Dead or Alive - Tom Clancy [211]
“Why is that?”
“The fittings where the control-rod drive actuators enter the vessel could be problematic. They were likely sealed off during the original rescue operation, but by what method and how well is the question. Until I see them, there’s no way of telling if they’ve maintained their integrity.”
Musa thought about this, then nodded. “And the yield?”
“Again, once I’ve dismantled them.”
“You understand the minimum output we require, yes?”
“I do, and I suspect we’ll have no trouble reaching that, but I cannot promise anything. This is important: You are certain neither of them came from military platforms, correct?”
“Why does that matter?”
“It matters a great deal. It is everything, my friend. We are, in essence, reverse-engineering the device. To complicate matters, we’re dealing with very different sources, used for very different purposes. How we go about disassembly is almost as important as how we go about assembly. Do you understand?”
“I understand. They were obtained just as we told you. The schematics you have are for these two devices.”
“Good, that’s good. Then I don’t foresee any insurmountable problems.”
“How long will it take?”
“Disassembly another day. Assembly … two to three days. Say, four days until it is ready for departure.”
62
THE CONSULATE GENERAL of the Republic of Indonesia sat on Columbus Avenue, a few blocks south of the Embarcadero, flanked by Telegraph Hill and Lombard Street and within sight of Alcatraz Island. Clark found a parking spot on Jones Street, one block south of the consulate, and parked their rented Fort Taurus.
“Ever been to Frisco, Jack?” Chavez asked from the backseat.
“When I was a little kid. All I remember is Fisherman’s Wharf, that museum submarine—”
“USS Pampanito,” Clark said.
“Right. And Treasure Island. As my dad tells it, I cried when he told me it wasn’t the same Treasure Island from the book.”
Clark laughed. “Was that before he broke the news about the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus?”
Jack laughed in return. “Same day, I think.”
Clark pulled out his cell phone, one of three sanitized pay-as-you-go push-to-talk models they’d picked up at the airport. He dialed a number and said after a moment, “Yes, good morning, is Mr. Nayoan in this morning? Yes, thanks.” Clark hung up. “He’s in. Let’s take a walk, get a lay of the land.”
“What’re we looking for?” Jack asked.
“Nothing and everything,” Clark responded. “The map isn’t the territory, Jack. You’re acclimatizing. Find out where the coffee shops are. ATMs, alleys and side streets, newspaper vendors, pay phones. Where’re the best places to catch taxis or hop a cable car? Learn to feel like you live here.”
“Oh, is that all?”
Chavez answered that one. “No. How do the people move, how do they interact? Do they wait for Walk lights, or do they jaywalk? Do they meet one another’s eyes on the sidewalks or exchange pleasantries? How many cop cars do you see? Check for parking. Is it metered or free? Nail down the BART entrances.”
“Bay Area Rapid Transit,” Clark added before Jack could ask. “Their subway.”
“That’s a lot of shit to absorb.”
“That’s the job,” Clark replied. “Wanna go home?”
“Not on your life.”
“It’s a mind-set, Jack. Change the way you see the landscape. Soldiers look for cover and ambush spots; spooks look for dead drops and surveillance boxes. Two questions you should always be asking: How would I follow somebody here, and how would I lose somebody here?”
“Okay.”
Clark checked his watch. “We’ll take an hour, then meet back at the car and see if Nayoan’s ready for lunch. Jack, you head south; Ding and me will take northeast and northwest.”
“Why that coverage?” Jack asked.
“Gets more residential to the south. At least during the day Nayoan will be on the clock—meetings,