“Let’s go directly to the airplanes, Dino,” Stone said.

“I’ve already got people at the security barriers,” Warren said. “If they’re in here, they can’t get out, except on an airplane, and we’ve fixed that. The flights to Germany leave from the next four gates; if they haven’t boarded yet, then we should check the lounges.”

They entered the first lounge, where boarding was being announced. Warren took the microphone from a uniformed woman and announced that boarding would be delayed for five minutes.

“Dino,” Stone said, “give me your backup piece.”

Dino reached down to an ankle holster and handed Stone a snub-nosed .38 revolver; Stone tucked it into his belt. They began walking rapidly up and down the rows of waiting travelers. Stone looked at every male face, looked for short-haired young men, looked for Herbert Mitteldorfer.

Andy Anderson ran up to them, breathless. “Lieutenant,” he said, “there’s a Heinz Müller on the flight two gates down. He’s the only male with those initials on a flight to Germany.”

Dino grabbed Sam Warren and beckoned to Stone. “Let’s go!” he yelled.

63

THE FOUR MEN RAN DOWN THE HALLWAY, shoving travelers out of the way, and burst into the second departure lounge. It was empty, except for a young woman at the ticket counter.

Warren ran up to her. “How long has the flight been gone?” he demanded, flashing a badge.

She looked at her watch. “Twenty minutes,” she said.

“Oh, no.” Stone groaned.

Warren grabbed a telephone and punched in a number. “Tower? This is Sam Warren, head of security; let me speak to a supervisor.” He waited for a moment. “This is Sam Warren in security; I’m at Gate Eighteen; Flight 104 to Berlin taxied from the Gate Twenty minutes ago. Is it still on the ground?” He waited again. “Great! Have it return to the gate; tell the pilot to announce a mechanical problem that will take only a few minutes to fix; tell the passengers they’ll have to get off the airplane, but they can leave their belongings.” He hung up. “It’s on the way back to the gate,” he said to the group. “I’m going to have all the passengers deplane, and we can check them as they get off.” He turned to the woman at the desk. “I want you to check them off the manifest as they leave the airplane. Don’t let anybody get past you.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied.

The four men caught their breath while they waited for the airplane to return to the gate. Dino dispatched Andy Anderson to have his other men check the other German flights.

“I hope to God this is the flight,” Dino said, pacing up and down the lounge.

“He’s stuck with his initials so far; why should he change now?” Stone said.

More minutes passed. “Here comes the airplane,” Sam Warren said, pointing out the window.