Ken Follett - Code to Zero (2000)

He was right. A few moments later, another car arrived. Anthony could not see the colour, but it was a Ford Thunderbird It parked twenty yards from Anthony's Cadillac and a small, slight figure jumped out, leaving the engine running.

'Hello, Billie,' said Anthony.

She looked from him to the monument and saw Pete and Larry up on the raised platform, looking into the circle. She stood frozen, staring.

Anthony walked toward her, 'Don't try anything dramatic - it would upset Larry.'

'Don't talk to me about upsetting him, you son of a bitch.' Her voice cracked with strain. She was near to tears.

'I had to do this.'

'Nobody has to do something like this.'

Her hostility was hardly surprising, but all the same her contempt stung him. He said; 'Do you know the quote from Thomas Jefferson that appears inside this monument, in letters two feet high? It says: 'I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.' That's why I'm doing it'

'The hell with your motives. You've lost sight of whatever ideals you once had. Nothing good can survive this kind of treachery.'

It was a waste of time arguing with her. 'Where's Luke?' he said abruptly.

There was a long pause. At last she said: 'Luke caught a plane to Huntsville.'

Anthony breathed a deep sigh of satisfaction. He had what he needed.

He was also surprised at the answer. 'Why . Huntsville?'

'It's where the army designs the rockets.'

'I know that But why would he go there today? Florida is where it's all happening.'

'I don't know why.'

Anthony tried to read her face, but it was too dark. 'I think you're holding something back.'

'! don't care what you think. I'm going to take my son and leave.'

'No, you're not,' Anthony said. 'We're keeping him for a while.'

Billie's voice was a cry of anguish. 'Why? I've told you where Luke went!'

'There may be other ways you can help us.'

'It's not fair!'

'You'll live.' He turned away.

That was his mistake.

Billie had been half-expecting this.

As Anthony stepped towards his car, she rushed him. With her right shoulder, she hit him in the small of the back. She weighed only 120 pounds, and he had to be fifty pounds heavier, but she had surprise and rage on her side. He stumbled and fell forward, coming down on his hands and knees. He grunted with surprise and pain.

Billie took the Colt from her coat pocket.

As Anthony tried to get up, she charged him again, this time from the side. He crashed to the ground, rolling. As he came face up, she dropped to one knee beside his head and shoved the barrel of the gun forcefully into his mouth. She felt a tooth break.

He froze.

Deliberately, she moved the safety catch up to the firing position. She looked into his eyes and saw fear. He had not expected the gun. A trickle of blood appeared on his chin.

Billie looked up. Larry and the man with him were still gazing at the monument, unaware of the fracas. She returned her attention to Anthony. 'I'm going to take the gun out of your mouth,' she said, panting. 'If you move, I'll kill you. If you're still alive, you're going to call to your colleague and tell him what I say.' She took the gun out of Anthony's mouth and pointed it at his left eye. 'Now,' she said. 'Call him.'

Anthony hesitated.

She touched the barrel of the pistol to his eyelid.

'Pete!' he shouted.

Pete looked around. There was a pause. Pete said in a puzzled tone: 'Where are you?' Anthony and Billie were outside the range of the headlights.

Billie said: Tell him to stay where he is.'

Anthony said nothing. Billie pressed the gun into his eye. Anthony shouted: 'Stay where you are!'

Pete put his hand to his forehead, peering into the dark, looking for the source of the voice: 'What's happening?' he called. 'I can't see you.'

Billie shouted: 'Larry, this is Mom. Get in the T-bird!'

Pete grabbed Larry's arm.

'The man won't let me!' Larry screamed.

'Stay calm!' Billie yelled. 'Uncle Anthony's going to tell the man to let you go.' She pressed the gun barrel harder into Anthony's eye.

'All right!' Anthony cried. She eased the pressure. He shouted: 'Let the kid go!'

Pete said: 'Are you sure?'

'Do what I say, for Christ's sake -she's got a gun on me!'

'Okay!' Pete released Larry's arm.

Larry headed toward the back of the monument then reappeared, seconds later, at ground level. He ran towards Billie. 'Not this way,' she said, struggling to keep her voice calm. 'Get in the car, quickly.'

Larry ran to the Thunderbird and jumped in, slamming the door.

With a quick lashing movement, Billie hit Anthony on both sides of his face with the gun, as hard as she could. He cried out in pain, but before he could move she pushed the gun into his mouth again. He lay still, groaning. She said: 'Remember that if you're ever tempted to kidnap a child again.'

She stood up, withdrawing the gun from his mouth. 'Stay still,' she commanded. She backed towards her car, keeping the gun on him. She glanced up at the monument. Pete had not moved.

She got into her car.

Larry said: 'Have you got a gun?'

She stuffed the Colt inside, her jacket. 'Are you okay?' she asked him. , He started to cry.

She shoved the gearshift into first and tore away.

.

8 A. M.

The smaller rockets that power the second, third and last stages use a solid fuel known as T17-E2, a potysulphide with ammonium perchlorate as oxidizer. Each rocket generates about 1,600 pounds of thrust in space.

Bern poured warm milk over Larry's cornflakes while Billie beat up an egg for French toast. They were giving their child comfort food, but Billie felt the adults needed comfort too. Larry was eating heartily and listening to the radio at the same time.

'I'm going to kill that son of a bitch Anthony,' Bern muttered, speaking quietly so that Larry would not hear. 'I swear to God, I'll rucking kill him.'

Billie's rage had evaporated. Pistol-whipping Anthony had gotten rid of it all. Now she was worried and frightened - partly for Larry, who had had a nasty fright, and partly for Luke. 'I'm afraid Anthony may try to kill Luke,' she said.

Bern dropped a knob of butter into a hot frying pan, then dipped a slice of white bread into the egg mixture Billie had made. 'Luke won't kill easy.'

'But he thinks he's escaped - he doesn't know I've told Anthony where he is.' While Bern fried the egg-soaked bread, Billie walked up and down the kitchen, biting her lip. 'Anthony is probably on his way to Huntsville now. Luke's on a slow plane. Anthony could get a flight and be there first. I have to find a way to warn Luke.'

'Leave a message at the airport?'

'It's not reliable enough. I think I have 'to go there myself. There was a Viscount that left at nine, wasn't there? Where's that airline guide?'

'Right on the table.'

Billie picked it up. Flight 271 left Washington at exactly nine. Unlike Luke's flight, this one stopped only twice, landing at Huntsville four minutes before noon. Luke's flight did not land until two twenty-three. She could be waiting for him at the airport 'I can do it,' she said.

'Then you should.'

Billie hesitated, looking at Larry, torn by conflicting urges.

Bern read her mind. 'He'll be okay.'

'I know, but I don't want to leave him, today of all days.'

'I'll take care of him.'

'Would you keep him out of school?'

Yes, I think that'd be a good idea, at least for today.'

Larry said: 'I've finished my cornflakes.'

Bern said: 'Then you must be just about ready for some French toast' He slid a slice on to a plate. 'Want some maple syrup with that?'

Yeah.'

'Yes, what?'

'Yes, please.'

Bern poured syrup from a bottle.