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〃Terrific。〃
〃The lab wizards synched up the sound from one of the mikes with the video。〃 Judy and the beefy man in the windbreaker appeared on the television screen。 Dreyfus twiddled the color knob and adjusted the volume。
〃。。。not happy with all the media on procurement problems down there。〃 The beefy man had a well…spoken baritone voice； but his nervousness was evident。
Judy replied； but his back must have been to the parabolic mike that picked up this sound track； because his words were indistinct Dreyfus punched the pause button and said； 〃We have two other audio tracks and think we got it all； but it'll take a few hours to e up with a plete transcript。〃
Camacho nodded and the tape rolled on。
〃。。。big risks。 Some people will be going to prison；〃 Judy's panion said； 〃after they've been drawn and quartered in a public trial that will take six months。〃
Judy leaned forward and spoke earnestly。 Snatches of his remarks came through。 〃。。。you people 。。。 a lifetime building the pany 。。。 literally millions at stake。 You guys really need this because 。。。 You'll make tens of millions in the next twenty years and I'll get a little stock and a paycheck and a pension 。。。 not much 。。。〃 The rest was too garbled to follow。
〃That's enough；〃 Camacho said after another five minutes。 〃Let me see the transcript when it's finished。〃
Dreyfus stopped the tape and pushed the rewind button。 〃I think that guy's gonna buy what Judy's selling。〃
〃When you get that rewound； e on back to my office。〃
In his office Luis Camacho took a sheet of scratch paper and printed one word： 〃Fallacy。〃 He handed it to Dreyfus when he came in。 〃See if this is in any of the Minotaur's letters。〃
Dreyfus dropped into a chair and began to fiddle with his pipe。 He put the paper in his shirt pocket after a glance。 〃Where'd you get it？〃 he asked when he had his pipe going again。
〃Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies。〃
〃Vice Admiral Henry； huh？〃
〃I found it in the John。〃
〃Why can't we get a list of all the code words from NSA？〃
〃We've been all through this before。〃
〃So I'm not too bright。 Tell me again。〃
〃NSA won't give us the code words without the approval of the mittee。 The mittee has not approved。〃 The mittee was slang for the ultrasecret group that formulated intelligence munity policy and coordinated the intelligence activities of all U。S。 agencies。 Some of its members included the directors of the FBI and CIA； the Secretary of Defense； the Secretary of State； the National Security Agency chief； and speaking directly for the President； the National Security Adviser。
〃So what does that tell you？〃 Dreyfus asked； his voice sharper than usual。
Camacho rubbed his eyes； then his face。 〃You tell me。〃
〃If it walks like a duck； quacks like a duck； and leaves duck shit all over； it probably is a duck。〃
〃Umm。〃
〃I think those assholes already know what the Minotaur has given away。 So they're in no rush for us to put a list together。〃 Dreyfus flicked his lighter and puffed several； times。 〃Somebody in Moscow has gotta be telling them。〃
〃Maybe；〃 said Luis Camacho； weighing it。 〃Or maybe they're hoping this whole thing will crawl into a corner and die quietly without being a major embarrassment。 Budgetary blood feuds in Congress； some big…ticket military programs on the chopping block； Gramm…Rudman…hell； they'd be less than human if they didn't try to play ostrich for a while。〃
〃So what are we gonna do about Smoke Judy？〃
〃What would you suggest？〃
〃That shithead is shopping secrets to defense contractors。 He wants more than a military pension。 What'd the boss say when you told him this morning？〃 His voice had a belligerent； bitter edge。
〃Hang loose。 Keep an eye on him。〃
〃Fuck us！ The same old story。 No matter what we turn up； we get the same answer from ol' brass ass。 Be cool； guys！〃
〃Calm down； Dreyfus。 You've been around long enough…〃
〃How much shit you gonna eat； Luis； before you decide you don't like it？ Right now the Minotaur is busy figuring what secrets to give away next and scribbling another little love letter to the Russian ambassador。 Terry Franklin is still running around loose； you're sneaking code words from friends in the Pentagon…we're doing some dynamic drifting but our investigation is going nowhere。 You know that！ And the sickening thing is the mittee is quite fortable with that state of affairs。〃 His voice had risen to almost a shout。 〃I'll tell you what I think…I think the guys on that mittee are laughing themselves silly。 I think they're tickled pink that the fucking Russians are seeing this stuff。 That's what the hell I think。〃
〃I think you're an idiot； Dreyfus； with a big mouth and a piss ant's view of the world。 I've heard enough。 Now get back to work。〃
Dreyfus bounced to his feet and rammed his right hand out in a Nazi salute。 〃Ja wohl…〃
〃You son of a…〃
〃Don't bullshit yourself； Luis。 I know you're doing the best you can。 But； goddamn； I'm sick of this fucking around！〃 Camacho jerked his head at the door and Dreyfus went。
13
The Naval Weapons Center； China Lake； lies in the desert of southern California east of the range of mountains that form the eastern wall of the San Joaquin Valley。 The air at China Lake is clean； hot； and dry。 Tuesday afternoon Jake Grafton dragged in lungfuls of it as he walked across the baking concrete toward the air terminal with Helmut Fritsche and Samuel Dodgers。 Behind them； still trading quips with the female crew of the T…39 that had flown them here from Andrews AFB in Washington； via NAS Moffett Field where they had collected Dodgers； Toad Tarkington and Rita Moravia supervised the loading of the luggage into a navy station wagon。
An hour later Dr。 Dodgers lifted his ball cap and scratched his head。 He was standing with Grafton and Fritsche in a hangar that was empty except for an A…6E Intruder。 Sentries were posted on the outside of the doors with orders to admit no one。
The men were examining grease…pencil marks placed on the plane by Fritsche。 These were the locations he remended for the special antennas of Dodgers' Athena system。 And Sam Dodgers was scratching his head as he surveyed Fritsche's artwork。 〃Well；〃 he said unenthusiastically； 〃I guess these spots will work okay； after we tweak the output of each antenna。 But。。。〃 His voice trailed off。 Jake glanced at him without curiosity。 He had already discovered that Dodgers' enthusiasm came in uneven dribbles。
〃It's the left side of the airplane only；〃 Fritsche said firmly。 〃Fourteen antennas。 Side of the tail； fuselage； left outboard pylon； under the cockpit rail； forward on the nose。。。 and one on the left wingtip in place of the position light。〃
〃You really need one in front of the left intake； where that flat plate is。 That plate is probably the biggest single contributor to the plane's RCS when viewed from this side…makes up maybe half of it。〃
〃Can't put one there。 Might get broken off by the airflow and go down the intake。 It'd destroy the engine。〃
〃How about in front of that plate？〃
They discussed it。 Yes。
〃This jury rig is just for test purposes；〃 Fritsche told Jake。 〃An operational Athena system for an aircraft will have to h