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est。 Then； carefully extending the detector through the hole； he scanned the ground inside the fence。 Numbers glowed from a tiny LED screen on the disc。
He withdrew the device and； reaching for a stick； carefully scraped away the leaves and dirt； exposing a pair of wires。 Then he repeated the process at another spot a few feet away； exposing more wires。 Reaching into his haversack； he retrieved a pair of alligator clips mated to tiny electronic devices。 He attached one of these clips to each end of the wire。
〃What are you doing？〃
〃I'm using these clip…and…capacitor ponents to reduce our electromagnetic signature to that of a seventy…kilogram wild boar and its mate。 They are mon in this area； and no doubt Bullard's night security detail is plagued by boars roaming the fence line。 Now； quickly。〃
They crawled through the hole； Pendergast swiftly wiring up the opening and removing the clips。 Then； with another stick； he filled the holes and covered them with dead leaves。 Finally； he pulled a small spritzer bottle and misted the disturbed ground。 An acrid smell reached D'Agosta。
〃Diluted boar urine。 Follow me。〃
The two ran parallel to the fence for a few hundred yards； crouching low； until they reached a heavy thicket。 As quietly as possible； they crawled deep inside。
〃Now we wait for security to investigate。 It will be a while。 Regulate your breathing and stay calm。 They'll be ing in with night vision and infrared； no doubt； so stay low and don't move。 Since they're already assuming it's a boar； their search will not be long。〃
Silence fell。 It was utterly black in the dense thicket。 D'Agosta waited。 To his left； Pendergast remained so motionless； so silent； that he seemed to disappear pletely。 The only noise was the faint rustle of wind； the occasional call of a night bird。 Three minutes passed； then five。
D'Agosta felt an ant moving on his ankle。 He reached down to flick it away。
〃No；〃 whispered Pendergast。
D'Agosta left the ant alone。
Soon he could feel it crawling over his shin； exploring with short； herky…jerky movements。 It worked its way down to his shoe； where it began trying to dig into his sock。 When he tried to think about something else； he realized his nose had begun to tickle。 How long had they been still？ Ten minutes？ Jesus； remaining motionless like this was harder than running a marathon。 D'Agosta could see absolutely nothing。 A cramp had e up in his leg。 He should have taken more care to seat himself fortably。 He longed to move。 His nose was itching fiercely now； all the worse for his not being able to scratch it。 More ants； emboldened by the investigations of their scout； began to crawl over his skin。 The cramp in his leg grew worse； and he could feel his calf muscle twitching involuntarily。
Then came the faint sound of voices。 D'Agosta held his breath。 He could see the distant gleam of a light； almost obscured by leaves。 More voices； a burst of static from a walkie…talkie； some desultory conversation in English。 Then silence returned。
D'Agosta expected Pendergast to give the all…clear； but the FBI agent said nothing。 Now all of his muscles were screaming with pain。 One of his legs had gone to sleep； and the ants were all over him。
〃All right。〃 Pendergast rose and D'Agosta followed； hugely grateful； shaking out his legs； rubbing his nose； slapping away the ants。
Pendergast glanced at him。 〃Someday； Vincent； I will teach you a useful meditation technique； perfect for situations such as that。〃
〃I could use it。 Talk about agony。〃
〃Now that we've bypassed the first layer of security； on to the second。 Keep directly behind me and stay in my tracks as much as possible。〃
They moved through the woods； Pendergast still scanning with his device。 The trees thinned and they emerged into an overgrown field。 Beyond stood a row of ruined buildings； enormous brick warehouses with peaked roofs and vacant doors。 Vines crawled up the sides； sprouting off in dark heads that nodded and swayed in the heavy air。
Pendergast consulted a small map； and they moved toward the first warehouse。 Inside it smelled of mold and dry rot； their footsteps； even with the silent shoes； seemed to echo。 They passed through a far door into a gigantic square surrounded by buildings。 The cement of the square was riddled with cracks； through which thrust dark vegetation。
〃What if they have dogs？〃 D'Agosta whispered。
〃Loose dogs are a thing of the past。 They're unpredictable； noisy； and often end up attacking the wrong person。 Dogs are now only used for tracking。 What we have to watch out for will be far more subtle。〃
They crossed the expanse of concrete。 Nocturnal animals rustled in the foliage as they passed。 At the far end of the courtyard was a grassy alley between two rows of ruined buildings； the heaps of masonry covered with ivy that； in the darkness； looked like spreading stains。 Pendergast proceeded more cautiously now； using a small； hooded flashlight to illuminate their way。 Halfway along the alley he paused； knelt； and examined the ground。 Then he picked up a branch and gave a little poke to the grass ahead。 He prodded harder； and the stick suddenly broke through into space。
〃A pit；〃 he said。 〃Notice that； with these ruins flanking either side； this alley is the only way to proceed。〃
〃A booby trap？〃
〃Undoubtedly。 But disguised to look like some part of the old factory； so that when the intruder falls in and is killed； nobody would be blamed。〃
〃How did you spot it？〃
〃Lack of boar tracks。〃 Pendergast carefully withdrew the stick and turned。 〃We shall have to make our way through one of these ruined laboratories。 Take care： there may still be the odd bottle of nitroglycerin around； strategically placed to snag the unwary。 We should consider this the next ring of security； Vincent； we must be both quiet and vigilant。〃
They entered a dark doorway and Pendergast flashed his hooded light around。 The floor was covered with broken glass； rusty pieces of metal； broken tile； and bricks。 Pendergast paused； then signaled to D'Agosta to back out。
