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bbed for him； so he chopped at his head with the gun barrel。
Tyler Henry went to his knees。 Smoke reversed the gun in his hand and hit him in the head with the butt； using all his strength。 The admiral collapsed。
With ears ringing； he wiped his forehead； trying to think。 If he could get into the parking garages under the building quickly enough； he might have a chance。 He could hear running feet above。 Galvanize； he leaped over the admiral's body and charged downward。
Level Gl。 Smoke went out the door and looked wildly around as he ran for the nearest row of cars。 No one in sight。 He had beaten them down here； but he had mere seconds。
He ran along looking for keys dangling in the ignition； frustration and panic welling in him。
Hang tough； Smoke。 You've been in tight spots before and you've always gotten yourself out in one piece。
He loped down the row； searching desperately。
Ah； there ahead； some guy was unlocking his door。 A civilian。 Smoke went for him on a dead run。
The man heard Judy ing at the last moment and looked back over his shoulder； just in time to see the gun barrel chopping down。 Smoke picked up the keys from the concrete and tossed his gym bag through the open driver's door。 He pulled the man out of the way and got behind the wheel。 As he started the car he could see men pouring out of the elevator and stairwell。 They were searching； spreading out； hunting for him…
The engine caught。 Smoke backed out carefully； snicked the transmission into drive and headed for the exit。 Someone was ing this way； shouting。
A shot！
He stepped on the gas。
He went around the last pillar with tires squalling and shot up the exit ramp。
The street at the top of the ramp was one…way； from right to left。 Smoke looked right。 One car ing。 He swerved that way and jammed the accelerator down。 The driver of that sedan swerved to avoid him； then decided to try to ram。 Too late！
Down the street a half block to the intersection； then left through a hole in traffic； almost grazing an oning truck； which skidded to avoid him with its horn roaring。
Right again； then left。 He ran a red light and swung right onto the bus…only ramp； which led up onto the freeway。 Merged with traffic and scanning the rearview mirror； only then did Smoke Judy begin to try to sort out what had happened。
〃He's dead。〃 The ambulance attendant covered the body of Vice Admiral Tyler Henry with a sheet。 〃You people give us some room。〃
Jake Grafton walked out into the elevator lobby； dazed。 A half dozen FBI agents were talking on their hand…held radios and listening to the words ing back。 There was still a bloody spot on the floor where one agent had gone down with a bullet in his shoulder。 Who would have believed。。。 Smoke Judy？
Toad Tarkington blocked his path。
〃Judy。 He's the guy who sold the E…PROM data； wasn't he？〃
Jake nodded。
Toad turned and walked away。
〃Tarkington！ Tarkington！〃
Jake caught up with the lieutenant in the plaza。 〃Where do you think you're going？〃
Tarkington didn't look at him。 〃For a few lousy bucks that bastard damn near killed my wife。 She'll never fully recover。 She'll carry the scars all her life。〃
〃The FBI'll get him。 They're the pros at this。〃
〃They'd better；〃 Toad muttered。 〃If I get to the cocksucker before they do； they can quit looking。〃
Tarkington walked away and Jake stood and watched him go。 What the hell； he needs some time off anyway。 He'll never find Judy。 The FBI will scoop him up in a day or two。 And maybe the time off will do Toad some good。
Back inside he ran into an agent he recognized； Lloyd Dreyfus。 〃What the hell happened； Dreyfus？〃
〃Well； Captain； it seems that the National Security Agency was monitoring the terminals； and when Judy got into the Athena file； they called Vice Admiral Henry right after they called us。 Henry beat us here by about a minute。〃
Jake started to speak and Dreyfus held up a hand。 〃I know； I know。 They shouldn't have done that。 And now some poor schnook will probably lose his job。 But Tyler Henry was Tyler Henry。 Very few people ever managed to say no to him and make it stick。〃
〃That's true；〃 Jake acknowledged。 〃Who was the civilian upstairs with Henry？〃
〃Guy from the Naval Investigative Service。 We got all this from him。〃
〃Where's Luis Camacho？〃
〃Working。〃
〃I want to talk to him。〃
〃I'll pass that along。〃
〃No。 You tell him he'll talk with me or I'm going to raise holy hell。 When somebody kills a vice admiral in a navy building； the lid is gonna get ripped off pretty damned quick。 Right now I know a lot more than my boss； and I don't know much。 When I start answering his questions he is not going to be a happy camper。 He's a vice admiral too； by the way。 I will answer his questions。 He's another one of those guys who doesn't take no for an answer。 George Ludlow； the Secretary of the Navy； he hasn't even heard the word since he got out of diapers。 And CNO。。。〃 Jake snorted。
〃Camacho…〃
〃He won't be able to wave his badge over on the E…Ring and stuff this shit back into the goose。。。 You tell him！〃
As mander Smoke Judy drove across the George Mason Memorial Bridge into Washington； he stripped off his white uniform shirt with the black shoulder boards and threw it onto the floor of the backseat。 He was still wearing a white T…shirt； but that would attract less attention than the uniform。 His cover was gone； lost somewhere back in the stairwell。
He needed a change of clothes； he needed to get rid of this car and he needed a place to hide。
He took the Fourteenth Street exit on the east side of the bridge and went north； rolling slowly with the traffic between tour buses and out…of…state cars laden with tourists。 A motel？ No…they would be checking motels and hotels and bus stations and。。。
He crossed Constitution Avenue and continued north into the business district。
Three blocks north of New York Avenue he was stopped in traffic inching through a single…lane construction choke point when he saw a drunk stagger into an alley； a derelict； or in the language of the social reformers； a 〃homeless person。〃
It took five minutes to go halfway around the block and enter the alley from the other end。 There was just room to get the car by a delivery truck。 The drunk was collapsed beside a metal Dumpster； his wine bottle beside him。 His head lay on a blanket roll。 Beside him sat a green trash bag。 After checking to make sure there was no one in sight。 Smoke stopped the car and stepped out。
The drunk was semiconscious。 Smoke examined the trash bag。 It contained an old coat； some filthy shirts。
〃Sorry； buddy。 This is the end of the line。〃 Judy throttled him with both hands。 The bum； who looked to be in his sixties； with a two…week growth of beard； kicked some and struggled ineffectually。 In less than a minute he was gone。
Judy stripped the shirt from the dead man and put it on over his T…shirt。 The trousers were next。 Sheltered between the Duropster and the delivery truck； Smoke took off his white trousers and white shoes and socks and pulled the derelict's grime…encrusted trousers on。 Perhaps this garment had once been gray； but now it was just dark； blotchy。 And a little big。 All the b