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ns in the next twenty years and I'll get a little stock and a paycheck and a pension 。。。 not much 。。。〃 The rest was too garbled to follow。
〃That's enough；〃 Camacho said after another five minutes。 〃Let me see the transcript when it's finished。〃
Dreyfus stopped the tape and pushed the rewind button。 〃I think that guy's gonna buy what Judy's selling。〃
〃When you get that rewound； e on back to my office。〃
In his office Luis Camacho took a sheet of scratch paper and printed one word： 〃Fallacy。〃 He handed it to Dreyfus when he came in。 〃See if this is in any of the Minotaur's letters。〃
Dreyfus dropped into a chair and began to fiddle with his pipe。 He put the paper in his shirt pocket after a glance。 〃Where'd you get it？〃 he asked when he had his pipe going again。
〃Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies。〃
〃Vice Admiral Henry； huh？〃
〃I found it in the John。〃
〃Why can't we get a list of all the code words from NSA？〃
〃We've been all through this before。〃
〃So I'm not too bright。 Tell me again。〃
〃NSA won't give us the code words without the approval of the mittee。 The mittee has not approved。〃 The mittee was slang for the ultrasecret group that formulated intelligence munity policy and coordinated the intelligence activities of all U。S。 agencies。 Some of its members included the directors of the FBI and CIA； the Secretary of Defense； the Secretary of State； the National Security Agency chief； and speaking directly for the President； the National Security Adviser。
〃So what does that tell you？〃 Dreyfus asked； his voice sharper than usual。
Camacho rubbed his eyes； then his face。 〃You tell me。〃
〃If it walks like a duck； quacks like a duck； and leaves duck shit all over； it probably is a duck。〃
〃Umm。〃
〃I think those assholes already know what the Minotaur has given away。 So they're in no rush for us to put a list together。〃 Dreyfus flicked his lighter and puffed several； times。 〃Somebody in Moscow has gotta be telling them。〃
〃Maybe；〃 said Luis Camacho； weighing it。 〃Or maybe they're hoping this whole thing will crawl into a corner and die quietly without being a major embarrassment。 Budgetary blood feuds in Congress； some big…ticket military programs on the chopping block； Gramm…Rudman…hell； they'd be less than human if they didn't try to play ostrich for a while。〃
〃So what are we gonna do about Smoke Judy？〃
〃What would you suggest？〃
〃That shithead is shopping secrets to defense contractors。 He wants more than a military pension。 What'd the boss say when you told him this morning？〃 His voice had a belligerent； bitter edge。
〃Hang loose。 Keep an eye on him。〃
〃Fuck us！ The same old story。 No matter what we turn up； we get the same answer from ol' brass ass。 Be cool； guys！〃
〃Calm down； Dreyfus。 You've been around long enough…〃
〃How much shit you gonna eat； Luis； before you decide you don't like it？ Right now the Minotaur is busy figuring what secrets to give away next and scribbling another little love letter to the Russian ambassador。 Terry Franklin is still running around loose； you're sneaking code words from friends in the Pentagon…we're doing some dynamic drifting but our investigation is going nowhere。 You know that！ And the sickening thing is the mittee is quite fortable with that state of affairs。〃 His voice had risen to almost a shout。 〃I'll tell you what I think…I think the guys on that mittee are laughing themselves silly。 I think they're tickled pink that the fucking Russians are seeing this stuff。 That's what the hell I think。〃
〃I think you're an idiot； Dreyfus； with a big mouth and a piss ant's view of the world。 I've heard enough。 Now get back to work。〃
Dreyfus bounced to his feet and rammed his right hand out in a Nazi salute。 〃Ja wohl…〃
〃You son of a…〃
〃Don't bullshit yourself； Luis。 I know you're doing the best you can。 But； goddamn； I'm sick of this fucking around！〃 Camacho jerked his head at the door and Dreyfus went。
13
