The cop pointed. The one on the ground was shot in the head. Large-caliber weapon, hit from a distance. The bullet took a big chunk of his brains and skull when it exited. The guy was luckyhe probably never knew what hit him.

Someone shot him? Ed said.

If you got a little closer, you wouldnt ask me that question. Theres brain salad all over the ground. It looks like somebody dropped a plate of guacamole.

He didnt shoot himself?

The cop shrugged. All I know is what the ballistics people are saying. They took some measurements and theyre going to computer model it, but at first blush they think it was a shooter on one of the surrounding rooftops.

Luke glanced around the neighborhood. It was an area of two- and three-story apartment buildings, machine shops, warehouses. There were liquor stores, check cashing, and WE BUY GOLD places on street level. He turned and stared at the man.

Youre saying he was shot by a sniper? Who would put a sniper on one of these buildings besides the police?

The cop raised his hands. Look, I just work here. But I can tell you it wasnt us. Our orders were to take these guys alive, if possible, and the guy on the ground was already dead when the first coppers got here.

What about the other one?

The driver? It looks like it might be radiation sickness, or maybe he took some pills. There arent any obvious gunshot or stab wounds. No blood. Hes just sitting there at the steering wheel, like he parked the van and died. Theyll have to do a toxicology work-up on him, but itll take a while. With all the radiation, its going to be another couple of hours before they even get the bodies out of here.

They have any tech on them? Ed said. Phones, tablets, laptops?

The cop shook his head. Not that anybody has found. Sounds funny though, right? Two guys out on a mission with no way to call the mother ship?

Did they fingerprint them? Luke said.

The cop nodded. That and DNA. Its one of the first things they did when the hazmat guys got here.

Thanks.

Luke and Ed walked back toward the building where the chopper landed. I was afraid of that, Luke said. Outside of Ali Nassar, those guys were the last links to whoever attacked the White House. Clearly, it wasnt them.

What are you thinking? Ed said. The whole radiation thing was a distraction?

Maybe. Or maybe it was a backup plan that went bad. I dont know.

Luke pulled out his satellite phone. He and Trudy had switched to sat phones now. Bad weather could take them out, but they were unaffected by communications meltdowns like the one that had hit the East Coast.