The frozen smile disappeared. “Come on, Austin. We're alone, so we don't need to play games, anymore. You know very well what Oceanus does. You broke into our Faroe Islands operation, caused a lot of damage and killed one of my men. I won't forget it.”

“Gee,” Austin said. “Now you've got me confused. You've obvi- ously mistaken me for someone else.”

“I don't think so. The Danish press published your picture every- where. You're quite the hero in Denmark, you know, for rescuing their sailors after that collision.”

“A collision which your company engineered,” Austin said, drop- ping all pretense.

“And which would have worked, except for your meddling.” The soft, cultivated voice had become a snarl. “Well, that ends now. You've interfered in my business for the last time.”

“Your business? I thought you were a humble employee for Oceanus, Dr. Barker... or should I call you Toonook?”

Barker removed his glasses and stared at Austin with pale-gray eyes. The moving colors played across his ashen features as if pro- jected on a screen. “Who I am is not important. What I am has a di- rect bearing on your future. I am the instrument of your death. Turn around.”

Austin glanced over his shoulder. Two swarthy men stood behind him, blocking the way. They had closed the door to keep the other guests out. Austin wondered which would offer him the better chance, pushing Barker through the display glass or bulling his way between the men at the door. He had already decided he didn't like either option and was groping for a third, when there was a knock at the door and MacDougal stuck his head in.

Unknown

“Hey, Kurt,” he called out. “I'm looking for Charlie Gleason. Sorry to interrupt you.”

“Not at all,” Austin said. MacDougal wasn't the Seventh Cavalry, but he would do.

The guards looked for direction to Barker. He replaced his sun- glasses, gave Austin his glacial smile and said, “ 'Til we meet again,” and made for the door. The guards stepped aside to let him through, and a second later, all three men were lost in the crowd.

Austin's reunion with MacDougal didn't last long. As they merged with the crowd, Mac spotted a senator who was a friend of the Smith- sonian, and he dashed off to collar him for funding. Austin mingled with the other guests until he heard an announcement saying that the dogsled races were about to begin. He was heading back to the ro- tunda when he caught a glimpse of chestnut hair cascading to bare shoulders. Therri must have felt his attention. She turned and glared in his direction. Then she smiled.

“Kurt, what a nice surprise,” she said. As they shook hands, she eyed him from head to toe. “You look quite handsome in your tuxedo.”

Austin hadn't expected the friendly greeting after the acrimony of their parting exchange on Roosevelt Island. “Thanks,” he said. “Hope it doesn't smell too strongly of mothballs.”