Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. We’re the winning side, Drake. By tomorrow morning, we’ll control the government.”
“The military is under civilian control. The president is the Commander in Chief.”
“Starting tomorrow I’m going to be the civilian control. But don’t worry. It’s a bloodless coup. This will become the Western White House. I’m expecting you to finish the race. You’ll collect your per diem, and you’ve got a shot at really big money. Besides, there’s a place for you in my administration.”
“Let me talk to my father.”
“Sorry, there’s no time for that right now. I’ve got to get back to the meeting. I’m going to have Artie keep an eye on you until the meeting’s over. I suggest you rest in that reclining chair over there, try to get some sleep. After the meeting we’ll get you back to your motel.”
It couldn’t be as simple as Casey said. Typically, overthrowing a government required lots of bullets and bloodshed. But if he had the military behind him… Drake remembered something.
“It’s not a completely bloodless coup, is it? What about Grace?”
Casey looked surprised, then cunning. Finally, he shrugged. “There are always a few casualties along the way.”
Casey stood up and walked toward the outside door. As soon as his back was turned, Drake stood and started for the stairs. He took several quiet steps and then accelerated into a run, slowed by knee pain. He saw Artie running to cut him off. Damn. The guard hadn’t been napping. Artie must have played football, because he hit Drake with a solid tackle. Drake’s knees hit the floor, exacerbating the injuries he had received from his previous fall.
Before he could move, Artie put the gun to his head.
“I liked you, Drake. I really did.” Casey said the words to Drake and then whispered something in Artie’s ear. Artie put a knee in Drake’s back and handcuffed him while Drake listened to the clop of Casey’s shoes as he ascended the stairs.
Drake said, “What happens now?”
Artie said, “In five minutes we’re going outside.”
Drake didn’t have to ask where. Into the trees and far enough from the lodge that the people inside wouldn’t hear a shot.
CHAPTER 36
“The lights have been turned on.” Melody stated the obvious, partly to get Slick talking. He hadn’t said two words since Drake disappeared into the dark. The spotlights were located all around the building and also along the driveway.
Slick grunted. “Don’t know if that’s good or bad for our boy. It’s for sure he’s made contact, though.”
He looked at his watch with the aid of his flashlight. “Maybe I should go in there and see how he’s doing.”
Melody was having trouble waiting also. “We’ll go in together.”
Slick shone the flashlight on her feet. “Can you get around in those shoes?”
A typical male question. She didn’t have sneakers on, but they weren’t that bad.
“At least they aren’t heels.”
“It’ll be easier walking with the lights, but we’ve got to take extra care. Stay behind me.”
Melody was willing to do that. They approached the building, walking in the woods parallel to the driveway, so they wouldn’t be illuminated by the lights. Slick was able to use his flashlight to keep them from stumbling over roots and stones. Nobody would see it; the other lights drowned out its beam.
The trees ended at a cleared area surrounding the building, which was set on a hill, sloping up to the right. Slick stopped when he came to the edge of the trees and surveyed the open space. The lit windows were directly across the clearing from them. They were closed against the cool air of an evening in the mountains. Melody could see people inside, but her view was limited. She couldn’t tell whether Drake was among them. They didn’t see anybody outside.
Slick pulled out his gun. “Do you know how to use this?”
It was a standard nine millimeter. Melody nodded. She had been trained in the use of small arms. He handed it to her.
“Cover me. I’m going to see if Drake’s inside that room.”
Before he could move, a man came around the corner of the building to the right and uphill from them, obviously a guard. He walked slowly along the wall, illuminated by the floodlights on the building. He passed the lit windows and was approaching the closest point to Melody and Slick.
Slick whispered, “Before, there were at least two.”
They couldn’t worry about the other one. Melody handed the gun back to Slick.
“I’ll distract him and you can take him from behind.”
She walked out of the trees, angling so it would appear that she had come up the driveway. She called to the guard, but not loudly enough that she would be heard inside the building.
“Excuse me, sir. Can you help me? I’m lost.”
The man whirled around, his hand reaching inside his jacket. When he saw Melody, he paused and withdrew his hand without a gun.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m lost. I saw your lights. I think I got on the wrong road.”
“Come here.”
Melody didn’t move. She tried to look helpless. The guard approached her slowly, looking around for anyone else. Slick was still hidden in the trees. Melody turned her body so that the guard would have his back to Slick when he talked to her. The man was still wary, but he kept coming. Melody smiled at him.
“I knew you’d help me. I’m trying to get to San Jose. Do you know the way to San Jose?” She almost sang it.
“You shouldn’t be here all by yourself.”
He came up to her. Melody focused on his eyes, but with her peripheral vision she could see Slick come out of the trees. She stepped close to the guard and launched into a confusing story about where she had been and where she was going, speaking loudly so that the man wouldn’t hear any noise inadvertently made by Slick.
Slick was just a couple of steps away when the guard sensed something and spun around, his right hand reaching for his gun. Melody grabbed his arm and pulled on it with all her weight. Slick hit him on the head with his pistol. The man went down in a heap. Slick pulled the gun out of his shoulder holster. The man moaned.
“He’s just stunned. Put this in his mouth.”
He handed Melody a handkerchief. She stuffed it into the mouth of the semi-conscious man. Slick produced a roll of tape. She securely taped the guard’s mouth shut with pieces of tape handed to her by Slick, making sure he wouldn’t be able to loosen the tape by moving his jaw.
Slick taped the man’s arms behind him and then taped his legs together. He picked him up by the shoulders; Melody grabbed his feet. They dragged him into the trees and dumped him in the fetal position. He wouldn’t be seen from the building. Slick handed the guard’s gun to Melody.
“You can cover me with this.”
The gun was similar to Slick’s. Melody checked to make sure it was ready to fire. Slick took a look around; nobody else was in sight outside. He walked toward the windows, bending over so that he wouldn’t be seen from inside. He peeked through the windows from several angles and then jogged back to Melody, still keeping his body low.
“No sign of Drake. Looks like business as usual. I saw Casey; he’s doing most of the talking. There are several men in uniform, probably staff to the Chairman. I’ll bet they’re armed.”
Melody said, “We need to get inside. The door on this side is adjacent to the room they’re in. Too close to them, especially if Drake’s not there. The building has several floors. If we go around to the right up the hill, maybe there’s a door to the floor above them. I’d rather be above them than below them.”