The Naval Weapons Center； China Lake； lies in the desert of southern California east of the range of mountains that form the eastern wall of the San Joaquin Valley。 The air at China Lake is clean； hot； and dry。 Tuesday afternoon Jake Grafton dragged in lungfuls of it as he walked across the baking concrete toward the air terminal with Helmut Fritsche and Samuel Dodgers。 Behind them； still trading quips with the female crew of the T…39 that had flown them here from Andrews AFB in Washington； via NAS Moffett Field where they had collected Dodgers； Toad Tarkington and Rita Moravia supervised the loading of the luggage into a navy station wagon。
An hour later Dr。 Dodgers lifted his ball cap and scratched his head。 He was standing with Grafton and Fritsche in a hangar that was empty except for an A…6E Intruder。 Sentries were posted on the outside of the doors with orders to admit no one。
The men were examining grease…pencil marks placed on the plane by Fritsche。 These were the locations he remended for the special antennas of Dodgers' Athena system。 And Sam Dodgers was scratching his head as he surveyed Fritsche's artwork。 〃Well；〃 he said unenthusiastically； 〃I guess these spots will work okay； after we tweak the output of each antenna。 But。。。〃 His voice trailed off。 Jake glanced at him without curiosity。 He had already discovered that Dodgers' enthusiasm came in uneven dribbles。
〃It's the left side of the airplane only；〃 Fritsche said firmly。 〃Fourteen antennas。 Side of the tail； fuselage； left outboard pylon； under the cockpit rail； forward on the nose。。。 and one on the left wingtip in place of the position light。〃
〃You really need one in front of the left intake； where that flat plate is。 That plate is probably the biggest single contributor to the plane's RCS when viewed from this side…makes up maybe half of it。〃
〃Can't put one there。 Might get broken off by the airflow and go down the intake。 It'd destroy the engine。〃
〃How about in front of that plate？〃
They discussed it。 Yes。
〃This jury rig is just for test purposes；〃 Fritsche told Jake。 〃An operational Athena system for an aircraft will have to have conformal antennas； 'smart skin' in the jargon of the trade。 Literally； the antennas will be part of the aircraft's skin so they won't contribute to drag or ever be broken off。〃
〃How much is that going to cost？〃
〃Won't be cheap。 Conformal antennae are under development； but they'll be new technology and aren't here yet。〃
〃Forget I asked。〃
Jake wandered over to where Tarkington and Moravia stood with mander L。D。 Bonnet； the manding officer of the A…6 Weapons System Support Activity； which owned the airplane。 All three saluted Jake as he approached and he returned the gesture with a grin。 〃So； L。D。； are you going to let these children fly your plane？〃
〃Yes； sir。 They appear sober and reasonably petent。〃
〃I appreciate your letting us borrow the plane and hangar for a few days。〃
〃Admiral Dunedin's very persuasive。〃
Jake flashed a grin。 L。D。 must have hesitated a few seconds before he agreed to the Old Man's requests。 〃Here's what I'd like to do。 Fritsche and Dodgers are going to take a day or two to install some little antennas on the left side of the plane。 They'll use glue and drill a few holes； then install a tiny fairing in front of each antenna。 They're going to need the help of a couple of good； capable airframe technicians who can keep their mouths shut。〃
Bonnet nodded。
〃Then Rita and Toad will fly the plane up to the Electronic Warfare range at Fallen since the EW range here at China Lake is out of service this week。 Fritsche and I will fly up there ahead of them。 Dodgers will stay here to work on the gear in the plane。 Rita； I want you to keep the plane under three hundred knots indicated to minimize the airflow stress on these antennas。 They're gang to be jury…rigged on there with a little bubble gum and Elmer's glue。〃
〃Aye aye； sir；〃 she said。
〃L。D。； I need you to loan me a couple of young officers with at least ten pounds of tact each。 They'll alternate duty； so that one of them will be with Dodgers day and night。 They're to escort him to work； stay with him all day； escort him to the head； take him back to the BOQ； eat with him； see that he talks to no one but them。 And I mean no one。〃
