. Well, if I'm finished here, I'd better check on the others. Admiral, do you have someone who can show me where you've put the injured?"

Bennett gestured to the lieutenant, who turned to her and said, "If you'll come with me, ma'am, I'll have one of the guards escort you."

With a final smile and a gentle squeeze, Barbara released Benton's hands and followed the young man out.

"Come on, Benton . . . Admiral. Let's go see what we've got," Race said briskly.


* * * * *


It was dusk before everyone congregated in the study once again. A wide variety of food was spread out on the desk, as well as being distributed to the government troops out on the grounds. Milt Neece had just left for the night, taking all of the local volunteers with him. He had promised Benton a draft of the construction needed to repair the house first thing the next morning.

"So what was the verdict, Benton?" Estella asked, handing him a heaping plate of food. "Are they going to have to take down the second floor?"

"Yes," he replied, accepting the plate and a steaming cup of coffee. "The floor structure was too undermined to be trustworthy. First thing tomorrow morning we'll have to get upstairs and remove everything from the staircase north. Milt assures me the structure is sound enough to tolerate that, although he does want me to let his people remove the heavier furniture and worktables from my room." He grimaced. "I guess we can put it all in the game room while they work on the house."

"Has anyone been upstairs?" Jessie asked, swallowing hastily. "How much was damaged?"

"I was up there," Jonny replied. "It could be a lot worse. The concussion broke most of the windows and a lot of glass stuff on that end of the house." He looked apologetically at his father. "I think your computer is a total loss, Dad. The force of the explosion dislodged one of the big bookcases and it came down right across your desk. There's not much left."

Benton shrugged philosophically. "Better the desk than one of us."

"Speaking of it not being one of us," Race said, "how the hell did you get out of the kitchen without being incinerated, Hadji?"

Jessie looked at her friend. "Yeah, I want to know that, too. You couldn't have gotten out of there without me seeing you. I just about died when you came staggering out of the back of the house!"

Hadji grinned from his relaxed position on the sofa. "I was not in the kitchen. The power pack on my rifle was exhausted and I needed a replacement. I decided that I did not want our enemies seeing me leaving that end of the house vulnerable, so I left via the old servant's corridor that ran along the back of the house." He looked a bit rueful. "Not much of it is left any longer, I am afraid. I knew I needed to get to Race's quarters because I had used all the spare packs in the family room storage cabinet and I needed to get to the ones in the charger. I was about halfway down the corridor when the explosion occurred. I was thrown forward and cracked my head on the doorframe of the exit. It took me a few minutes to get my wits back and fumble my way out in the dark, and by that time Admiral Bennett had the situation in hand. I am sorry if I distressed any of you."

Jessie gazed heavenward and muttered, " 'Distressed any of us,' he says." She shook her head. "Forget it, Hadj. At least you're in one piece and that's all that matters."

"What about Leeds?" Estella asked quietly, changing the subject.

Race sighed. "Dead. There's no question about it. And so is Baxter. How they both ended up down there, I have no idea, but it's an absolute certainty that they killed each other during a fight." He paused, thinking. His expression said they weren't particularly pleasant thoughts. "I don't know that I've ever known anyone as fanatical as Connor Leeds. It was just his nature. He'd get fixated on an idea and he was like a steamroller . . . nothing would stand in his way. And if anyone or anything tried? Well, he'd just roll right over them. For almost as long as I've known him, he was determined to bring Baxter down. It had reached the level of a personal obsession. I guess, in the end, he managed to accomplish it."

"Yes, but at what price?" Estella muttered softly to herself, turning away. The silence that followed was heavy. Finally, Kefira asked,

"Was there any sign of Julia?"

It was Bennett who replied. "No, although we do know for certain that she was there. So was her brother, Lorenzo. One of the captured mercenaries said that she was in charge of the assault, but no one saw either of them after the force breached the perimeter and got into the trees on the other side of the fence."

Race looked thoughtful. "It's not like Julia to take on lost causes. I'm guessing that with Surd gone, any heart she had for working for Baxter evaporated. I'd bet she bailed as soon as she saw an opening. We'll never find her now."

"We'll find her," Bennett replied grimly. "One way or the other."

The silence in the room lengthened. Finally, Benton sighed wearily and said, "You know, at this point, I really don't care. All I want is some peace and quiet. I'm tired of fighting and I'm tired of death. I know that's a narrow point of view, but it's the way I feel."

"You have the right to that feeling, Doctor Quest," Bennett replied. "You didn't ask for any of this and I'm sorry you ended up in the middle."

Benton shrugged. "Goes with the territory, unfortunately. I've always known that. It's just that so much has happened recently. Do you realize, Admiral, that in less than three months I've been forced to face the death of both of my sons, as well that of my best friend and his wife? My enemies have been determined to take away those things I consider the most valuable." He laid his head back against the headrest of his chair and closed his eyes. "I'm tired, Admiral . . . more tired than I've ever been in my entire life. I just want everyone to leave us alone."

Bennett was at a loss for words. He'd known Benton Quest for a long time and he never remembered seeing him like this. Both Jonny and Hadji rose immediately and crossed to their father. Once again, Bennett was forcibly struck by the impression of guardians as they flanked their father.

"It's okay, Dad," Jonny said softly grasping Benton's right hand. "We're tough and none of us are going to leave you alone."

Hadji laid a hand on Benton's left shoulder. "We have been together through a great deal, Father, and we are not finished yet."

"And you have more than just Jonny and Hadji, now," Jessie added, kneeling down at the foot of his chair and laying a hand on his knee.

"Yes," Kefira agreed, joining Jessie. "You have all of us. We will always be there when you need us."

It was oddly reassuring, Bennett thought, watching the Quest clan form up around Benton. It had been a long time since he'd seen this kind of unity. He found himself feeling envious and more than a bit lonely. After a moment, he shook himself and repeated,

"Don't worry, Doctor. We'll find Julia and make sure she leaves you alone."