Tom Clancy's Op-center Balance of Power - Tom Clancy [109]
General Superior González moved past the priests. His black robe swung heavily from side to side as he walked toward the door. His step was confident and unhurried, as though everything was under control.
As Norberto watched the General Superior go, he realized with sudden horror that perhaps it was. That maybe this mission was not about ministering to the frightened or needy-not for their sake, anyway. He looked around him. Could it be that the most serene and devoted, the most trusted of the nation's priests had been brought here for one purpose only-crowd control? Create a demand for comfort, whip it to a frenzy by keeping the doors locked, and then dispense it generously?
Father Norberto was scared. He also felt dirty. General Superior González was not looking to gain favor with the leaders of this revolution. Norberto suspected that the General Superior was already part of this process to secure a new government for the nation.
A new government for Spain with himself as its spiritual head.
* * *
THIRTY-ONE
Tuesday, 10:20 a.m.
Madrid, Spain
María was convinced that General Amadori was, in fact, in the throne room of the Royal Palace. However, she did not go there directly after escaping from the soldiers. She needed a uniform and she needed an ally.
The uniform had to come first.
María got it in a stall in the men's latrine. The latrine was formerly-and formally-el carlo de cambiar par los attendientes del rey-the changing room for the attendants of the king. Now soldiers were tramping in and out with disregard for its history or status. María was not a royalist but she was a Spaniard and this place had played a large part in the history of Spain. It deserved more respect.
The large white room had marble cornices and appointments. It was located in the southeastern sector of the palace, not far from the king's bedchamber. María reached it by moving cautiously from doorway to doorway. Most of the rooms along the way were unoccupied; those that were, she skipped. If an alarm of any kind had been raised about her escape, the search was confined to the area around the music room and the throne room. It was an appropriate use of manpower. They knew she had to try to get to Amadori eventually. The trick was to make sure they didn't notice her.
The uniform came to her courtesy of a young sergeant. He had entered the changing room with two other men. When he opened the door, María was crouched on the toilet with both pistols pointed toward him.
"Come in and lock the door," she snarled in a low voice. The hum of the ceiling fan prevented her voice from carrying outside the stall.
There's a moment when most people who are confronted with a gun will freeze. During that brief time, the individual holding the weapon must give an instruction. If the command is given immediately and emphatically it will usually be obeyed. If it isn't, if the target panics, then the decision must be made whether to withdraw or fire.
María had already decided that she'd shoot to disable everyone in the room before allowing herself to be caught. Fortunately, the wide-eyed soldier did as he'd been ordered.
As soon as the door had been locked, María motioned the soldier over with one of the guns. She held the other one pointed up, toward his forehead.
"Lock your fingers behind your head," she said. "Then turn around and back toward me."
He clasped his fingers tightly behind his cap. María reached behind her without taking her eyes from him. She put one of her guns on the toilet tank, relieved him of his pistol, and tucked it in her belt, behind her. Then she retrieved the gun she'd put on the toilet.
María stepped back on the seat.
"Drop these." She poked his butt with the gun. "Sit on the edge on your hands."
The soldier obeyed.
"When your friends