Cam tapped on the hotel room door, feeling like an interloper. Stark,
in a smartly tailored navy blue suit and white shirt, answered.
“Do you mind if I sit in on your briefing,
Chief?
“No, come on
in.
When Stark stepped aside, Cam nodded her thanks and entered the
dimly lit suite. The drapes over the windows were closed and the
overhead lights turned of , leaving only the scat ered table lamps for il
umination. The ef ect was oddly intimate. Cam strode directly to one
of the empty chairs grouped around the cof ee table in the seating area,
nodding to Mac, Wozinski, and Hara as she sat down. Stark returned to
the chair in the center of the group.
“We were just reviewing the exit routes,
Commander.
“Go ahead, Cam said. “Sorry to
interrupt.
“No problem, Stark said quickly and handed Cam a printout. “The
timetable, shift assignments, and agent placements are al outlined there.
Cam glanced at it briefly. It was thorough and complete, as she
anticipated it would be. It wasnt the things they planned for that
concerned her. It was the threat of the unanticipated that had her
pacing in the suite across the hal until Blair had strongly suggested that
she ask to sit in on the pre-departure briefing. So now Cam found
herself in the awkward position of being an observer.
She was on the verge of get ing up and leaving when Stark pushed the
papers aside and said, “Is there something in particular you
wanted to review, Commander?
Cam cleared her throat. “First of al , I just wanted everyone to be clear
that Im here because Blair threw me out, not because Stark needs any
help.
Stark smiled and the other agents
laughed.
“Wel , Cam continued. “Im definitely more use over here than across
the hal right now. She addressed Stark. “I dont suppose metal detectors
are feasible, considering that the reception is in the open mezzanine?
“We could insist that everyone use one escalator and one bank of
elevators, but I think wed get a major logjam as a result. That kind of
chaos sometimes makes it easier to overlook things.
“I tend to agree. Plus, Cam said with a sigh, “it rather defeats the
purpose of having Blair make a public appearance if we ramp up the
security measures to the point where its obvious were worried.
“Im not worried, Commander, Stark said steadily. “As far as Im
concerned, every time Egret makes a public appearance, we have to
assume she is a target. Thats the only way to do the job.
After a moment of complete silence, Cam said, “Youre absolutely right,
Chief. She glanced at the others. “Perimeter coverage?
“I get to sit this one out in the surveil ance van, Mac said, unrol ing a
schematic
and spreading it out facing Cam. He pointed to a red X with a circle
around it. “Here. The other vehicle wil be at the south entrance. He
pointed to a blue X. “Here. One of Tanners men wil drive that vehicle.
He then opened another schematic of the bal room. “Exitshere, here,
here, and here. Also covered by Tanners people.
“Are we using the local field agents? Cam
asked.
“No, Stark said. “I decided that Tanners team has just as much
experience, maybe more. And were already used to working with them.
“Good cal , Cam murmured. She was as certain as she could be that the
local Secret Service agents were not compromised, but they also werent
as likely to fit seamlessly into their current team as Tanners security
personnel were. Under the circumstances, she would have made the
same decision.
“Savard wil be with Diane, Cam said. “We have to assume Diane is a
potential target as wel . She glanced at Stark. “But Savard stil has
mobility issues. Shel be fine at close range, but youre going to need
mobile backup for her.
Stark never changed expression. “Already taken
care of.
“Did anything turn up in the doctors background? Cam asked, referring
to the keynote speaker. “Threats, angry protesters, anything that
might spil over tonight?
Stark nodded to Mac, who opened a file folder. “Emory Constantine.
Shes thirty-one years old, has been at the Johnson Institute for five
years, and received a sizable federal grant matched by the Institute two
years ago. Has a bunch of recent publications and is considered one of
the front runners in stem cel research in the world.
“Young for that, Cam
observed.
“Apparently she was one of the few to see the writing on the wal before
anyone else. She did a lot of the preliminary work while she was stil an
undergraduate. A case of good timing and, from what Ive been able to
find out, a lot of brains.
“Personal
life?
“Not much there. Lives in Beacon Hil in the family residence with her
mother, divorced, no children.
“Threat
assessment?
Hara spoke up. “There have been right-to-life protesters at the last
three seminars where Constantine has been a headliner. This guy,
