"And are there any employees of the Global Community, here or anywhere in the world, who have yet to receive the mark?"
"Less than one thousandth of one percent, Excellency. Probably fewer than ten, and all loyalists with valid reasons, and all to the best of our knowledge with plans to rectify the situation immediately."
"But should they not be our primary suspects? "
"We have them closely watched, sir. And there is not one employee in the palace or in New Babylon without the mark."
After Suhail was finally able to excuse himself and get back to the situation in Ptolemals, Chang kept listening to Carpathia"s office. Nicolae mumbled under his breath, but Chang could not make it out. Occasionally he heard banging, as if Carpathia was pounding on a table or desk. Finally he heard a clatter that sounded like Carpathia had kicked a wastebasket and stuff spilled out.
After a few moments, Chang heard a faint knock and Carpathia calling out, "Enter."
"Oh, excuse me there, Potentate, sir. I"m to get your monitor hooked up to the United North American States and the United South American States."
Carpathia ignored him until the man was on his way out. "Clean up this mess," he said. Mac decided to take the initiative with the GC Peacekeeper in charge of the roadblock and not wait to be asked for his papers.
George was slouched in the pa.s.senger seat.
"Wow, whatcha got goin" tonight there, Chief? I haven"t seen this many of you guys on the streets since I started workin" road maintenance. All these guys are makin" it hard on our construction zones, but you gotta do what you gotta do. What"re ya lookin" for, anyway? Something I can be watchin" for?"
"Confidential matter, sir. High level manhunt. Long day for you guys, huh?"
"Tell me about it. We"re hardly ever out this late. Had to come back around the long way from the airport. That part of this deal? That place is locked up tight. Went through the roadblock there too. They cleared us even though we don"t have our papers on us, "cause we had to work so late, asphalt and all. Goin" back to the work shed now."
"That"s no excuse to not have your papers. Everybody is supposed to have their papers all the time."
"We know, and we both feel terrible about it. But we"ll have "em with us on the way home."
"They let you off down by the airport?"
"Yeah, nice guys. I mean, we aren"t Peacekeepers, but we"re all working for the people anyway, right?"
"That"s not by the book."
"You know, I thought that very thing and really appreciated it that he wasn"t one of those hard guys that gives the workingman a bad time." "" Well, I dons want to make your life miserable either, sir, so we can make this real easy. How about you two just show me your marks of loyalty, and you can move it along."
Chloe thought Mac had nearly talked his way out of the situation.
But if he was no threat, showing his mark would not have been a problem.
"Don"t hesitate, Hannah," Chloe said.
"I wish that other guy would get out of his car."
From the walkie talkie: "You just want to see our marks? "
"Yes, Sir. Hand or forehead?"
"Mine"s on the forehead here, under the cap. My partner"s is, ah, where is yours, bud?"
"Hand," Sebastian said.
"Let"s have a look," the Peacekeeper said.
"Where"s yours, by the way?" Mac said. "You got the image of the potentate too?"
"Nah. Just the number. I"m kinda military that way."
Chloe glanced at Hannah, then back at the truck, where Mac slowly unlatched his seat belt and took off his cap. He leaned forward.
"I don"t see anything."
"what? Look! "
From the walkie talkie, George in a quiet singsong: "Now would be the perfect time."
The Peacekeeper spun in a circle, slammed back against the cab of the truck, and dropped, screaming. As he slowly started to rise, Mac said, "Say there, fella, what was that all about?"
"I don"t know, I ah, fire ants or something." He rubbed his back gingerly, now standing. He motioned to the officer in the other GC car, who quickly stepped out.
"What"s the trouble?"
"Pain in my back, like I backed into a hot pipe or something. I think a blister"s rising."
He leaned toward Mac again, then grabbed the back of his leg and howled, falling and writhing. The other officer drew his weapon.
"What are you guys doing?"
"We"re not doing anything!" Mac said. "What"s his problem? "
The inside light of the truck came on, and George got out and went toward the front with his hands raised. He must have had the walkie talkie in his pocket now, because Chloe could still hear him on Hannah"s radio. "Can I help in any way?" he asked.
"Stay right where you are," the second Peacekeeper said, just before he flopped in the road, dropping his weapon and trying to cover his face.
Mac Jumped out to help George. "Yank the radios in their cars,"
he said. "I"ll get the ones on their uniforms."
By now the officers were delirious, gla.s.sy eyed, and wailing.
"Ladies," George radioed, "come help us with these cars."
Mac: disarmed the officers and tossed their weapons into the bed of the truck. He took their radios and put them in the front seat. "Once you"ve got those car radios disconnected," he told George, "pop the trunks."
Chloe and Hannah came running. "Chloe," Mac said, "you two are going to give us an escort. Once I get this guy in the trunk of his car, I"ll pull the truck in behind you. Hannah, you fall in behind once we get the other guy in his trunk."
The GC were whimpering. "You boys hush now," Mac said. "You"re gonna hurt awhile, but you"re not gonna die unless you make us shoot you. We"re Just going for a little ride."
With the GC ensconced in their respective trunks, Mac carefully turned the truck around and told George to give the women extra ammo from the bag they had gotten at the Co op. With the truck and the two GC squad cars pointed west, one of the GC radios crackled. "North roadblock, acknowledge, please."
"North roadblock," Mac said, while only half mashing the transmit b.u.t.ton.
"Repeat? "
"North roadblock here," he said, careful to make sure he was heard, but not perfectly.
"Status? "
"Busy. "