Georges LeFarge looked up to see Bates coming out of his office and
into the wide, vinyl-floored expanse that was Command. He assumed the
CEO had been sitting moodily in his office, dwelling on the imminent
foreclosure of SatCom's creditors. He must have been puffing up a storm
on his pipe because a cloud of smoke poured out after him. And he
looked weary--his eyes told it.
Nobody down at Launch Control knew they had been taken over by
terrorists. Peretz had carefully made sure that all communications from
Command were monitored and controlled. Number One had gone down there,
but he apparently had managed to fool everybody into thinking he and
all his hoods were SatCom consultants. One thing you had to say for
them, they were masters of deceit. Number One could pass for a high-
powered European executive, and he was playing the authority thing to
the hilt.
"Are you bastards having fun?" Bates walked over and addressed Dore
Peretz.
The Israeli looked up and grinned. "More than that, we're making
history. Fasten your seat belt, 'cause your first test launch is going
to be a real show-stopper. A one-of-a-kind."
"This facility doesn't need any more 'show-stoppers,' as you put it,
pal." Bates looked him over with contempt. "We were doing just fine
before you barged in."
"Live a little, baby." Peretz beamed back. "Lie back and enjoy it."
"Let me break some news to you, chum. This organization isn't going to
just roll over and give you the store. Now I want to talk to that
greaseball who calls himself Number One. It's time we got some
consideration for my people here. They need food and they need to be
rotated so they can get some rest. There's going to be hell to pay, and
in short order. I can guarantee it."
"Hey, man, ease up." Peretz leaned back, then rotated away from the
console. "Everybody's okay. Don't start getting heavy. We're just about
ready to party."
"Right." Bates walked past, headed for the door. "I want to see what
you fuckers have done to my people down at Launch. I'm going over
there."
"You're not going anywhere, asshole," Peretz declared, "so just sit
down and make yourself comfortable." He turned and signaled the Iranian
lounging at the door, barking something to him in Farsi.
The man was carrying his Uzi by the strap, almost as though it were a
toy, but in a second he clicked to attention, brought it up, and
chambered a round. Bates glared at him, then turned away, knowing when
he was licked. He might try and take the bastard, but it probably
wasn't worth the risk. Not yet. The time would come.