"So all you've got to do is patrol outside, make yourself look like a gardener, and keep an eye out for strangers."

"What about people coming up to the house in cars?"

"You don't have to worry about that. The two inside guys take care of that. And the butler."

One of the inside 'guys' was a terrific-looking redhead, Killifer had already discovered. Hard as nails, though.

"What's she need all this security for?" he asked, probing for weak spots in the security system. "You don't need six people and machine pistols for burglars."

The chief shrugged carelessly. "I don't ask and they don't bother to let me in on their secrets. It's a cushy job, so don't knock it."

Killifer shrugged back at him. "Yeah, okay, but I'd kinda like to know what I'm supposed to be looking out for."

Eying the display screens, the chief muttered, "Religious fanatics."

"What?"

"She's worried about fanatics from the New Morality trying to kill her."

"No shit?"

The chief's tic of displeasure told Killifer that he was probably a Believer himself.

"If some religious nutcase wanted to kill her, why not just drive a car bomb into the house?"

"Not their style," said the chief. "The fanatics do their killing face-to-face, and they don't believe in taking out innocent people when they hit somebody. Besides, she's in and out so much—travels all the time, really—you can't be sure she's home unless you actually see her."

"Yeah," said Killifer. "I guess that's right."

"Listen," the chief said, suddenly intense, leaning across his desk to stare directly into Killifer's eyes. "Don't judge the New Morality movement by the actions of a few crazies. Most of those assassins are foreigners, not Americans. Fanatics."

Killifer nodded, knowing that the chief was certainly a Believer. Wonder what he'd say if I told him I worked for the Urban Corps. And that General O'Conner his own God-almighty self has sanctioned the assassination of Joanna Brudnoy.

It had been ridiculously easy to get hired onto the Masterson security team that guarded Joanna's house. New Morality adherents had faked his employment record in the corporation's computer files and provided a lucrative transfer to one of the women employed in the house guard detail. Killifer had miraculously popped out of the personnel files and been taken on within two days.

The weakest link in the security system is the system itself, Killifer knew. Manipulate the system and make it work for you.

The next step is to get into the house, on the night detail, when the butler's asleep and Joanna's in her bedroom where there are no cameras watching.

MOONBASE

"Well, how much of the stuff can you make?" Vince Falcone asked, his patience obviously fraying.

"How much time do I have?" asked the head of the chemistry lab.

"I don't know."

"Then I don't know, either."

"Days," said Doug, stepping between them. "Maybe only two days, maybe a few more."