Tom Clancy's Op-center Balance of Power - Tom Clancy [114]
It had been relatively easy getting this far. There were a number of interconnected rooms along the way and she'd been able to stay out of the corridor. The only stop she'd made was to try to telephone Luis to brief him. But the palace phones had been disconnected and she didn't want to risk trying to get a radio from one of the communications officers.
Swallowing her pain, she marched ahead quickly, purposefully. Her arms swung stiffly at her sides, her cap was pulled low, and her eyes peered straight ahead. Look official, she kept reminding herself.
María believed that in most cases an infiltration should be done quietly. The rules were enter in the dark, don't make noise, and blend in with the shadows. In the present situation she wouldn't be able to sneak through. The only approach to take was to act as though she belonged. Unfortunately, while there were women in the Spanish army, none of them were assigned to combat units. And as far as María could tell, none of them were here. Which is why she jogged toward the Hall of the Halberdiers. The cap hid her hair and the tunic hid her arms and chest. All she wanted to do was to get back to the room. If she could get inside, she had a plan that might get her through to the throne room.
If she ran too fast, María knew that she'd attract attention. If she ran too slowly, she was afraid that someone would stop her and ask why she wasn't with her unit. Her heart seemed to be pounding in all directions at once. Her body ached from the beating and she was frightened for Spain. But the danger and hurt and most of all the responsibility made her feel alive. These moments were like the instant before pulling a parachute ripcord or stepping onstage. They were hyperintense and unlike anything else in life.
A few heads turned to look at her but she was gone before anyone had a chance to see her face.
As María was about to turn into the doorway of the Hall of the Halberdiers, a familiar figure strode out, nearly colliding with her. It was the captain who had had her beaten. The officer stopped and glowered at María as she saluted and sidled past him. She tried to hide her face with the salute and didn't look up. All she needed was a few more seconds.
María saw Juan and Ferdinand ahead. They were sitting cross-legged along the near side of the crowd, looking down. The number of prisoners had thinned somewhat since she was last here. The prisoners were also more restless. That was probably a result of concern over where the others had been taken and the fact that the ranks of guards also had thinned. María assumed the soldiers were out looking for her. None of the guards in the room looked at her as she made her way toward the two Ramirez familia members.
"Wait!" the captain's voice broke loud and hard from the doorway behind her.
Juan and Ferdinand looked up. María continued walking toward them.
"I said you!" the captain bellowed into the room. "Sergeant! Stop where you are!"
María was about twenty paces from Juan. She wasn't going to make it before she had to deal with the captain. She swore silently and continued walking toward Juan. The prisoner was looking directly at her. It was frustrating that the captain may have recognized her but Juan didn't. The door to the throne room was about forty feet straight ahead, through the crowd. There were still guards on either side of the door. They were looking at her now, too. She had to get there and she wouldn't be able to do it alone.
"Sir, I have a report for the general," she said angrily without stopping or turning.
Right now, seconds mattered. She needed to get closer to Juan. She also wanted him to hear her voice and know who she was. The captain would know who she was too, for certain, but there was no way of avoiding that.
"It is you!" the captain roared when María spoke. "Stop at once and raise