“You’re joking,” Laurie said. “They’re not going to accept a mere apology. Warren struck that man; we’ve done more than trespass.”

“I’m joking to an extent,” Jack agreed. “But the man was sticking a gun in our face. That’s at least an explanation. Besides, we can leave a bunch of our French francs behind. Supposedly, that solves everything in this country.”

“It didn’t get us past the gate,” Laurie reminded him.

“All right, everything but get us in here,” Jack said. “But I’ll be very surprised if it doesn’t get us out.”

“We’ve got to do something,” Warren said. “The fire crew are already waving for the people to come back in the building. We’re going to be standing out here in this god-awful heat by ourselves.”

“So they are,” Jack said, squinting against the sunlight. He found his sunglasses and put them on. “Let’s try crossing the square before the soldiers return.”

Once again, they tried to walk calmly as if they were strolling. They got almost to the grass, when they became aware of a commotion at the door into the building. They all turned to see a number of the black-suited Arabs push their way past the lab techs who were entering.

The Arabs rushed out into the sundrenched parking lot with their neckties flapping and their eyes squinting. Each brandished an automatic pistol in his hand. Behind the Arabs came several soldiers. Out of breath, they stood in the hot sun, panting while scanning the neighborhood.

Warren froze, and the rest of the group did the same.

“I don’t like this,” Warren said. “The six of them have enough fire power to rob the Chase Manhattan Bank.”

“They kind of remind me of the Keystone Kops,” Jack said.

“I don’t find anything about this comical at all,” Laurie said.

“Strangely enough, I think we’re going to have to walk back inside,” Warren said. “With these lab coats on they’re going to wonder why we’re standing out here.”

Before anyone could respond to Warren’s suggestion Cameron came out the door accompanied by two other men. One was dressed like Cameron: clearly a member of the security force. The other was shorter with a limp right arm. He, too, was dressed in khaki but without any of the martial embellishments the other two sported.

“Uh-oh,” Jack said. “I have a feeling we’ll be forced to use the apology approach after all.”

Cameron was holding a blood-spotted handkerchief to his nose, but it didn’t obstruct his vision. He spotted the group immediately and pointed. “That’s them!” he yelled.

The Moroccans and the soldiers responded immediately by surrounding the trespassers. Every gun was pointed at the group, who raised their hands without being told.

“I wonder if they’ll be impressed with my medical examiner badge?” Jack quipped.

“Don’t do anything foolish!” Laurie warned.

Cameron and his companions walked over immediately. Silently, the ring around the Americans opened to allow them through. Siegfried stepped to the forefront.

“We’d like to apologize for any inconvenience,” Jack began.