“What?”

“Our electronics sensors detected them in your clothing. You’re under arrest for attempting to bring a weapon-of-mass-destruction component inside a secure government facility.”

“That's bullshit!” Willison stared bug-eyed at the objects. “I’ve never seen those things before! I have no idea what they are! This is a frame-up! You planted those things on us ... no, that girl! That girl planted them on us!” He continued his loud protests as the security officers were hauling him and his men away at gunpoint.

Landow met up with Jon Masters a few minutes later. “Good job, John,” he said. “Those old triggers from the museum sure did come in handy.”

“It’s a ridiculous stunt that won’t hold up for a moment," Landow said.

“But it sets off the security procedures, and once they go into action, it’ll take someone in Washington to stop it." Masters said happily. “This is the first time I’m actually thankful we have such tight security. How long are they going to be out of the picture?”

“We can hold them incommunicado for about six hours,” Landow replied, “unless you intend on just locking them away somewhere.”

“The thought had crossed my mind.”

“Even a terrorist with a gun would get a phone call,” Landow pointed out. “I think you should count on locking them away until just after five p.m., so they’ll have to contact a duty officer instead of their own office for help— that’ll slow things down a little more. But once the call goes in, your time runs out fast. The FBI will probably fly a supervisor or a U.S. attorney out from L.A. shortly after they hear about this, but they won’t have clearance to enter, so that’ll delay things another few hours. But they might fly a Hostage Rescue Team out here to guard the place until the men can be released—that’ll take them no more than one or two hours. After that, the game will be up. I’m sure they’ll shut this place down tight and have all of us in federal prison in a heartbeat.”

“Plenty of time,” Jon said. “We’ll all be long gone by then. We’ll have to hope that Patrick’s benefactor can keep the heat off us so there’s a company to come back to after this is all over.” He held out his arms when Kelsey Duffield approached, then picked her up and gave her a kiss on her cheek. Sasha sat down beside Jon, proudly puffing out her chest. “Good job, Kelsey,” he said. “You too, Sasha. Kelsey, I didn’t know you were a pickpocket too.”

“Thanks, Jon. My dad always told me everyone likes a good pickpocket—but just as a joke. It’s easy. I never picked a pocket to put anything in before, though.”

“The support aircraft will be ready to launch in about four hours, fully loaded with every weapon we can carry,” Jon said. “The bombers should be airborne a few hours after that. They’ll be loaded to the gills too with external weapons, so they won’t be stealthy, but we’ll have to risk it. I hope Patrick and Megafortress Two will be up there clearing a path for us.”