They left the car on main street, then walked into the residential neighborhood northeast of the business district. It was already ten minutes after nine, the checkpoint having eaten up more time than they could afford.
“You going to tell us that plan yet?” Nate asked.
“Not yet,” Quinn said.
“You don’t have a plan, do you?”
Before he could reply, Orlando said, “Not a good one.”
Quinn frowned at her, knowing she had a pretty good idea of what he had in mind. “I’m open to other suggestions,” he said.
“Yeah. I know.”
“You guys are giving me a lot of confidence right now,” Nate said.
“It’ll be fine,” Quinn said.
The closer they got to the school, the more cars they found parked on the street. There were a lot of people, too. Most walking up the hill in the same direction they were. The curious out to see political royalty, something that had never occurred in this part of the country. Quinn, Orlando, and Nate blended in, becoming just three more members of the crowd.
The school was located just off Ridgeway Street on Owens Avenue. It backed against a small wilderness area that separated it from the Morro Bay Golf Course. Quinn wished they had time to sneak in from the rear, but he knew they didn’t. In less than fifteen minutes, the limos would begin to arrive. And once that happened, there’d be carnage.
As far as two blocks away, people were taking up positions along the street, trying to get the best view they could. Sheriffs deputies and policemen were spread out along the road, keeping people on the sidewalk as much as possible.
Quinn took the lead, weaving through the crowd to get them as close as possible to the school. They made it to within thirty yards before the growing crowd forced them to stop.
They could see the school building now. It was older, low-slung, and very 1960s. It had a parking lot in front that was empty with the exception of two black Suburbans. Secret Service, no doubt. The crowd had been allowed to within ten feet of the lot’s entrance, but had been stopped from going any farther by several police officers.
“I count at least half a dozen Feds in the lot,” Orlando whispered in Quinn’s ear.
He nodded, then looked at his watch. “Goddammit,” he said. Eight minutes until the scheduled arrival.
Reluctantly he pulled his backpack off his shoulders and handed it to Nate.
“What are you doing?” Nate asked.
“Not now,” Quinn said.
“You’ll need me,” Orlando said. “At least to get started.”
Quinn nodded.
“Is there something I should know about?” Nate asked.
Quinn pulled him close so he could whisper in his ear. “Stay here. If we’re not successful, do what you can to help with the aftermath. Otherwise we’ll contact you.”
“Where are you going?”
“Where do you think we’re going?” Quinn asked. “To stop this.”
“And you don’t need me?”
“At the moment, no. There’s just no sense in all three of us going down.”
Nate’s brow furrowed, but he only said, “Okay. We’ll meet up after.” Quinn hoped Nate was right.
“We’re all set,” Tucker said into his phone. He was standing in the lobby with a few of the other attendants and the handful of children who had been selected to greet the targets out front when they arrived. The rest of the children, and, most important, the delivery devices, had been moved into the auditorium to await the arrival of the guests.
“The trigger?” Mr. Rose asked.
Tucker glanced at Petersen. He was a few feet away with Iris in his arms. “In place, ready to go.”
“Good.”
Tucker wasn’t sure where Mr. Rose was. After the helicopters landed, the old man had taken one of the waiting vehicles for himself and disappeared, leaving the execution of the plan in Tucker’s hands.
“What about the schedule?” Mr. Rose said.
“We’ve been told everything is running on time.”
At that moment, Ms. Stanton entered the lobby from the auditorium, looking both nervous and excited. Tucker smiled at her and gave her a nod. She smiled back and started walking toward him.
Into the phone he said, “The transfers?”
“Once the job is complete, you will get the rest of your money. Just like we discussed.”
“Fine,” Tucker said. “Gotta go. We’re getting close.”
“Don’t disappoint me,” Mr. Rose said.
Tucker disconnected the call just as Ms. Stanton reached him.
“I’m told there might be a few minutes’ delay at most,” she said.
“I would have expected more,” Tucker said, his tone light. “These things never come off on time.”
She put her hand near her mouth like she was about to tell him a secret. “I think it helps that we’re one of the first things on their agenda for today.”
“I think you’re probably right.”
They both laughed at the non-joke.
“So is Iris ready?” Ms. Stanton asked as she looked over at the girl.
“She’ll be plenty ready when they arrive.”
“Of course she will be.” Another smile, then, “I need to check on the others. So just hold your position until you’re given the word to go outside.”
“It’s the moment we’ve been waiting for,” Tucker assured her.
The crowd parted with reluctance as Quinn and Orlando elbowed their way to the front. When there was only one row between them and the loose line of cops holding everyone back, Quinn leaned down and whispered in Orlando’s ear, “Five seconds. That’s all I’ll need.”
She turned and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you,” she said.
Quinn moved into position, going to the right against the stone half-wall that lined the parking lot. Once he was there, he looked back and gave Orlando a quick nod.
She waited a moment, then turned sideways and began trying to squeeze around the woman who was in front of her.
“Hey, watch it,” the lady said. “I’ve been waiting here for hours, so back off.”
Orlando ignored her, and continued to push until she’d worked her way to the front.
“I said I was here first,” the woman said. “Move back.”
“You move back,” Orlando said.
“Officer,” the woman said, her voice rising. “She pushed me out of my place.”
The officer nearest them looked over. “There’s plenty of room for everyone, ma’am,” he said.
“Yeah,” Orlando said. “So just shut up and chill.”
“She’s been there all morning,” a man who was probably the woman’s husband or boyfriend said. “Now move back.”
“I’m here now, so I think I’ll stay. Thanks.”
“I don’t know who the hell you think you are,” the woman said. She was almost yelling now. “But that’s my spot and you’re going to move.”
“Everyone calm down, all right?” the officer said.
“I’m not going anywhere, bitch,” Orlando said.
The woman gaped at her.
“You do
