Payback

126

Among the assets that had been allocated to the Pennsylvania task force was an Air Force Special Operations Pave Low MH-53J. The large two-engined helicopter was specially equipped with infrared radar to see in the dark, and extra-large fuel tanks that would allow it to stay in the air for several hours. Captain Daniels had decided to use the helicopter to go up to Philadelphia to inspect preparations there, and Dean went along.

The crew chief gave Dean and Daniels radios and head-sets to allow them to connect with both the helicopter’s interphone system and the emergency network being used to coordinate the search.

“You with me, Rockman?” Dean asked as he pulled on the headset, pretending to fiddle with the controls.

“I’m always with you, Charlie. You never told me how your hunting trip was.”

“Too short. How are we looking?”

“Situation is basically unchanged since Marie spoke to you a half hour ago. Truck with small bathtubs was found outside of Houston a few hours ago. Two dead males were found not too far away. Haven’t been identified yet. They haven’t established time of death precisely, but it’s likely to be a little over twenty-four hours ago. We’ve been looking at stolen vehicles in the area, also rentals, and even purchases. We’ve got a couple of tractor trailers, U-Hauls — basically everything we’ve been looking at up until now. We’ve expanded the search to include vans, SUVs, and station wagons. I realize this isn’t much use to you.”

“Yeah.”

“State police have barricade checkpoints around every major highway. Two Coast Guard aircraft are surveying the roads south of Philadelphia and local police departments are stopping every cargo carrier and large truck they see. You know all that?”

“Yeah.”

“They’re holding a marathon cabinet meeting about what to tell the public,” added Rockman. “Mr. Rubens is down the hall, talking to them. They’re debating whether to go to Red Sky even though they haven’t definitely found a bomb. Some of the key personnel have already gone into shelters. Personally, I think it’s overkill. I think this whole thing may just be a wild-goose chase.”

Dean didn’t particularly care to hear the runner’s opinions.

“Red Sky” was a procedure to be invoked in the event of a nuclear terrorist attack. Among other things, it would shut down all air traffic in the country, close the borders, and send cabinet members and other important leaders to bomb shelters. The federal government would exercise direct control over the affected area, in effect declaring martial law.

“Is this radio going to work or what?” he said, changing the subject.

Rockman reminded Dean that they were supposed to maintain organizational secrecy “to the extent possible if the target is discovered.”

Dean smiled to himself, thinking of the cracks Tommy Karr could have made about that.