After discussing the details； mander Bonnet departed。 Jake Grafton explained to Rita and Toad exactly what he expected of his flight crew。 He finished with a caution。 〃This device； the project name； everything； is classified to the hilt。 Admiral Dunedin tells me he has cells reserved at Leavenworth for anyone who violates the security regs。 I don't want you to even whisper about this in your sleep。〃
〃I love secrets；〃 Toad said。
〃I know。 Just my luck； I get one of the world's great secret lovers。 Keep it zipped； Toad。〃
Jake went back to watch the installation process； so Toad and Rita set out on foot for base ops to plan their nights to and from Fallen； Nevada。 As they walked along； Rita asked； 〃What was it that Captain Grafton wanted you to keep zipped； Toad？ Your mouth or…〃
〃Never ask a question if you think you might not like the answer。 That's Tarkington's Golden Rule for survival in Uncle Sam's navy。〃
They grinned at each other。 Her hand slipped into his for a fleeting squeeze。 Instinctively they both knew to play it cool。 No hand…holding or huggy…squeezy or deep eye contact during duty hours。 No winks or sighs or casual touching。 If Captain Grafton saw any of that； the roof would fall in。
As Toad walked his shoulders were back and his head up。 He was acutely conscious of how good he felt； how pungently vigorous and healthy。 Takes a woman to do that for you； he told himself； and began whistling a lively little tune that seemed appropriate。 Life is good。
Toad's feeling of euphoric bonhomie lasted precisely one hour and thirty…seven minutes； just the length of time it took to plan the flights to and from the Electronic Warfare Range near Fallen； Nevada； fill out the flight plans； visit casually with the weather briefer about the long…range forecast for the next three or four days and make a pit stop in the head。 On the walk back to the hangar where Grafton and the wizards labored； Rita was quieter； more subdued than she had been the last few days。
〃Do you like me？〃 she asked finally； wearing a gentle semiserious look that Toad Tarkington； man of the world； recognized as trouble。
His jovial mood returned to earth with an unpleasant splat。 mitment time！ It's their hormones； biology maybe； something to do with genes； 〃Sure。 You're a very nice lady who's fun to be with。〃
〃Oh。〃
〃You know what I mean。 You're not one of those girls who write poetry until two in the morning and read Albert Camus in the cafeteria。〃
〃Uh…huh。〃
〃You're〃…and here Toad grinned broadly and arranged his features in what he always thought was his most sincere； let's…fuck…tonight look…〃you're the kind of girl a guy likes to be around。〃
〃I understand；〃 Rita said； nodding。 〃You like girls who open zippers with their teeth and wear crotchless panties。〃
He didn't like the way she said that； with lips parted but almost immobile； her eyes narrowing ever so slightly。
〃Rita； I try to avoid discussing serious relationships at mid…afternoon in parking lots。〃
〃Maybe if I shave my pussy and put four or five earrings in my left ear？〃
Oh； so she wanted a little blood； huh？ 〃Right ear。 Left ear is for lesbi…〃
〃You asshole！〃 She stalked away； her head down； braced against the hurricane。
〃Hey； Ginger。。。〃 Ginger was her nickname； what the other aviators called her。 She even had it on the name tag of her flight suit。
She spun around to face him； her hands clenched at her sides。 〃Don't you ever call me that； Tarkington。 Not ever。 Not you。〃
〃Hey…〃 he said； but he was talking to her back。 He raised his voice and shouted； 〃I'd like to get to know you。 But I'm not getting engaged in a parking lot； not even if you're the Queen of Sheba。〃
When she was fifty feet away； she turned to face him。 〃I wasn't asking you to get engaged；〃 she shouted back。
〃Oh yes you were！ Crotchless panties； shaved pussies； what the hell is wrong with you？〃
She was walking away again。 Toad turned back toward base ops。 Ten feet away a lieutenant mander stood looking at him； shaking his he