Divide and conquer - Tom Clancy [97]
"Wait a second," Battat said.
"Move the mirror so we can see the head of the bed." Odette did as he asked. The drapes were moving there. It looked as if they were being stirred by a gentle wind.
"The window's open," Odette said. Battat rose. He entered the room cautiously and looked around.
"Damn."
"What?" Odette asked as she stood.
"There's a rope under the drape," he said and started toward it.
"The bastard climbed-" Suddenly, Battat turned and hurried back into the bathroom.
"Down!" he shouted and shoved Odette roughly to the floor. He dove down beside her, next to the fiberglass bathtub. Quickly, he pulled her jacket over their heads and lay beside her, his arm across her back.
A moment later, the hotel room was lit by a yellow red flare. There was a whooshing sound as the air became superheated. The flare died after a moment, leaving a sickly sweet smell mixed with the stench of burning fabric and carpet. The room smoke detector was squealing. Odette whipped her jacket from them and knelt.
"What happened?" she shouted.
"There was a TIC on the desk!" Battat yelled.
"A what?"
"A TIC," Battat said as he jumped to his feet.
"Terrorist in a can. Come on-we've got to get out of here!" Battat helped Odette up. She grabbed her jacket and the two of them swung into the hallway. Battat shut the door and staggered over to room 312. He was obviously having difficulty staying on his feet.
"What's a terrorist in a can?" Odette asked.
"Napalm with a benzene chaser," Battat said.
"It looks like shaving cream and doesn't register on airport X-ray machines. All you have to do is twist the cap to set the timer, and blam." The main fire alarm began to clang behind them.
"Give me the master key," he said as they reached 312. Odette handed it over. Battat opened the door. Smoke was already spilling through the door that connected the room to 310. Battat hurried past it and ran to the window. The heavy drapes were open. He edged toward the window, standing back just enough so that he could see out but not be seen from below. Odette stepped up behind him. Battat had to lean against the wall to keep from falling. They looked out at the empty parking lot.
"There," Battat said, pointing. Odette moved closer. She looked out.
"Do you see him?" Battat asked.
"In the white shirt, blue jeans, carrying a black backpack."
"I see him," Odette replied.
"That's the man I saw in the room," Battat said. So that's the Harpooner, she thought. The monster cut an unimposing figure as he walked unhurriedly from the hotel. But his easygoing manner only made him seem even more noxious. People might be dying in the fire he set to cover his escape. Yet he did not care. Odette wished she could shoot him from here.
"He's probably going to keep moving slowly so he won't attract attention," Battat told her. He gave the gun back to her. He was panting, having trouble standing.
"You've got enough time to catch up to him and take him out."
"What about you?"
"I'd only slow you down," he said. She hesitated. An hour ago, she had not wanted him to be part of this. Now she felt as if she was deserting him.
"You're wasting time," Battat said. He gave her a gentle push and started toward the door.
"Just go. I'll get to the stairwell and make my way back to the embassy.
I'll see if I can do anything from there."
"All right," she said, then turned and hurried toward the door.
"He'll be armed!" Battat yelled after her.
"Don't hesitate!" She acknowledged with a wave as she left the room. The hallway was filling with smoke. The few guests who had been in their rooms were filing into the hallway to see what was happening.
Housekeeping staff and security personnel were beginning to arrive. They were helping everyone toward the stairwell. Odette told one of the security men that someone needed help in 312. Then she rushed ahead to the stairwell. In less than a minute, she was in the street. The parking lot was on the other side of the building. She ran toward it.
The Harpooner