“Well, do what you have to do to get the two of you out of there, up to, and including, killing that piece of shit if you get the chance.”

“You want me to kill him,” Merrill said.

“We’ll all be better off without him. Okay, Commander, do the best you can. I’m going to give you back to the Coast Guard now. I have to make another call.”

“Stay on the line,” Scott Waller said abruptly. More silence. “Sam?”

“I’m listening.”

“Did you hear what he wanted?”

Merrill felt as if he were looking into his own grave. “Yes.”

“A U.S. Senator telling a Coast Guardsman to kill somebody. He must be nuts. You have witnesses if you need them. The three guys you left behind at the hotel in the Bahamas have been identified by Interpol as Polish nationals wanted by the Russian government.” Merrill was checking his ammunition. Both automatics were fully loaded and he had spare clips for each. “The reason for the want is the matter of Russian national security. Our source said we’re not going to be told more than that because we’re too low-level. Maybe he’s too low-level for what we’ve got. He gave me orders.”

“Fuck his orders.”

“Noted. Give me those coordinates.”

Merrill complied. He heard the whine of the elevator going up. Waller said, “Washington has a psychological profile of Chino —”

The elevator stopped. “So they knew who he was all along. He has my wife. And now we know he has an atomic device. They’ve been playing fast and loose with me for a month!”

The elevator had not started again. Chino was taking his own sweet time. Was there another way down here? A little fake-out? Merrill didn’t think so. He put one gun in the bag and wrapped his hand around the remaining grenade.

Scott Waller said, “Just do the best you can, Sam. Get the two of you out of there. One other thing. We’ve been hearing from the press. If you think last month was bad, next month will be worse.”

“What the fuck, it’s my America, too.” Now the elevator started. Merrill pressed Disconnect, asking himself if he should be doing it. He wanted to save what was left of the battery. Merrill pulled the pin on the grenade. As long as he gripped tightly, the fuse would not ignite. Now both hands were full. He hooked his arm through the loop on the bag. He had to leave the telephone on the console. He started moving. He still had no real plan. He stopped near the entrance, below the ramp. He didn’t know what kind of firepower Chino could bring to this chore. Merrill wanted to get out of here and find Amy. Now that he was here, she was where? Presumably Gregory was taking her someplace safe.