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As if on signal； the waiters poured the glasses full and re treated。
Raising her glass high； she said； 〃There it is。 Take it。〃
She put the glass to her lips and took a long drink。 The others followed suit as if in a strange munion ritual。
〃Good；〃 she said。 〃Now for the next step。 You will go home and wait for a call。 When a request is made you will ply without question。 Nothing that transpired at this meeting can be divulged。 Not even the fact that you were here。〃
She scanned each face。 〃If there are no more questions；〃 she said； making clear by her tone that debate had ended； 〃please enjoy yourselves。 Dinner will be served in the dining hall in ten minutes。 I have brought in a five…star chef； so I don't think you will be displeased。 There's entertainment from Las Vegas after dinner； and you will be shown to your rooms。 You will leave after breakfast tomorrow morning； in the sequence you arrived。 I will see you at the next meeting； exactly a month from now。〃
With that； she left the table； strode across the room and through the double doors she had entered by； walking down a corridor and into an anteroom。 Two men stood in the room； legs wide apart； arms folded behind their backs； their deep…set black eyes glued to the flickering screens that took up one wall。 They were identical twins dressed alike in matching black leather jackets。 They had the same stocky physiques； high cheekbones； hair the color of wet hay； and dark； beetling brows。
〃Well； what do you think of our guests？〃 she said with derision。 〃Will these worms serve their purpose and loosen the soil？〃
The analogy was lost on the brothers； who had only one thing on their minds。
Speaking in an eastern European accent； the man on the right said； 〃Whom do you want 。 。 。〃
〃。 。 。 us to eliminate？〃 said the man on the left； finishing the sentence。
Their monotone voices were exactly alike。 Brynhild smiled with satisfaction。 The answer reaffirmed her conviction that she had made the right decision rescuing Melo and Radko Kradzik from the NATO forces that wanted to bring the notorious brothers before the World Court at the Hague charged with crimes against humanity。 The twins were classic sociopaths and would have made a mark for themselves even without the Bosnian war。 Their paramilitary status conferred semi…legitimacy on the murder； rape； and torture they carried out in the name of national ism。 It was difficult to imagine these monsters ever having been in a mother's womb； but somewhere they had forged the ability to intuit what the other was thinking。 They were the same men； only in separate bodies。 Their bond made them doubly dangerous because they could act without verbal munication。 Brynhild had stopped trying to tell them apart。 〃Whom do you think should be eliminated？〃
One man reached out with a hand whose clawlike fingers seemed to be made for inflicting pain and reversed the video tape。 The other twin pointed to a man in a blue suit。
〃Him；〃 they said simultaneously。
〃Congressman Kinkaid？〃
〃Yes； he didn't 。 。 。〃
〃。 。 。 like what you said。〃
〃And the others？〃
Again the video reversed and they pointed。
〃Professor Dearborn？ A pity； but your instincts are probably right。 We can't afford to have anybody with even the trace of scruples。 Very well； cull him out as well。 Do your work as discreetly as possible。 I'm scheduling a meeting of the board of directors soon to go over our long…range plans。 I want everything in place before then。 I won't tolerate mistakes the way those fools bungled their job in Brazil ten years ago。〃
She whirled from the room and left the twins to themselves。 The men remained there unmoving； their glittering eyes looking at the screen with the hungry expression of a cat choosing the fattest goldfish in the tank for his dinner。
Chapter 8
The river scenery had changed little since Dr。 Ramirez waved good…bye from his dock and wished the Trouts a safe trip。 The airboat followed mile after mile of the twisting and unbroken ribbon of dark green water。 An unyielding wall of trees hemmed the river in on both sides and separated it from the eternal night of the forest。 At one point they had to stop because the river was blocked by debris。 They weled the break from the mind…numbing drone of the airplane engine。 They tied lines around the entangled logs and branches and unclogged the bottleneck。 The job was time…consuming； and it was late after noon when the leafy ramparts gave way to brief glimpses of open space and cultivated fields along the river's edge。 Then the forest opened up to reveal a cluster of grass huts。
Paul reduced speed and aimed the airboat's blunt prow between several dugout canoes drawn up on the muddy banking。 With a quick goose on the throttle； he slid the boat onto the shore and cut the engine。 He removed the NUMA baseball cap he had been wearing backward on his head and used it to fan his face。
〃Where is everybody？〃
The unearthly quiet was in sharp contrast to Dr。 Ramirez's settlement where the natives bustled about their business throughout the day。 This place appeared to be deserted。 The only signs of recent human habitation were tendrils of gray smoke that rose from fire holes。
〃This is very weird；〃 Gamay said。 〃It's as if the plague struck。〃
Paul opened a storage box and pulled out a backpack。 Dr。 Ramirez had insisted that the Trouts borrow a long…barreled Colt revolver。 Moving slowly； Paul placed the rucksack between them； reached inside； unclipped the holster； and felt the reassuring hardness of the grip。
〃It's not the plague I'm worrying about；〃 Paul said quietly； scanning the silent huts。 〃I'm thinking about that dead Indian in the canoe。〃
Gamay had seen Paul reach into the bag and shared his concern。
〃Once we leave the boat it might be tough getting back to it；〃 she said。 〃Let's wait a few more minutes and see what hap pens。〃
Paul nodded。 〃Maybe they're taking a siesta。 Let's wake them up。〃 He cupped his hands to his mouth and came out with a loud 〃Hallooo！〃 The only reply was the echo of his voice。 He tried again。 Nothing stirred。
