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you wish to avoid； Mr。 Chairman； so that your state can secure another bloated； outrageous defense contract for technology that may well not do what those hogs at the Pentagon…〃
〃Time's up。〃 The chairman smacked his gavel。
Strader was just getting up steam。 〃。。。that those money…hungry swine at the Pentagon have carefully steered to your state so that…〃
〃You're out of time； Congresswoman；〃 the chairman said； his voice rising； 〃and out of order。 Thank you for your testimony； Captain Grafton。 You're excused。〃
Strader kept talking。 Jake packed his briefcase and handcuffed it to his wrist 〃。。。these machines are being purchased to fight wars that everyone knows will never occur。 Billions of dollars down the sewer！ It's obscene。〃
Jake rose and walked for the door with Tarkington at his elbow。 Behind him Strader and the chairman were shouting at each other。
〃You ever kick me again； Tarkington； and you'll need a proctologist to surgically remove that shoe。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
When the door closed behind them and they were walking down the corridor； Jake said； 〃I really lost it in there； didn't I？〃
〃Yes； sir。 You did。〃
〃Well； if they'll just vote the funds now； we've done the navy a pretty good job。〃
〃I suppose。〃
As they went down the outside steps of the Capitol； Jake said； 〃I hope she's right。 I hope the wars never occur。〃
〃Yeah。 And I hope I live forever；〃 Toad Tarkington said； and signaled to the transportation pool driver； who was standing beside the car a hundred yards away。
As the car pulled up； Toad climbed into the front seat； Jake into the back。 They had just pulled the doors shut when the rear door opened again。 Jake looked up。 The man standing there had a pistol pointed at him。 〃Slide over； Captain。〃
Jake hesitated for just a second and glanced into the front seat。 The driver had a gun pointed at Toad。 Jake scooted。
The man outside took a seat and pulled the door shut。
〃Gentlemen； as you can see； we are both armed。 You are going to be our guests for a little while； Mr。 Tarkington？〃
When Toad didn't respond； the man beside Jake nudged Toad in the neck with the barrel of his gun。 〃Mr。 Tarkington？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃I have a gun too； and it is pointed at Captain Grafton。 The gentleman behind the wheel is going to put his gun in his pocket and drive。 If you twitch； if you shout； if you open your door or reach for the wheel or ignition key； I will first shoot Captain Grafton； then I will shoot you。 Do you understand？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃Do you feel heroic？〃
〃Not especially。〃
〃That is very good。 You and your captain may live through this experience if you do exactly as I say； when I say it。〃
Tarkington said nothing。
〃Put on your seat belts and lock your doors。〃
Jake and Toad obeyed。
〃Okay； if everyone understands the ground rules； we go。〃
The driver put the transmission in drive and fed gas。
The gunman in the backseat was in his fifties； with short hair。 He was tanned； stocky； and wore a well…fitting dark suit。
〃Where is the sailor who was driving this car？〃
〃Captain； I warn you for the last time。 You will sit absolutely quiet。 One word； just one more word； and I will hurt you very badly。〃
Jake Grafton looked at the gunman； then at the back of the driver's head。 Toad sat rigid； staring straight ahead。
The car went out onto Independence Avenue and crept west in stop…and…go traffic。 Jake eased the briefcase on his lap and felt the gun dig into his side。 He sat very still and eventually the gun went away。
Okay； so he wasn't going to whack this guy with the briefcase and bail out of the car。 That stuff only works in movies。 He was going to sit very still and hope this guy didn't blow his brains out； or Tarkington's。
In spite of the air conditioning； Jake was perspiring profusely。 He felt the moisture form rivulets on his face。
He tried to think。 Here he was in the backseat of a navy Ford Fainnont sedan rolling through the streets of Washington。 At the curbs buses were loading and unloading tourists； hordes of people from Nashville and Little Rock and Tokyo。 People in cars with plates from the Midwest and South rubbernecked； and the drivers ignored the traffic signs； seeming to delight in suicidal lane changes and illegal turns onto one…way streets。 Kids were running and shoving and demanding pop； mothers were calming squealing infants。 and everyone was waiting in line or looking for a restroom。 Yet in the middle of it all Jake Grafton and Toad Tarkington had guns in their ribs。
Maybe this guy was the Minotaur。 Maybe he was an Ivy League political appointee who had sold out for some reason only a psychiatrist would understand。 Yet the way he handled that pistol…Jake knew petence with a weapon when he saw it。
The driver swung left on Fourteenth Street and began to accelerate as he jockeyed with traffic。 He crossed the Potomac on the George Mason Memorial Bridge and took the ramp down onto George Washington Parkway northbound。
〃You can drop us anywhere along here；〃 Toad said； 〃and we'll walk back to the office。〃
Jake winced at the sound of his voice。 The gunman beside him paid no attention。
〃Glad we could give you guys a…〃 The driver's right hand flicked into Toad's face with a sickening smack； which knocked his hat off。 The car didn't even swerve。
Toad sagged against the window； then slowly raised his head。
The car continued up the parkway。 The river was visible between the trees on the right。 They passed the entrance to the CIA plex at Langley and continued on at fifty…five miles per hour； the traffic flowing around them at least ten miles over the speed limit
Traffic on the beltway was thickening as the first surge of rush hour emptied from the city。 The man at the wheel kept the car in the middle lane。 On and on they rolled； past the Frederick cutoff； east now across the northern edges of the city。
Jake Grafton was bitterly regretting the impulse that had made him mail two letters to the Minotaur when the driver finally edged into a gap in the right lane and took the ramp down to New Hampshire Avenue； where he caught the green light and turned left； northward。 They passed the Naval Surface Weapons Center and turned left； into a residential area。 After four or five turns down shady streets with cars parked at the curbs and in driveways； the man at the wheel slowed。 From a pocket he produced a garage…door opener。 He aimed it as he swung left into a driveway。 The door rose obediently。 The car coasted to a stop inside the garage and the driver triggered the remote…control device again。 The garage got very dark as the closing door shut out the light。
〃Okay； gentlemen。 We are here。 We will sit here very quiet and still while the driver checks out the house。〃 The driver was already out of the car。 He fiddled with the knob on the inside door； used a key or pick； and had it open in a few seconds。 Before he entered he took out his pistol。 In about a minute he was back。 He nodded。
Toad went first； walking around the car while the driver in the doorway held a pistol on him。
Then it was Jake's turn。 From the garage he entered a kitchen。 Through the sliding glass door he could see a backyard swing。
〃The basement。〃
Jake went do