Overload (66 page)

truck-used, but in good condition and by happy coincidence painted red. He

had made the purchase with cash and employed fake identity papers, so later

the ownership would not be traceable.

The truck was now hidden in a locked, private garage adjoining a second

Friends of Freedom bideaway-a recently rented apartment in the city's North

Castle district which only Georgos; knew about. Tle apartment would serve

as a location to fall back on if the Crocker Street house became unusable

for any reason.

'ne red truck was already lettered neatly on both sides: FIRE PROTECTION

SERVICE, INC. A masterstroke (another of Georgos' ideas) was the choice of

an open pickup rather than a closed van. The vehicle's contents-seemingly

innocent fire extinguishers-would be exposed for all to see.

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Georgos' own regular transportation-his old VW van-was in a private

parking garage not far from the Crocker Street house and would not be

used in the NEI attack.

How Birdsong's diversionary scheme would work was that he, with about a

hundred p & lfp supporters, would stage an anti-GSP & L demonstration at

the hotel at the same time that the load of fire extinguishers-cum-bombs

would be driven to the service entrance and unloaded. The demonstrators

would make themselves sufficiently a nuisance so that any police or

security forces on the scene would be kept busy, permitting the red Dodge

pickup to pass unnoticed.

As to other details, Birdsong had come through, as promised, with sketch

plans of the Christopher Columbus Hotel main floor and mezzanine. After

studying them, Georgos had made three trips himself to the hotel to

verify details and decide on exact placement of the high explosive bombs

to go off first.

Another thing Georgos learned was that behind-scenes service activity was

so busy, at times frantic, that in the daytime almost anyone could walk

through the hotel's service areas unquestioned, provided they appeared

purposeful and on some business mission. To test this, on the third trip

to the Christopher Columbus, Georgos wore one of the neat blue-gray

coverall uniforms, embroidered with the words "Fire Protection Service,

Inc." which he and the other freedom fighters accompanying him would wear

three days from now.

No sweat. No problem. He had even received friendly nods from several

hotel staff members who found his presence unremarkable, and, for his

part, Georgos practiced the role to be played when the time came to put

the bombs in place. Then, he and the others would become obsequious

flunkies-the way capitalists liked their serfs to grovel. Cbameleons all,

the freedom fighters would smile sweetly, mouthing inanities -"Excuse

me," "Yes, sir," "No, madam," "Please"-a sickening abasement to

inferiors, but one to be suffered for the cause of revolution.

Results would make it all worthwhilel

For extra cover, in case any freedom fighter were stopped and questioned,

Birdsong had bad some Fire Protection Service, Inc. work orders printed.

These were now filled in. They instructed that supplementary fire

extinguishers were to be delivered to the hotel and left in place for

subsequent mounting. Birdsong had also typed, on hotel stationery, an

authorization for Fire Protection Service personnel to enter the hotel

for that purpose. He acquired the stationery during one of his sorties

into the Christopher Columbus where it was available, for use by hotel

guests, at desks on the mezzanine.

The two documents replaced Georgos' original idea of getting hotel

purchase orders, which had proved too difficult. Neither document would

stand up to close scrutiny, Georgos and Birdsong realized, but might make

the needed difference in a pinch.

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As far as Georgos could see, they had thought of everything.

Only one thing, at this moment, vaguely troubled him and that was his

woman, Yvette. Since the night, four months ago, when he executed the two

security pigs on the hill above Millfield and afterward Yvette protested,

he bad never quite trusted her. Briefly, following Millfield, be considered

eliminating her. It would not be difficult, as Davey Birdsong once pointed

out, but Georgos decided to postpone action. The woman was useful. She

cooked well; also she was convenient when he chose to work off his sexual

excitements, which had become more frequent lately as the prospect of

killing more people's enemies loomed closer.

As a precaution, Georgos had kept secret from Yvette the plan to bomb the

Christopher Columbus Hotel, even though she must realize something

important was pending. Perhaps her exclusion was the reason she had been

silent and moody these past few weeks. Well, no matterl At this moment he

had more important concerns, but soon he would almost certainly have to

dispose of Yvette, even at some inconvenience to himself.

Remdrkable! Even thinking about killing his woman was giving him an

erection.

With growing excitement-in so many agreeable ways-Georgos returned to

writing in his journal.