Gamay laughed。 〃They would have to be sound sleepers not to hear a bellow like that。〃
〃Spooky；〃 Paul said with a shake of his head。 〃It's too damned hot sitting out here。 I'm going to look around。 Can you watch my back？〃
〃I'll keep one hand on the cannon Dr。 Ramirez gave us and the other on the ignition。 Don't be a hero。〃
〃You know me better than that。 Any problem and I'll e running。〃
Trout eased his lanky form out of the seat in front of the propeller screen and onto the deck。 He had every confidence in his wife's ability to cover him。 As a girl in Racine； she had been taught to shoot skeet by her father and was an excellent marks man with any kind of firearm。 Paul contended she could shoot the eye out of a sand flea in mid…hop。 He scanned the village and stepped onto the banking； only to freeze。 He had seen movement in the dark doorway of the largest hut。 A face had peered around the corner and disappeared。 There it was again。 Seconds later a man stepped out and waved。 He shouted what sounded like a greeting and started down the slope toward them。
He arrived at the river's edge and mopped his damp face with a sweat…stained silk handkerchief。 He was a big man； and the high flat crown of a wide…brimmed straw hat added to his height。 His baggy white cotton slacks were held in place around his corpulent belly by a length of nylon rope； and his long sleeved white shirt was buttoned up to his Adam's apple。 The sun reflected off a monocle in his left eye。
〃Greetings；〃 he said with a slight accent。 〃Wele to the Paris of the rain forest。〃
Paul looked past the man's shoulder at the sorry collection of hovels。 〃Where's the Eiffel Tower？〃 he asked casually。
〃Hah…hah。 Eiffel Tower。 Marvelous！ Look there； it's not far from the Arc de Triomphe。〃
After the long river journey in the damp heat Paul had little appetite for witty repartee。 〃We're looking for someone called the Dutchman；〃 he said。
The man removed his hat； revealing a tonsured mop of unruly white hair。 〃At your service。 But I'm not Dutch。〃 He laughed。 〃When I first came to this blighted place seven years ago I said I was 'Deutsch。' I'm German。 My name is Dieter von Hoffman。〃
〃I'm Paul Trout； and this is my wife； Gamay。〃
Hoffman focused his monocle on Gamay。 〃A beautiful name for a lovely woman；〃 he said gallantly。 〃We don't ~et many white women out here； beautiful or otherwise。〃
Gamay asked why the village was so quiet。 Dieter's fleshy red lips drooped。 〃I suggested that the villagers go into hiding。 It never hurts to be cautious with strangers。 They will e out when they see that you are friendly。〃 The empty smile again。 〃So； what brings you to our poor village？〃
〃Dr。 Ramirez asked us to e。 We're with NUMA； the National Underwater and Marine Agency；〃 Gamay said。 〃We were doing some research on river dolphins and staying with Dr。 Ramirez。 He asked if we couldn't e in his place。〃
〃I heard through the jungle telegraph that a couple of scientists from the United States were in the neighborhood。 I never dreamed you would honor us with a visit。 How is the esteemed Dr。 Ramirez these days？〃
〃He would have liked to e； but he hurt his ankle and couldn't travel。〃
〃Too bad。 It would be nice to see him。 Well； it's been a long time since I had pany； but that's no excuse for being a poor host。 Please e ashore。 You must be very hot and thirsty。〃
Paul and Gamay exchanged glances that said； Okay； but be careful； and stepped off the boat。 Gamay slung the bag with the gun in it over her shoulder； and they started toward the cluster of huts arranged in a semicircle at the top of a rise。 Dieter yelled in another language； and each hut disgorged a load of Indian men； women； and children。 They came out timidly and stood at silent attention。 Dieter gave another mand； and they began to go about their tasks。 Paul and Gamay glanced at each other again。 Dieter did not suggest in this village； he manded。
An Indian woman in her twenties came out of the largest hut； her head bowed。 Unlike the other women； who were dressed only in loincloths； she had a red sarong of machine…loomed fabric wrapped around her shapely body。 Dieter growled an order； and she disappeared into the hut。
A thatched roof stood in front of the hut on four poles。 The roof shaded a rough…cut wooden table and stools carved from stumps。 Dieter gestured toward the stools； sat in one himself； and removed his straw hat。 He mopped his sweating head with his handkerchief and snapped an order at the open door of the hut。
The woman came out carrying a tray with three mugs made from sections of hollowed tree limbs。 She set the mugs down and stood respectfully a few paces away with her head still lowered。
Dieter raised his mug。 〃Here's to meeting new friends。〃 There was a distinct clinking as he swished the contents of his mug。 〃That's right；〃 he said。 〃You are hearing the beautiful sound of ice cubes。 You can thank the wonders of modern science for allowing me to have a portable gas…powered ice maker。 There is no need to live like these brown…skinned Adams and Eves。〃 He slurped half his glass down in a single gulp。
Paul and Gamay took tentative sips and found the drinks cool； refreshing； and strong。 Gamay looked around the settlement。 〃Dr。 Ramirez said that you're a trader。 What sort of goods do you trade？〃
〃I realize that to an outsider this must look like a poor place； but these simple people are capable of artistic work that is quite sophisticated。 I give them my services as a middleman in marketing their crafts to gift shops and the like。〃
From the impoverished appearance of the village the middle man must take the lion's share of the money； Gamay guessed。 She made a show of looking around。 〃We also understand that you are married。 Is your wife away？〃
Paul hid his smile behind the mug。 Gamay was very much aware that the native woman was Dieter's wife and she didn't like the way the Dutchman treated her。
Dieter flushed； then called the woman ov