Expresso.'
'Yes, sir.' The butler left.
Jerry Auburn went through the agony of the stepped-up recuperation from overindulgence. When he at last felt semi-healthy, he groaned, took himself over to the desk, and flicked on the screen.
Ted Meer appeared, looking weary as though he hadn't been to bed the night before.
Jerry said nastily, 'Why in the hell don't you take pep pills when you've got a siege before you?' He knew that his aide had an aversion to stimulants but was in no mood to sympathize.
'Yes, sir,' the other said.
'Well, what have you found out?'
'We have the Dossier Complete of Roy Cos, as well as his activities of the last weeks since he has broken into the news. The material is on your desk. We have drawn a blank on Nils Ostrander. It is obviously an assumed name. The IABI is on the verge of arresting him in connection with the kidnapping and death of Harold Ounninger but thus far has insufficient evidence with which to operate. There is a vague hint that higher ups are protecting him, though that would seem impossible.'
'Shit it is,' Jerry muttered. 'Go on.'
'Franklin Pinell was recently deported from the United States after four felony sentences, the last of which was a homicide, He was sent to Tangier but he never reported to the Moroccan police. He is the son of the late Willard Pinell, known in mercenary circles as Buck Pinell. The elder Pinell, in partnership with Lothar von Brandenburg, founded Mercenaries, Incorporated over twenty years ago. Present location of Franklin Pinell is unknown.'
Jerry said, 'He's here in the States. If he's a deportee, undoubtedly under an alias and with false papers. Put the Pinkertons on his trail. What about Pamela McGivern?'
'There hasn't been sufficient time for much of a report, save that she has not returned to Ireland. Her family lives in Dublin. They haven't heard from her for a month.'
Jerry thought over what he had been told for a few mo-ments, then said, 'Keep at it. If anything important breaks, get in touch with me immediately. Keep digging on this Franklin Pinell and get some background on his father, Buck. Find out everything you can about him, especially his relationship with Lothar von Brandenburg.' He hesitated, then went on. 'I also want to check out a Lee Garrett, including all the dope you can get on her father and mother, who evidently weren't married. She's currently in residence at the Palazzo Colonna in Rome and has the job formerly held by Pamela McGivern. Check for any hanky-panky there might have been in her being selected by the computers for her job there. I don't want a cursory report on this. I want deep digging. It's extremely difficult, but not impossible, to jimmy the computers or the data banks.'
'Yes, sir,' Ted Meer said. 'Anything else, Mr. Auburn?'
'No. I'll get in touch, Ted.' Jerry turned off the screen and ran his hand over his facial stubble.
He thought some more, then reached for the screen again, touching the stud that would deactivate the video. He dialed slowly, remembering the digits. Max Finklestein's face appeared, frowning at the fact that his own screen was blank.
'Who is it?' he said, rubbing the end of his Armenian nose in irritation.
'Hamp,' Jerry said. 'Horace Hampton.'
'How the hell do I know it's Hamp?' Max said irritably.
'The last time I saw you we had our faces buried in the leaves behind the
'All right,' the other said. 'What spins, Hamp?'
'I'm tired of being on leave. What do you want me to do?'
'You'll have to check with National Headquarters, Hamp. I'm not running you anymore. I've been promoted to the National Executive Committee. I'm being sent up to Chicago to represent the Anti-Racist League at the Synthesis meeting.'
Jerry blinked. This was better than he could have expected. His mind racing, he said, 'I've heard a little about that meeting, Max, some of it disquieting. I want in.'
Max Finklestein said, 'Why?' puzzlement in his voice.
'As muscle. Among others, Roy Cos is going to be there and so is Nils Ostrander.'
'I know about Cos, but who's Nils Ostrander?'
'The Nihilist who engineered the kidnap killing of that multimillionaire, Harold Dunninger. There's an off chance that the IABI might try to pick him up at the meeting.'
Max said suspiciously, 'How in the name of Christ do you know?'
'Sticking my ears out. Ever since this Roy Cos character has been sounding off, everybody and his cousin have been talking about the different radical organizations. Not just the Wobblies, but all radicals. The idea of fundamental change is in the air.'
Max considered it. He finally nodded and said, 'All right. I'll check it out with the Executive Committee but they'll undoubtedly okay it. Each organization is allowed two delegates. You might as well be my partner. Suppose we meet there.'
'Wizard,' Jerry said. 'See you, Max.'
He cut the screen, then flicked on the video again and the switch for his harassed aide. Ted Meer's face came on.
Jerry said, 'One more thing, Ted. Plant a news story, and I mean really plant it, so that nobody who listens to the news at all could possibly miss it. The story is that Horace Hampton, an alleged suspect in the recent attack on Governor Teeter, will be present representing the Anti-Racist League at the Synthesis meeting to be held by radical groups in Chicago.'
His aide said, 'Yes, Mr. Auburn. That name again?'
'Horace Hampton, damn it. Take some pep pills!'
He flicked off, then immediately back on again. He dialed and almost immediately his own face was there on the screen. He said, 'Hi, Jim. What spins?'
His double grinned at him. 'I still think I've got the best goddamn job in the world.'
Jerry laughed. 'You probably have at that, you chronic hedonist. I do all the work, you have all the fun, and between us we're Jeremiah Auburn. Okay, Jim. You're to surface again, immediately. This time, drop the recluse bit. Go to one of the gambling resorts—Monte Carlo or Nice. Drop a hundred thousand or so at roulette, or whatever. Enough so that it'll be picked up by the news people and have society commentators asking whether Jerry Auburn is coming out of seclusion to rejoin the Rocket Set.'
'Got it,' Jim said. 'Great. Back to the high life. Do I need to know what it's all about?'
'No. Not necessary.' Jerry's face broke into another fond grin. 'Just be sure to remember the names of people you meet and what you did with them, especially the mopsies you might lay, you damned screwing machine. We'll have to get together again one of these days, Jim, and bend a few elbows. It's been a long time since we've sat across a table from each other and tossed back a few. There's something weird about getting drenched and sitting across from you… yourself.''
'Tell me about it,' Jim said. 'The last time I didn't recover for days. And it wasn't just because I was looking at my own face.'
Jerry laughed and flicked the screen off, touched another switch. This time, Barry Wimple's face came on.
Jerry said, 'I'll be leaving town again, Barry. Dismiss the staff. You and Ted and Lester check into Central, of course. I don't know how long it'll be before I'm back this time.'
His senior executive was aghast. 'But, Mr. Auburn, I've got a dozen top-priority matters…'
'That's what I pay you for, Barry,' Jerry said, brushing aside the other's complaint. 'The decisions are up to you and the rest of your boys. When you start making bad ones, it's your ass. Meanwhile, I want the staff cleared out of here before noon.'
'Yes, sir,' the old man said unhappily.
Jerry turned him off, then slumped in his chair for a moment and took a deep breath before heading for the master bedroom. He passed through it into the dressing room, went into the bath, and to the medical cabinet, which he opened with a small key to bring forth a hypodermic needle. Minutes later he returned to the dressing
