Part 20 (1/2)

None.

For this, they needed the Army. And the Army duly and dutifully complied by sending down nearly half the 101st aviation group out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, that half being somewhat reinforced by the helicopters of the 160 aviation group out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, that half being somewhat reinforced by the helicopters of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, at one time known as Task Force 160. Special Operations Aviation Regiment, at one time known as Task Force 160.

And yet using helicopters is not something that comes naturally to a military organization. True, some of the PGSS had previous military experience working with choppers. And yet many did not. As organizations, none of its battalions had any.

Austin, Texas

Juanita pointed to the helicopter idling on the pad beneath her office window. ”And I told you you, Jack, I will never get on one of those things again. No. Not. Ever. Never.”

”Oh, Juani, be realistic, would you? You're expected in Fort Worth here shortly. The troops are standing by,” Schmidt cajoled.

The governor answered with a grimace, ”I know, I know. But, Jack I just can't can't. I...I wet myself when I saw those bullets-'tracers' you called them?-fly by. You have no idea...” Suddenly nonplussed, Juani stopped. She knew that Schmidt had a very good idea of what it was like to be in a helicopter someone was shooting at.

Still, no crybaby was Juanita. Even as her lip began to quiver, she admitted, ”All right, all right right. So you have an idea. But, Jack, I was never so terrified in my life.”

Schmidt lifted one inquisitorial eyebrow. ”You think those men in the currency facility aren't terrified, too, Juani? But they're there anyway doing what they have to. So now you, Governor, need to do what you have to. In this case that means following me downstairs, getting on that helicopter; closing your eyes and p.i.s.sing yourself if you have to, to see those men who are going to die for you.”

Juani's own eyes widened in horror. ”Oh, no. Don't say that. Don't say they're going to die, let alone that they're going to die for me me. I can't bear that idea.”

”And it won't be any easier after you meet them, I know. But you have to. So come on. Now.”

Finally, with reluctance bordering on terror, the governor agreed.

”And don't sweat it so much,” said Schmidt. ”Security here is pretty good, really. And I've already arranged for escorts going both ways. They may know where you are when we take off. They won't know, generally, where you're going. And on the way back we can take any old route we need to.”

Fort Worth, Texas, Western Currency Facility

”And remember,” said Williams, ”we have got to pinch off any penetrations before before...”

Even through the thick brick walls, deep in the bowels of the facility, the steady slas.h.i.+ng of the helicopter's rotors could be heard and felt. ”It seems the governor and General Schmidt are here, sir,” commented Pendergast.

”Fine,” answered Williams. ”I'll keep the officers here. Could you send a party out to escort them inside, Top?”

”Yessir,” agreed Pendergast, turning immediately to leave. ”No problem. In fact, I'll go myself.”

At the exterior wall the first sergeant slipped through a mousehole broken through the bricks. All the normal doors had been sealed or, in some cases, sealed and b.o.o.by trapped. Emerging into the pale afternoon daylight on hands and knees, Pendergast arose, brushed some dirt off of his uniform, and hurried to where Schmidt and Governor Seguin waited on the concrete.

Johnston Akers, ever suspicious where the governor's safety was concerned, took one look at the First Sergeant's slung rifle. He then immediately began to draw his pistol.

”None of that, Ranger,” commanded Schmidt. ”This one's on our our side.” side.”

Akers considered. Yes, it must be so Yes, it must be so. He slid the pistol back into its holster and grinned an apology at the first sergeant.

”Indeed I am,” answered Pendergast, ignoring the Ranger's previous moves. ”And so are we all, here. Governor, General? Will you all be kind enough to follow me? You too, Ranger. You're welcome inside.”

”Watch your head there Governor. It's low and crooked.”

”Thank you, First Sergeant. Or can I call you 'Mike'?”

”Mike would do mighty fine, ma'am. Or ”Top”; that's what the troops usually call me.”

Stifling a small curse at sc.r.a.ped knees, Juanita emerged into a rat maze. What's more, it seemed to her a rat maze designed by psychotic elves on LSD.

Whatever the Western Currency Facility had once looked like-no doubt a more or less regular printing plant with offices, hallways, open s.p.a.ces-on the inside it resembled this no more. Eyes growing ever wider, Juanita swept the open hall into which the mouse hole led.

”Where are the doors?” she asked Pendergast, since the two leading out had been sealed with barbed wire.

”I'll show you, ma'am.” Then Pendergast pushed aside a desk behind which was another mousehole. ”We've sealed-blocked anyway-every normal door and crawls.p.a.ce. Made our own, so to speak.”

”But...but why?”

The first sergeant smiled. ”Governor, it's routine. Even so, the people coming here are bound to have the floor plans for the place. They might even have rehea.r.s.ed an attack based on those plans. Bound to fu-...err-...screw 'em up once they get in and find out the plans make no sense anymore.”

The governor had a sudden image of a mouse caught in a maze. ”Ohh. Yes, I could see that.”

Behind Juanita, Schmidt suppressed a slight smile. She's sooo innocent. She's sooo innocent.

”Now if you will follow me, Governor, General, I'll take you on the roundabout tour before we go see Captain Williams.”

”I'm afraid you're going to have to crawl through this one, too, General...Governor.”

Schmidt, unsurprised at the ma.s.s of barbed wire hanging in midair in the corridor, simply got down on his belly and started to crawl. Juanita looked at the great wad of tangled up barbed wire very dubiously.

”No need to worry, ma'am,” said Pendergast, pointing at some smooth and thin black wire. ”See, it's held up there pretty well.”

”But what good is it, Mike, if you can just crawl under it?”

”Well, Governor, we can crawl under it, sure. Then we cut the wires holding it and it drops down. A stone cold bit-...err...pain to move. Especially since we'll likely be shooting at anyone that tries.”

Schmidt asked, ”Shooting, grenading...hmm... Top, where are your claymores?”

Pendergast thought briefly, tapped a finger against his lower lip, then pointed up at the ceiling tiles. ”Two up there, General, plus another at each end of the corridor, buried in the walls.”

”Very good.”