Vanishing Point - Marc Cerasini [22]
The doctor had good reason to hide his activity in what he thought was a deserted hangar. Using a personal phone anywhere inside the confines of the Groom Lake Experimental facility was a flagrant violation of Air Force security protocols. At the very least, Sable could lose his clearance and face dismissal if he were caught in possession of a cell phone, even if he weren't using it.
"Threats won't help either of us," Sable said with a hint of irritation. "I know how important this is."
Tony couldn't read the man's expression because he faced Sable's back. Risking discovery, Tony used the cover of packing crates and electronic gear to circle the man. All the while he strained to hear the voice on the other end of the line. Unfortunately, Tony was just too far away.
"Yeah, I know it's a problem," Sable said, his tone exasperated. "Money is always a problem, but the delay can't be helped. I'm not dodging my responsibility. It's just bad timing, that's all."
Suddenly another voice echoed inside the hangar. "Dr. Sable... Are you in here?"
Surprised by the call, Sable quickly slipped the phone into his lab coat and spun around — to come face-to-face with Tony.
"Jesus, Alvarez, you scared the hell out of me!" he cried.
Hearing their voices, the young airman standing near the hangar entrance called out again. Only then did Sable realize Tony's wasn't the voice he'd heard call out his name. A split second later it dawned on Sable that Tony had most likely seen the phone, and was maybe even eavesdropping on the conversation.
"Listen, Tony," Sable said in a whispered hiss. "You won't tell anybody about the cell, will you?"
Tony moved out of the shadows to face the man. Sable stepped closer, leaned into his ear.
"See, I got this girl in Vegas," he said. "She's a showgirl. A real hottie. But she kind of takes advantage, you know? This morning she totaled the tranny in her new Mercedes convertible and expects me to pay for a new one."
Sable flashed Tony a conspiratorial wink. "'Course, I'll ante up and she knows it. I mean, I'm not married, divorced, or responsible for any brats — that I know of, anyway. So what else am I gonna spend my money on, right?"
Abruptly, a young airman appeared between two mounds of electronic equipment. He halted in surprise when he saw them.
"Dr. Sable, Dr. Alvarez... Dr. Reed's been asking for you," he said.
"Yeah, well, Tony and I were just grabbing some cable," Dr. Sable replied, tucking a coil of thick, insulated wire under his arm.
"That's right," grunted Tony, grabbing another bundle and looping it over his shoulder. "Some of those old generator wires are frayed. Better to replace them all."
"Maybe I can help," the airman offered. The earnest young man grabbed two coils, each representing several hundred feet of wire — more than they would ever need. Spinning on his polished heels, the airman headed back to the hangar door.
Sable grinned, shot Tony a conspiratorial wink. Then he dropped his own coil and, whistling tunelessly, followed the soldier to the exit.
Meanwhile, Tony shouldered his own burden, while he pondered how he was going to get hold of Sable's cell phone in the next several hours, without the man knowing about it.
* * *
1:32:05 p.m. PDT
Babylon Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas
"This suite is certainly impressive." Sherry Palmer ran her hand across the sleek steel frame of an ultramodern armchair.
Senator Palmer appraised the stark sandstone walls, glass partitions, black leather furnishings, and splashes of primary-colored pop art.
"It's nice," he said with a raised eyebrow. "But I still prefer the Venetian."
Sherry crossed the floor and threw open the balcony's glass doors. A blast of hot desert air filled the room — but only for a moment, until the suite's computer brain increased the air conditioning by forty percent.
"Just think, David. The last time we were in Las Vegas this place hadn't even