“How did you find this place?”

“A palace in the backwoods of Kentucky?”

I nodded. “Sill is not subtle.”

“Anything but. It has not gone unnoticed that we are very close to Fort Knox. Is he after the gold?”

“No,” I said.

“What is he after?”

“Nothing.”

“I knew he was going to say that,” Clinton said to Mitchell.

“Then why did you ask?” I said, looking at him.

“Look at the book,” he said.

“You don’t really believe Sill doesn’t know you’re here,” I said.

“Let’s assume he doesn’t.”

“And that there is a square root of negative two,” I said. “So what do you want me to do?”

“Play along.”

“Right.”

“When the time comes, we’ll be there and we’ll make our move.”

“Right.”

“Is he being sarcastic?” Mitchell asked.

“More sardonic,” I said.

“What? Is there a difference?” Mitchell looked at Clinton. “Can I just shoot this motherfucker?”

Clinton ignored the question.

Mitchell still looked for an answer.

“He’s assuming your question was facetious,” I said. “Which is slightly different from rhetorical.”

“Just once,” Mitchell said.

“Shut up,” Clinton snapped.

“He said that in earnest,” I said.

“We’ll be close,” Clinton said.

“Right,” I said. “Do you know where Eigen Vector is?”

“No,” he said, confirming my belief that he was useless.

“I’m going now,” I said.

“Just play along.”

I didn’t say anything else, just walked away. At the door DeMarcus met me with a tray and glass of water. “Professor, are you quite all right?”

“That’s not clear yet,” I said.

“Your friend is on the second floor on the east side of the house at the end of the hall before the stairs.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked.

“Because you want to know.”

I wanted to ask him many questions, not the least of which was why he was offering assistance. I felt again suddenly bad about having lied to him about Sill killing Trigo. “DeMarcus, I have to tell you something.”

“Yes?”

“Sill did not have Trigo killed. I left him with someone I trust.”

A smile flashed across the man’s face and then was gone.

“I’m sorry I lied to you.”

He shook his head, dismissing my apology. “Mr. Sill would have gotten around to it eventually. He’s very thorough.”

“Eigen and me?”

He nodded. “And perhaps me.” He put down the tray. “May I show you something?”

I followed DeMarcus to a nearby closet. He opened the door and there was General Takitall lying on the floor.

“What’s wrong with him?” I asked.

“Everything.”

“You mean he’s dead.”

“Precisely that.”

“Sill?”

“Who else?”

“There are two government agents here,” I said.

DeMarcus didn’t seem surprised by the information, but he did say, “I was unaware of their presence. I suppose they could be responsible.”

“But you doubt it,” I said.

“I doubt it,” he repeated.

“Thank you for your help,” I said.

He nodded, pulled shut the closet door.

2

I went back to the library believing for some reason that Clinton and Mitchell should be made aware of General Takitall’s newly acquired condition, but they had disappeared into the woodwork. I attempted to orient myself so as to ascertain which direction was east, a not-so-easy task as I felt more than a little dizzy. I managed to find a staircase and climbed. It was not at all difficult to move quietly over the carpeted floor, but it occurred to me that my stealth was wasted, as I was positive that I was being observed on one of a battery of monitors on a wall in some well-appointed security office manned, as it were, by a battery of Glorias, each with her own battery.