"To keep me abreast of developments," Gordian said. "Furthermore, there are some people at NASA who may be in a snit about Annie's accession, so to speak, and I'd like to have someone in place to backstop her should she run into difficulties."

"Right off the top of my head, I'm able to name at least a dozen people in our organization who can do the job as well as I can," Nimec said.

"Only if we disregard your experience in identifying the characteristics of sabotage," Gordian said. "I hope it doesn't become essential, but we have to be ready just in case. Which is my third reason for wanting you at the Cape."

Nimec sat there for a moment of dead silence. Gordian's fixed expression told him it wouldn't do any good to contest his decision, that things would have to go his way whether Nimec liked it or not. Besides, he could present no logical argument; everything Gordian had said made perfect sense.

In spite of the logic and sense, though, all Nimec could think was that he was finally getting his due for Malaysia. That Gordian was expressing his concern about a replay of the cowboys-and-Indians scenario that had grown out of Nimec's tolerance of Max Blackburn's unauthorized investigation into Monolith Technologies a year ago. He could still remember Gordian's words when he'd found out about it. At that point it had been evident that Blackburn was in trouble. No one had yet guessed how serious it would turn out to be, but Max had disappeared, and Nimec had finally had to ask his employer's permission to go looking for him.

Yes, he could remember Gord's exact words.

"It's beyond me how you could have been part of something this reckless, Pete. Completely beyond me ... the two of you launched a caper that could have sunk us in quicksand. And very likely has ... "

Nimec breathed. Maybe it hadn't sunk them, but Max was dead, and he owned a share of the blame. Maybe, too, he deserved to be making reparations.

"Who you plan on sending to Mato Grasso?" he asked.

Another dead moment.

Megan shifted in her chair.

"Gord's asked me to go," she said.

Nimec looked at her.

"I apologize." She averted her eyes for the briefest instant. "I probably should have told you sooner."

He was quiet.

"Pete, one more thing," Gordian said, breaking into the silence at what he thought was an opportune moment. "Have you heard from Tom Ricci? We can't afford to get hung up as far as the Sword position."

"He left a message on my voice mail this morning. I plan to return the call as soon as I get back to my office."

"No indication yet about how he's leaning?"

Nimec shook his head.

"He'd want to talk to me directly."

Gordian nodded. "I can see that."

Megan smoothed her skirt over her legs.

"Must be a guy thing," she half-muttered.

Gordian looked at her, raising his eyebrows.