〃Maybe he tried going without it。 That's one of the problems。 You give people medications； and as soon as they start feeling better； they stop taking the meds。 Even smart people；〃 Cathy noted。 〃Is it that stressful over there？〃
〃I guess it was for him。〃
〃Super。〃 It was the kind of remark that should have been followed by a roll…over； but Cathy hadn't been able to do that for some time。 〃He'll probably be all right。 You really have to work at it to be in serious trouble from ulcers nowadays。 Are you sure you want to work there？〃
〃No。 They want me； but I won't decide until you lose a little weight。〃
〃You'd better not be that far away when I go into labor。〃
〃I'll be there when you need me。〃
〃Almost got 'em；〃 Murray reported。
〃The same mob who raided Action…Directe； eh？ Yes； I've heard that was a nicely run mission。 What happened？〃 Owens asked。
〃The assault group was spotted seventy miles out and had to turn back。 On reexamination of the photos； it may be that our friends were already gone anyway。〃
〃Marvelous。 I see our luck is holding。 Where did they go； you reckon？〃
Murray grunted。 〃I've got to make the same assumption you have； Jimmy。〃
〃Quite。〃 He looked out the window。 The sun would be rising soon。 〃Well； we've cleared the DPG man and told him the story。〃
〃How'd he take it？〃
〃He immediately offered his resignation； but the missioner and I prevailed upon him to withdraw it。 We all have our little foibles；〃 Owens said generously。 〃He's a very good chap at what he does。 You'll be pleased to learn that his reaction was precisely the same as yours。 He said we should arrange for His Highness to fall off one of his polo ponies and break his leg。 Please don't quote either of us on that！〃
〃It's a hell of a lot easier to protect cowards； isn't it？ It's the brave ones who plicate our lives。 You know something？ He's going to be a good king for you someday。 If he lives long enough；〃 Murray added。 It was impossible not to like the kid； he thought。 And his wife was dynamite。 〃Well； if it makes you feel any better； the security on 'em in the States will be tight。 Just like what we give the President。 Even some of the same people are involved。〃
That's supposed to make me feel happy？ Owens asked himself silently； remembering how close several American Presidents had e to death at the hands of madmen； not to mention John F。 Kennedy。 It could be； of course； that the ULA was back wherever it lived； but all his instincts told him otherwise。 Murray was a close friend； and he also knew and respected the Secret Service agents who'd formed the security detail。 But the security of Their Highnesses was properly the responsibility of the Yard； and he didn't like the fact that it was now largely in others' hands。 Owens had been professionally offended the last time the American President had been in the U。K。； when the Secret Service had made a big show of shoving the locals as far aside as they dared。 Now he understood them a little better。
〃How much is the rent？〃 Dobbens asked。
〃Four…fifty a month；〃 the agent answered。 〃That's furnished。〃
〃Uh…huh。〃 The furnishings weren't exactly impressive； Alex saw。 They didn't have to be。
〃When can my cousin move in？〃
〃It's not for you？〃
〃No； it's my cousin。 He's in the same business I am；〃 Alex explained。 〃He's new to the area。 I'll be responsible for the rent； of course。 A three…month deposit； you said？〃
〃Okay。〃 The agent had specified two months' rent up…front。
〃Cash all right？〃 Dobbens asked。
〃Sure。 Let's go back to the office and get the paperwork done。〃
〃I'm running a little late。 I'm afraid。 Don't you have the contract with you？〃
The agent nodded。 〃Yeah； I can do it right here。〃 He walked out to his car and came back with a clipboard and a boilerplate rental contract。 He didn't know that he was condemning himself to death； that no one else from his office had seen this man's face。
〃My mail goes to a box I get it on the way into work。〃 That took care of the address。
〃What sort of work； did you say？〃
〃I work at the Applied Physics Laboratory； electrical engineer。 I'm afraid I can't be more specific than that。 We do a lot of government work； you understand。〃 Alex felt vaguely sorry for the man。 He was pleasant enough； and hadn't given him a runaround like many real estate people did。 It was too bad。 That's life。
〃You always deal in cash？〃
〃That's one way to make sure you can afford it；〃 Alex chuckled。
〃Could you sign here； please？〃
〃Sure thing。〃 Alex did so with his own pen； left…handed as he'd practiced。 〃And that's thirteen…fifty。〃 He counted off the bills。
〃That was easy；〃 the agent said as he handed over the keys and a receipt。
〃It sure was。 Thank you； sir。〃 Alex shook his hand。 〃He'll probably be moving in next week； certainly by the week after that。〃
The two men walked out to their cars。 Alex wrote down the agent's tag number： he drove his own car； not one belonging to the brokerage。 Alex noted his description anyway； just to be sure that his people didn't kill the wrong man。 He was glad he hadn't drawn a woman agent。 Alex knew that he'd have to overe that prejudice sooner or later； but for the moment it was an issue he was just as happy to avoid。 He followed the agent for a few blocks； then turned off and doubled back to the house。
It wasn't exactly perfect； but close enough。 Three small bedrooms。 The eat…in kitchen was all right； though； as was the living room。 Most important； it had a garage； and sat on nearly an acre of ground。 The lot was bordered by hedges； and sat in a semirural working…class neighborhood where the houses were separated by about fifty feet。 It would do just fine as a safehouse。
Finished； he drove to Washington National Airport； where he caught a flight to Miami。 There was a three…hour layover until he took another airplane to Mexico City。 Miller was waiting for him in the proper hotel。
〃Hello； Sean。〃
〃Hello； Alex。 Drink？〃
〃What do you have？〃
〃Well； I brought a bottle of decent whiskey； or you can have some of the local stuff。 The beer isn't bad； but I personally stop short of drinking something with a worm in the bottle。〃
Alex selected a beer。 He didn't bother with a glass。
〃So？〃
Dobbens drained the beer in one long pull。 It was good to be able to relax really relax。 Play…acting all the time at home could be a strain。 〃I got the safehouse all set up。 Did that this morning。 It'll do fine for what we want。 What about your people？〃
〃They're on the way。 They'll arrive as planned。〃
Alex nodded approval as he got a second beer。 〃Okay； let's see how the operation's going to run。〃
〃In a very real sense； Alex； you inspired this。〃 Miller opened his briefcase and extracted the maps and charts。 They went on the coffee table。 Alex didn't smile。 Miller was trying to stroke him； and Dobbens didn't like being stroked。 He listened for twenty minutes。
〃Not bad； that's pretty fair； but you're going to have to change a few things。〃
〃What？〃 Miller asked。 He was already angered by Dobbens' tone。
〃Look； man； there's going to be at least fifteen security guys right here。〃 Alex tapped the map。 〃And you're going to have to do them right quick； y'know？ We're not talking street cops here。 These guys are trained and well armed。 They're not exactly dumb； either。 If you want this to work； man； you have to land the first punch harder。 Your timing is off some； too。 No； we have to tighten this up some； Sean。〃
〃But they'll be in the wrong place！〃 Miller objected as dispassionately as he could manage。
〃And you want them to be running around loose？ No way； boy！ You'd better think about taking them out in the first ten seconds。 Hey； think of them as soldiers。 This ain't no snatch…and…run job。 We're talking bat here。〃
〃But if the security is going to be as tight as you say 〃
〃I can handle that； man。 Don't you pay attention to what I'm doing？ I can put your shooters in exactly the right spot at exactly the right time。〃
〃And how the hell will you do that！〃 Miller was unable to calm himself anymore。 There was just something about Alex