Net Force - Tom Clancy [102]
She loved Alex.
Right. So how could she have done this? And how was she going to be able to look Alex in the eye now? She had been unfaithful to him.
Wait just a second, girl, the voice of rationalization began.
Shut up, she told it.
Next to her, Rusty stirred.
She should get up, shower, get dressed. She didnt want him to awaken and expect a repeat of last night. It had been enjoyable, but it had also a mistake-and she was not going to repeat it.
Monday, October 4th, 5:05 a.m. Columbia, Maryland
Ruzhyo sat cross-legged on the motel bed, staring at nothing. He was not bored-he did not get bored anymore, hadnt for years-but he was not very interested in much of anything. It did not greatly bother him, but he was aware of his lack of connection to the world.
Plekhanov would eventually call; today, tomorrow, the day after. Likely when he did call, the Russian who had adopted Chechnya as his own would, using the fugue of non-specific and indirect language, order Ruzhyo to go forth and kill again. It would be part of Plekhanovs grand plan to become a powerful man who could run countries as he chose. In the beginning, Plekhanovs reasons had been important to Ruzhyo. Now, that Plekhanov wished a thing to happen was sufficient in itself. Ruzhyo was the tool that did the deed; it was his only reason for staying alive.
Live. Die. It was all the same.
Monday, October 4th, 7:30 a.m. Quantico
Jay was waiting when Michaels arrived at his office. He was smiling.
You have good news?
Oh, yeah.
Come in.
In the office, Jay said, Take a look. If I may? He waved at Michaelss workstation.
Be my guest.
Jay lit the system, called up a file.
This is the report from our field team in New York State, the younger man said. And this--he tapped keys, and an image flowered on-screen--is the Not the Brothers Dog Kennel. Located on the beautiful eastern shores of Great Scandaga Lake, between the hamlets of North Broadalbin and Fish House.
Michaels stared at Jay.
Thats north and west of Amsterdam, which is north and west of Schenectady, which is north and west of Albany, which is-
I got it, Jay.
Mm. Anyway, this is where the little champagne poodle was trained.
Really?
Yep. One of a handful of places that do such things. Theyll train your dog, sell you one already educated, or even rent you one. Thats what happened with yours. Hes a rental. Jay smiled.
Of course, they never saw who they rented the dog to. This woman is really sharp, Boss. Cash and instructions came by courier. The note was a computer printout, and the FBI doc-jock says the font and paper probably originated at one of the big print-copy places-Kinkos, LazerZip, no way to backwalk it to which one.
Our ops traced the dogs delivery to another courier, then a third delivery service, which wound up giving it to somebody waiting in the lobby of a new Holiday Inn in north Schenectady. The courier remembers that a man signed for the dog, paid more cash. Average-looking guy, courier wouldnt know him if he saw him again.
This doesnt sound too promising to me.
Ah, but wait. The Holiday Inn is one of the new computer-controlled modules. Theyve got hidden surveillance cams built in all over the place. Take a look at this.
Jay touched more controls.
Heres the guy who picked up the dog.
There was a image of a man holding a small plastic travel kennel. He was obviously outside, in some kind of courtyard. A lot of greenery and flowers were in the background. The man was medium-height, medium-build, medium-haircut, wore a shirt and slacks and dark shoes. Albert Anybody.
And here is the woman he gave it to.
Another image, a three-quarter-front view of a woman standing in