"But how do the neo-Nazis benefit?" Rodgers asked. "They can't break the law and then run for office."

"The prettified ones can," said Hood. "The ones who distance themselves from the lawbreakers but not from the intolerance which motivates them."

The plan made sense, and the more Hood thought about it, the more brilliant it seemed in its simplicity. He thought of his own daughter, Harleigh, whose musical mix included rap. Hood was in favor of free expression, but he insisted on hearing any album with a parent's advisory sticker-- not to censor but to discuss. Some of the lyrics were pretty brutal, and in his soul he had to admit that he wouldn't mind if some of the rappers went into another line of work. And he was a one-time liberal politician. From talks with other parents at the school and at church, he knew that they felt much more strongly. If blacks started avenging dead rappers, he suspected that white, middle-class sympathies would be with the murderous whites, who would probably claim they'd been making pre-emptive strikes. And retaliatory attacks by blacks would only legitimize those claims. Riots might ensue, the police would be forced to hold back to some degree, and the neo-Nazis would become the violent angels of whites. Not to mention potential winners in future elections.

Less than fifty five years after Hitler's death, the monsters could actually become a political force in the U.S., Hood thought.

"Broken dreams of harmony instead of broken windows," Hood said. "It's a nightmare."

Rodgers said, "Paul, we can still stop this thing. If we can expose Dominique's operation to the people, they'll see how they were manipulated."

"If you can tell me how to get to him," Hood said, "I'll be happy to do it."

"There may be a way," Rodgers said. "I've just spoken with Colonel Bernard Ballon of France's Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale. He's in Toulouse and he's after the same quarry as we are, albeit for different reasons."

"Different how?" Hood asked as Hausen entered the inner office. The German looked distraught.

Rodgers said, "Ballon believes that Gerard Dominique is the head of a group of French terrorists known as the New Jacobins. Their activities against immigrants certainly fit what we know about Dominique."

"And what does the Colonel plan to do with Dominique?" Hood asked.

Hood saw Hausen's eyes sweep past Nancy and lock on him when he mentioned the name.

"We didn't discuss that," Rodgers said. "Officially, I gather he's supposed to arrest him and his bunch. But with Dominique's money and influence, Ballon is obviously worried he'll get off."

"Not necessarily," Hood said. He was still looking at Hausen and thinking about the murder of the two girls. "What about unofficially?"

Rodgers said, "From my talk with Ballon, he sounds like the kind of guy who'd love to see him accidentally-on-purpose fall down a flight of concrete steps."