'See you around.'
'Take care, ' Jack said.
Jack straightened some of the piles of uncompleted case folders that stood on his desk. He hung up his jacket behind the door, then sat down to work. Having been out of the office the last two afternoons, he was more behind than usual.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19
6:30 P. M. Curt turned onto Oceanview Lane. Although it wasn't quite dark yet, he switched on his headlights because of the deep shadows within the confines of the narrow roadway. Just like the night before, there were multiple trash cans littering the pavement's periphery. He pulled up alongside Yuri's garage and cut both the lights and the engine.
'I'm happy with everything we've decided except the idea of giving this Commie a gun, ' Steve said. 'I have to tell you, I don't like it.'
'What the hell choice do we have? ' Curt complained. 'I told you, he's terrified of his brother-in-law.
The guy threatened to kill him.'
'I know what you told me, ' Steve said. 'But as weird as Yuri's been acting and the crazy stuff he's been saying, like all that bullshit about this being a rootless culture, I tell you, I don't like him having a gun. Especially not one of ours. What if he turns it on us?'
'He's not going to turn it on us, ' Curt said irritably. 'For crissake, we're the only friends he's got.
Besides, he probably couldn't hit a barn from inside. And you've got your gun, right? '
'Of course, ' Steve said.
'Well, I've got mine, too, ' Curt said. 'There's no way you and I couldn't handle one tubby little Russian. Come on! Let's get this over with! ' The two men got out of the truck. They met at the front and started for Yuri's door. Curt was carrying a brown paper bag.
'The main thing is we have to keep him working in the lab, ' Curt said.
'If it takes giving him a gun, so be it. We're so close. We can't let Operation Wolverine die on the vine because Yuri's scared of his nigger brother-in-law.'
'But if he's got a gun, he might be harder for the troops to handle, ' Steve said.
Curt pulled his partner to a stop. 'You think one Glock automatic is going to make a difference against a half dozen Kalashnikovs? Come on! Be serious! '
'I guess not, ' Steve said.
'Of course not, ' Curt said. 'Right after we take possession of our part of the anthrax powder and get it safely back to the White Pride, we'll send in the troops. Glock or no Glock, the mission will be over in five seconds. Hell, we'll tell em to burn this freaking place down in the process.'
'Okay, you're right, ' Steve said. 'I just want to be sure. The more I've thought about it, the more I don't want him spraying anthrax around Central Park.'
'I feel the same, ' Curt said.
'Clearly it's not a military objective like the Jacob Javits Federal Building.'
'And it bugged me when he was carrying on about how many more casualties his plan would cause than ours. I don't buy it. Hell, the federal building's HVAC vents outside. Not only are we going to knock out the entire building, the anthrax will spread around that whole section of the city.'
'Damn straight, ' Curt said. 'It'll vector east toward the courthouses.
I mean, is that not perfect or what? '
'It couldn't be any better, ' Steve agreed.
'Once we give the word to the troops, Yuri's a dead man, ' Curt said.
'You know that. End of story.' Steve nodded. They recommenced walking.
'I don't see any lights on inside, ' Curt said as they reached the door.
He had to squint in the glare of an exterior carriage lamp mounted to the left of the jamb. 'He better the hell be here! ' Curt pulled open the torn screen door and rapped loudly against the inner door. It opened almost immediately. Yuri peered out from the inner gloom.
'Thank goodness, ' Yuri said with relief. 'Come in! ' Curt and Steve filed past the Russian but found themselves in darkness, still momentarily blinded by the bright outdoor light.
'What the hell have you been doing in here? ' Curt questioned. 'I can't see my hand in front of my face.'
'Sorry, ' Yuri said as he scurried to turn on a lamp next to the couch.
'I was afraid Connie's brother might show up before you got here, and I wanted it to look like no one was home.'
'That's better, ' Curt said when he could see.
'Can I get you men some iced vodka? ' Yuri asked.
'I think I'll pass, ' Curt said.
'Same with me, ' Steve said.
'Did you bring the gun? ' Yuri questioned.
'Sure, I got it, ' Curt said. He held up the bag. 'But let's talk first.'
'Okay, ' Yuri said. 'Do you mind if I get some vodka for myself? '
'Not at all, ' Curt said.
While Yuri went to the kitchen, Curt and Steve sat down. Curt took the couch while Steve sat in one of two straight-back chairs. They left the other for Yuri so that he would be more or less between them.
'It's amazing to think of what's going to come out of this trashy hellhole's basement, ' Curt whispered.
'Just the thought of it gives me a rush.'
'I know what you mean, ' Steve whispered back. 'Like Christ being born in a stable, extraordinary things can come from lowly surroundings.
This bio-weapon is probably going to change the world.'
'Let's content ourselves with saving the country, ' Curt responded.
With glass in hand, Yuri joined the others. He sat down in the empty chair.
'What would you like to talk about? ' Yuri asked. He took a sip of his drink and relished its taste.
Despite some recent misgivings about his relationship with his guests, he was happy and relieved they were there, 'With all these unexpected problems that have been popping up, we've decided things have to be speeded up, ' Curt said. 'Like we told you last night, we're worried about security. After talking about it all day, we've decided we want to schedule the event for Friday. So, we want our half of the anthrax powder Thursday night. That's two days from now.'
'This is very sudden, ' Yuri said. He was visibly shocked. The plan had been to wait until he had enough of the bio-weapon before they'd plan the actual day of release.
'Maybe so, ' Curt said. 'But we feel strongly that this is the way it has to be.'
'It's going to be difficult, ' Yuri said. His eyes darted nervously back and forth between Curt and Steve.
'Both laydowns need at least four or five pounds for maximum effect.'
'That means we want at least four and preferably five pounds Thursday night, ' Curt said. 'This is not a discussion. Am I making myself clear?'
'I don't know what to say, ' Yuri stammered.
'Just say, Fine, Curt, just come by and I'll have it ready for you.
You originally told us it would be sealed in clear plastic and look like large sausages. Is that still the case? '
'Yes, ' Yuri said. He took a sip from his glass and his hand trembled.
'And it's safe to handle in that form, ' Curt said. 'I mean without a hazmat suit.'
'Unless the plastic breaks, ' Yuri said. 'The sausages will be heatsealed and their outsides will be decontaminated.'
'How tough is this plastic? ' Curt asked. 'Like if we happened to drop one of the sausages, would that be a problem? '
'I haven't tested that, ' Yuri admitted. 'But I wouldn't advise dropping it or sticking it with anything.
Under ideal conditions each one of these sausages will be capable of killing up to a hundred thousand , , , people.
