“Hands up! Everyone! NOW!”

Jack jumped at the shouted commands, delivered with a military bark, but his hands acted on their own, the left rising as ordered, but the right snaking toward the Semmerling—and then he remembered… Yoshio had it.

And Yoshio’s hands were loaded down with that damn lamp. He was no help.

So Jack raised both hands and slowly turned, knowing who he’d see.

Yeah… he’d figured it would have to be Kemel and Baker and the remainder of his crew. Thomas Clayton—with his swollen nose and blackened eyes—was a surprise, but not a big one.

Jack felt his gut tighten. This was bad. Worse than bad.

Of the five newcomers pushing through the doorway, Kemel was the only one without a personal grudge against Jack. And he wasn’t all that sure about Kemel.

But how the hell had they got here? He damn well knew they hadn’t shared the trunk with Yoshio.

What’d I do—leave a trail of fluorescent paint along the way?

5.

5.

It is here! Kemel thought, holding back tears of joy. Allah be praised, I have succeeded. I have found it.

He stiffened his knees as he stepped farther into the cabin. He was weak with relief but wanted no one to know.

He looked at the three occupants. He knew Alicia Clayton, and recognized her investigator, but the other man… the Oriental holding the lamp…

“Who are you?” he asked, pointing to him.

The man shook his head. His quick dark eyes showed no fear.

“I can find out for you real quick,” Baker said, aiming his pistol at one of the man’s knees.

“No,” Kemel said. “No shooting in this place.”

He had to be very firm here. He could not let this situation get out of control. Not with success now in his grasp.

It did not matter if the Oriental spoke. Kemel was certain he was Japanese. Who else could he represent? Ronald Clayton had been on his way to that country with a promise of a wondrous technology. They had to suspect foul play in the crash.

“All right,” Baker said. “Then we’ll take them outside.” He bared his teeth as he approached Alicia Clayton’s man. “Especially this one. He’s gonna die real slow.”

The man clasped his hands above his head and dropped to his knees. He hung his head and sobbed. “Please… please don’t hurt me!”

One of Baker’s men stepped forward and pulled his leg back to kick the man. “Why you sniveling pussy—!”

“Barlowe, no!” Baker said, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him back. “That’s just what he wants you to do, asshole! He’d have you down and your weapon on us before you knew what happened.”