a very good laboratory。 We're not looking in tenements or abandoned warehouses； Mr。 President。 Somewhere in the surrounding counties is a state…of…the…art lab that was created just for this purpose。〃
〃All right；〃 he said finally。 〃The hunt for Beria is under way。 We'll also start searching for this lab。 Right now； we keep a lid on what's happening。 Total media blackout。 Is that about right？〃
〃Yes； sir。 About the media： Kirov has done a yeoman's job of keeping the situation in Russia under wraps。 But if there's a leak； that's where it will spring。 I suggest that when you call President Potrenko； you ask him what steps he's taking to hold the blackout in place on his end。〃
〃Noted。 Now what about this second man you mentioned； the one Beria may or may not have met in Moscow？〃
〃He's the wild card； sir；〃 Klein said softly。 〃If we can finger him； we can use him to get to Beria。〃
As soon as he heard the double ping indicating that the aircraft was at the gate； Adam Treloar was out of his seat and moving to the forward hatch。 The rest of the first…class passengers fell in behind him； creating a buffer between him and the man who could not be allowed to catch a glimpse of him。
Treloar drummed his fingers on his carry…on； impatient for the hatch to roll up。 His instructions had been precise。 He repeated them over and over again until he knew the litany by heart。 The only question was； would he be able to carry them out without interference？。
The hatch disappeared into the bulkhead； the flight attendant stepped back； and Treloar charged past her。 He set a fast pace； moving through the jetway and into a harshly lit corridor that dead…ended at an escalator。 He walked down it and found himself at the immigration booths。 Beyond them were the baggage carousels and the customs checkpoints。
Treloar had expected and would have preferred crowds。 But Dulles was not as busy as Kennedy or Los Angeles； and no international flights had e at the same time or just a little ahead of American 1710。 He went up to an empty counter and offered his paperwork to an officer who scanned the passport and asked inane questions about where he'd been。 Treloar gave him the truth about his mother； how he had gone to Russia to visit her grave and tend to it。 The officer nodded solemnly； scribbled something on the customs form； and waved him along。
Treloar had baggage； but he wasn't about to waste time waiting for it to e down the chute。 The instructions had been very specific on that point： he was to get out of the terminal as quickly as possible。 Walking past the carousels； Treloar dared to glance over his shoulder。 At the other end； Jon Smith was at an immigration counter reserved for diplomats and aircrews。 Why would he。。。？ Of course！ Smith was Pentagon。 He would be traveling on a military ID； not on a civilian passport。
Holding his card； Treloar approached the customs agent。
〃Traveling light； sir；〃 the agent mented。
Remembering his instructions； Treloar explained that he had had his bags sent on ahead； using a bonded courier service that catered to well…heeled travelers who were not inclined to wrestle with their own suitcases。 Familiar with the arrangements； the agent waved him through。
Out of the corner of his eye； Treloar caught Smith walking up to the same agent。 He veered right； so as not to walk across Smith's line of sight。
〃No； sir；〃 the agent called out。 〃You go left。〃
Treloar turned abruptly and almost ran into the tunnel that connected to the terminal。
〃Dr。 Smith？〃
He turned to the customs agent walking up to him。 〃Yes？〃
〃There's a call for you； sir。 You can take it in there。〃
The agent opened the door to an interview room where detained travelers were questioned。 Pointing to a phone on the desk； he said； 〃Line one。〃
〃This is Smith。〃
〃Jon； it's Randi。〃
〃Randi！〃
〃Listen。 There isn't much time。 I just got a positive ID on that guy in the picture。 He's Adam Treloar。〃
Smith clenched the receiver。 〃You're sure？〃
〃Positive。 We cleaned up the video enough to get a good print； which I shipped over to the embassy。 Don't worry。 Whatever the cat is； it's still in the bag。 I made Treloar a prospective investor and asked for a standard background check。〃
〃What did you find out？〃
〃His mother was Russian； Jon。 She died a while ago。 Treloar es over frequently； to pay his respects； I guess。 Oh； and he was on the same flight as you… American 1710。〃
Smith was stunned。 〃Randi； I can't thank you enough。 But I have to run。〃'
〃What do you want me to do with the laptop and the cell phone you brought in？〃
〃Can you get your boy genius to work on it？〃
〃I figured as much。 I'll call you as soon as I have something。〃
Smith left the office； quickly walked back to the customs counter and found the agent who had alerted him to the call。
〃I need your help；〃 he said urgently； displaying his military ID。 〃There was a passenger onboard 1710。 Can you find out if he's cleared customs yet？ The name is Adam Treloar。〃
The agent turned to his terminal。 〃Got him right here。 Treloar。 Went through about two minutes ago。 Do you want…？〃
Smith was already on the move； heading out of the restricted area toward the concourse； dialing Klein's number as he ran。
〃Klein here。〃
〃Sir； it's Smith。 The guy with Beria is American。 Dr。 Adam Treloar。 He's a NASA scientist and he was on the London…to…Washington flight。〃
〃Can you find him？〃 Klein demanded urgently。
〃He has a two…minute start on me； sir。 I might be able to run him down before he leaves the terminal。〃
〃Jon； I'm at Camp David with the president。 Hold on； please。〃
Smith kept threading his way through the traffic in the concourse as he waited for Klein to e back on the line。
〃Jon； listen to me。 A FIREWALL alert was issued earlier； for Beria。 But he slipped through it。 Now that we know who he was seen with it's imperative that you find Treloar。 We have FBI agents in the area…〃
〃No good； sir。 It'll take too long to bring them up to speed。 I think I have the best shot。〃
〃Then take it。〃
Smith raced down the tunnel。 He knew the layout of Dulles intimately。 After clearing customs and immigration； passengers walked through the arrivals area to other gates； or； if D。C。 was their final destination； to the area where the specially built transit buses waited。 These vehicles could raise their platforms to reach the boarding area。 Once the passengers were on； the chassis was lowered and the buses would go across the airport to the main terminal。 There； the docking process would be repeated； and the passengers would disembark and head for the exits。
Smith ran past the shops and newsstands； darting among travelers； straining to catch a glimpse of Treloar。 Reaching the end of the concourse； he found himself in a large holding area。 Along one wall were elevator…style glass doors that passengers went through to get on the buses。 Only one bus was parked at the dock。 Smith shouldered his way through the crowd of twenty…odd travelers who were in the process of boarding。
Ignoring the shouts；of protest； Smith elbowed his way onto the bus； his eyes flitting from face to face。 He checked every passenger。 Treloar wasn't there。
Smith rapped hard on the partition separating the cabin from the driver's partment。 A startled； black face looked back at him and the ID he jammed against the glass。
〃Did another bus just leave here？〃 he shouted。
The driver nodded and gestured at a bus that was better than halfway between the arrivals area and the main terminal。
Smith turned and cut his way through the growing crowd in the bus。 He spotted an emergency exit and dashed toward it。 Alarms sounded as he threw open the door with the large red warning sign stenciled across its face。
Flying down the ramp that led to gate aprons； Smith spotted an airport supervisor's sedan idling next to a string of baggage carts。 He flung open the door and jumped behind the wheel。 He jammed his foot on the accelerator and the sedan shot onto the taxiways； narrowly missing an oning fueler。
The drive across the parking aprons took less than thirty seconds。 Abandoning the vehicle； Smith raced up to the bus。 Because the chassis was eight feet off the ground； he c