The Tower

Jade turned to face Fredericks, but Fredericks was still crouching in anticipation of the gasoline explosion. Travers was standing behind him, so Jade addressed her, ticking off the points by bending back his fingers. "Hold all these vehicles and search them. Send out an APB to SFPD ASAP, have them set up roadblocks on all streets leading out of here. Call the fire department, hospitals that dispatched ambulances, and news stations and have them radio any vehicles that we already missed and direct them back here or to the nearest police station. Call the police stations so they're expecting them. Call headquarters and have them alert the agents at the Atlasias' house. I'm guessing the body in there is Steve Francis's parachuting buddy, so get that missing-persons list we talked about, interview the closest relative-scratch that-interview the friends of all males matching the demographic profile. Find out if any of them parachuted or knew Steve Francis." Jade and Travers both stared expectantly at his next finger, but he couldn't think of anything else. "Got it?"

"Yes," Travers said.

"Oh, and Travers?"

"Yeah?"

Jade touched his cheek gingerly. "Nice right." He turned and walked away.

Travers glanced down at the crouching agent. "You can stand up now, Fredericks."

When Jade reached the barrel lying on its side, he picked up the lid and saw that a handle had been soldered on the inside so that Allander could hold it shut while he was being rolled out to freedom. There was a small puddle on the ground beneath the lid; Allander had also put water inside his barrel so the agents would hear it sloshing around as they rolled him out.

Beside Jade, the other barrels still leaked water from the bullet holes. He cupped his hands in front of one of the streams, then brought them up to his face. No way Allander would have put explosive barrels on either side of himself.

Jade rose and hurled the lid at a nearby tree trunk. He had ordered them to move the barrels out. He had practically freed Allander himself.

Jade walked into the woods, cursing. Where would Allander go now? Back to Darby? After his failed attempt tonight, he'd know that security would be tighter. For the time being, Thomas and Darby were out of reach. Alex, the younger kid from the second house, was already safe, in witness protection.

Would Allander try to establish a new base? Leave the area? What were his aims? Jade rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. Allander was obsessive, obsessive about finishing what he'd started. That was why he'd returned to Darby after all these years. So many loose ends to tie up, Allander had said to Jade on the phone. Were there any other loose ends that needed to be tied up?

Jade searched his brain for anything he could have forgotten. Allander had to have weaknesses he could use to his advantage. What was it Jade had told Travers earlier? I thought about the emotion that most overwhelms him. That's his Achilles' heel. His jealousy. Who would Allander be jealous of?

Studying the leaves on the ground, Jade stepped between two trees and almost toppled over the edge of a cliff. He jumped back and gazed out across the forest below. The last hint of daylight shone from beyond the horizon, and highlighted the Tower against the backdrop of the sea.

Of course. Claude Rivers. Claude, who had already raped his mother, if only her corpse. Claude, the only survivor of Allander's rampage. Claudius, the fulfiller of Allander's desires. The other loose end.

Jade leaned over the edge of the cliff, peering along its curve. Its steepness lessened drastically to his left, and he thought he could make out a path zigzagging beneath the trees. A sudden concern washed through him regarding Claude Rivers and the guard on the Tower. He had no radio, and he'd lose too much time running back to the house and finding Travers or someone else to call over and warn the guard. He'd have to rush to the Tower himself.

He turned back into the forest and ran for the path, crashing through branches and leaves. Even if Travers realized that he had disappeared and called in a helicopter, he would lose it under the cover of the trees.

Just the two of us now, he thought. It's what we've both been waiting for, isn't it Allander?

Chapter 57

A L L A N D E R gazed at the clouds rolling across the full moon and wondered when the rain would come. Now that he had the ground beneath his feet, he felt himself drawn inexorably toward the Tower. In a sense, he was going home, and that was what everything had been about.

The Tower was not visible from any point within the forest, but Allander sensed its location as if aligned by an internal compass. He broke through the last line of trees and walked through the entrance to Maingate. Repairs were still underway, so the grounds were deserted, with only one guard out on the Tower. And one prisoner.