Dark Zone

98

“Are you sure about this?” demanded Hadash. He was essentially translating what the French President had just asked Rubens.

“Oui,” said Rubens, speaking French so there would be no doubt in the foreign leader’s mind. “L’Eurostar. They’ve found some way of getting the bomb on board the train. We believe they’ve fashioned something similar to C-4 to use as a kind of explosive lens and detonate the atomic warhead. We don’t have all of the data, but I guarantee that they’ve done this, and that at a minimum an attempt will be made. Our best guess from the power fluctuations we’ve detected on the system is that it’s already under way. Their models for the impact of the explosion predict a tidal wave that will engulf the low-lying areas along the Channel. We’re still trying to interpret the data, but you must stop traffic through the Chunnel and get response teams in. I assure you, even if they fail, they will make an attempt.”

The French President replied in French that what Rubens was saying seemed incredible and beyond belief. Rubens agreed but added that until an hour ago the same might have been said about an attack on the Eiffel Tower, and here he was watching a feed from French television showing it in broad daylight.

“A great tragedy for the world had it succeeded,” added Rubens, who, despite his disdain for the French, meant it.

President Marcke came on the line, asking Rubens if he had any other information. Rubens told him that he had summarized the relevant findings and would share whatever details were needed with the French intelligence and military.

“Do it,” said Marcke.

Rubens looked up at the screen. While the Eiffel Tower had not been completely secured, all of the terrorists near the bomb were either dead or severely wounded. Tommy had disabled all of the explosive packs, apparently made into vests that the terrorists had worn and then attempted to assemble on the structure.

French gendarmes had finally reached Karr, who was suspended above the iron latticework by one of the power cables from the lighting. Tommy seemed to be smiling, undoubtedly making one of his irreverent wisecracks to his rescuers.

Thank God.

Hopefully it wasn’t X-rated. The French television crew aboard the helicopter caught the entire sequence before being warned away by one of the military aircraft. Undoubtedly a lip-reader back in the studio was already trying to work out what Karr had said. Knowing the French, it would be inscribed at the base of the tower by morning.

Several dozen people had lost their lives, and the structure had surely been damaged. But compared to what might have happened, the cost had been relatively minor.

One disaster staved off. And a much greater one looming.

“There is one other thing I should mention,” Rubens told President Marcke. “Two of my people were aboard the train that is currently in the Chunnel. They were following a man we think might have been involved in the assassination of Monsieur Ponclare, the security chief. We haven’t heard from them since the train entered the tunnel.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” said the President. “We’ll stay on the line.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The upstairs operator has a woman named Ellen McGovern on hold,” Telach told Rubens as he turned from the screen. “She’s an attorney. She said that you would want to speak to her, and that the operator was to mention her name.”

Rubens realized that she had news about the General.

“I’ll get back to her,” he said.