Two minutes later they were in the concrete courtyard。
〃What was wrong？〃 D'Agosta asked。
〃Too much broken glass； too evenly spread； and the glass was too modern to be from the original factory。 A noise trap； with sensors ready to pick up the telltale crunch of human feet。 Motion sensors； too； I expect。〃
In the greenish glow of his lantern； Pendergast's face seemed troubled。
〃What now？〃
〃Back to the pit。〃
They circled back around to the alleyway and Pendergast crept forward alone； prodding with a stick until he'd located the pit。 Then he lay on his stomach； carefully parted the thick grass and vegetation； and shone his light into the dark hole。 A moment later he withdrew； snapping off his light。
〃Wait here。〃
And then he was gone； melting into the night。
D'Agosta waited。 Pendergast hadn't told him to remain still and silent； he hadn't needed to。 He crouched in the inky darkness； barely daring to breathe。 Five minutes passed。 Left alone； the tension began to take its toll。 D'Agosta could feel his heart pounding in his chest。
Relax。
And then…as suddenly and silently as he had disappeared…Pendergast was back； a long plank in his hands。 He laid it across the brushy opening； then turned to D'Agosta。 〃Beyond this； no talking unless absolutely necessary。 Follow my lead。〃
D'Agosta nodded。
They crossed the wobbly plank； one after the other。 On the far side； the brush was thicker； presenting a dark wall。 Pendergast moved forward； probed with his sensor； sniffed。 He briefly turned on the light； then turned it off again。 They moved parallel to the brushy area； then veered into it on what appeared to be an animal trail。
The boars are saving our ass； D'Agosta thought。
They crept slowly through the thick brush。 A brick wall loomed to their right： a blast wall； judging by its massiveness。 In one place it had been knocked down by what D'Agosta guessed was an old explosion。 They moved through this gap； still following the boar trail。 D'Agosta could barely see Pendergast； and could hear even less： the man moved as silently as a leopard。
The trail petered out in a large meadow less overgrown than the others they had passed。 Pendergast paused to reconnoiter； motioning for D'Agosta to stay back。 At the far end lay the dark silhouette of more wrecked buildings and； beyond that； the faint glow of light。
Pendergast slipped a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket。 Turning back toward D'Agosta； and very carefully shielding a cigarette with his hands； he lit up。 D'Agosta watched； astonished。 Pendergast inhaled lazily； turned； and blew out a stream of smoke。
Not three feet in front of them； the drifting smoke revealed a brilliant beam of blue light： a laser。 It was set just high enough to clear the back of a boar。
Pendergast got down on his stomach and began to slither forward through the tall grass； motioning D'Agosta to do likewise。
Slowly； painstakingly； they advanced across the field。 Now and then Pendergast would take a drag on the concealed cigarette and blow a stream of smoke overhead； illuminating the laser beams that crisscrossed the field。 Dark woods and ruins surrounded the verge of the meadow； and it was impossible to see where the beams were ing from。 When the cigarette went out； he lit another。
In five minutes they were across。 Pendergast ground out the stub of cigarette； rose； and moved at a crouch to an empty door frame； withdrawing his light and directing it inside。 The beam briefly illuminated a long passageway； rooms fronted with metal bars facing each other across the corridor。 To D'Agosta it looked almost like a prison。 The ceilings had caved in； along with some of the walls； leaving a maze of broken masonry； beams； and tile。
Pendergast paused in the doorway to wave a handheld meter of some kind； then advanced cautiously。 What was left of the edifice seemed about to collapse； and from time to time D'Agosta could hear the creaking and groaning of a beam or the rattle of falling plaster。 As they moved through the vast crumbling space； the faint light ahead grew stronger； ing in through a row of shattered windows at the far end。 Reaching the windows； they cautiously peered out。
An astonishing sight greeted D'Agosta's eyes。 Beyond the ruined building was a double…chain…link fence； topped with concertina wire； enclosing a sweeping lawn swathed in light。 A new building stood there behind trimmed shrubbery and flowers； a postmodern structure in glass； titanium； and white paneling； glowing like a crystal in the night。 To the far right； D'Agosta could see a guardhouse and a gate in the fence。
They moved away from the window； and Pendergast sat against the wall。 He seemed to be thinking。 Several minutes passed before he roused himself and motioned D'Agosta to follow。 Keeping low； they moved the length of the far wall and exited a side door。 Thick brush and gooseberry bushes grew up to within about ten yards of the double fence； where the closely clipped lawn began。
They wormed their way into the brush and began crawling forward。 Then D'Agosta felt Pendergast freeze。 The sound of voices was rapidly approaching； along with the probing of a bright spotlight。 D'Agosta flattened himself in the bushes； hoping to God his black outfit and face paint would keep him invisible。 But the voices were getting close； too close； and they were loud； and the light was drawing ever nearer。
53
D'Agosta lay motionless； hardly daring to breathe； while thebeam of the spotlight lanced through the leaves and vines。 The voices were even closer now； and he could make out what the men were saying。 They were American。 There were two of them； it seemed； and they were walking slowly along the inner perimeter of the fence。 He felt a sudden； almost irresistible desire to look up。 But then the brilliant beam landed square on his back； and he went still as death。 The beam lingered； unmoving。 The men had stopped。 There was a scratching sound； the flaring of a match； followed by the faint smell of cigarette smoke。
〃。 。 。 real bastard；〃 came one of the voices。 〃If it weren't for the money； I'd go back to Brooklyn。〃
〃The way things are going； we might all be h