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PART FOUR

In a twenty-fifth-floor suite of the Christopher Columbus Hotel, Leah looked

up from an exercise book in which she was writing.

"Daddy," she said, "can I ask you something personal?"

Nim answered, "Yes, of course."

"Are things all right between you and Mommy now?"

It took Nim a second or two to grasp the import of his daughter's question.

Then he answered quietly, "Yes, they are."

"And you're not Leah's voice faltered. "You're

not going to

break up after all?"

"If you've been worrying about that," he told her, "you can stop worrying.

That won't happen, I hope, ever."

"Oh, Daddyl" Leah ran toward him, her arms flung out. She embraced him

tightly. "Oh, Daddy, I'm so glad." He felt her young face soft against his

own and the wetness of her tears.

He held her, and gently stroked her hair.

The two of them were together because Ruth and Benjy had gone down to the

lobby floor a few minutes ago-to sample the wares of an ice cream parlor

for which the hotel was noted. Leah had chosen to stay with Nim, claiming

she wanted to finish some schoolwork she had brought. Or was it, he

wondered now, because she saw an opportunity to ask that crucial question?

What parent, Nim reflected, ever knew what went on in children's minds, or

the hurts they suffered through parental selfishness or lack of thought? He

remembered bow Leah had carefully avoided the subject of Ruth's absence

while she and Benjy were staying with the Neubergers and they had talked on

the telephone. What agony was Leaha sensitive and aware

fourteen-year-old-going through then? The memory left him ashamed.

It also raised the question: When should both children be told the truth

about Ruth's condition? Probably soon. True, it would create anxiety, just

as it had-and continued to-with Nim. But better Leah

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and Benjy should know than have it sprung upon them suddenly in a crisis,

as might happen. Nim decided he would discuss the subject with Ruth within

the next few days.

As if Leah sensed part of his thinking, she said, "It's all right, Daddy.

It's all right." Then, with the adaptability of the young, she wriggled

free and went back to what she had been doing.

He walked to the window of the suite living room, observing the pan-

oramic, picture-postcard view; the historic city, its busy ship-filled

harbor and the two world-famed bridges, all touched with gold by the late

afternoon sun. "Hey," he said over his shoulder, "that's some fantastic

scene."

Leah looked up, smiling. "Yeah. Sure is."

One thing was already clear: Bringing his family to the National Electric

Institute convention, now in its first day, had been a great idea. Both

children were excited when they all checked into the hotel this morning.

Leah and Benjy, while excused from school for four days, had been given

class assignments, including one to write an essay on the convention

itself; Benjy, planning his, expressed a wish to bear his father's speech

tomorrow. It was unusual to admit a child to an NEI business session, but

Nim managed to arrange it. There were other activities for families-a

harbor cruise, museum visits, private movies-in which Ruth and the

children would join.

After a while Ruth and Benjy returned to the suite, laughing happily, and

reporting that it had been necessary to test two cones each before

awarding the ice cream parlor a three-star rating.

The convention's second day.

It dawned bright and cloudless, sun streaming into the suite while Nim,

Ruth and the children enjoyed the luxury of a room service breakfast.

Following breakfast, and for the last time before he would deliver it,

Nim skimmed through his speech. It was on the program for 10 A.M. A few

minutes after nine he left the others and took an elevator to the lobby

floor.

He had a reason for going there first. From a window of the suite he had

seen some kind of a demonstration taking place outside and was curious

to know who was demonstrating, and why.

As Nim emerged from the hotel's main doorway, he realized it was the same

old crowd-power & light for people. About a hundred persons of varying

ages were parading, chanting slogans. Didn't they ever get tired, he

wondered, or see anything but their own narrow viewpoint?

The usual type placards were being waved.

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GSP & L

Cheats

Consumers

Let the People,

Not Fat Cat

Capitalists,

Own GSP & L

p & lfp Urges

Public Takeover of

The People's Utilities

Public Ownership

Would Ensure

Lower Electric Rates

What influence, Nim mused, did p & 4 expect to have on the National

Electric Institute? He could tell them it would be nil. But of course, it

was local attention they expected and, as usual, were receiving. He could

see the ubiquitous TV cameras. Oh yes, and there was Davey Birdsong,

looking cheerful and directing it all.

There appeared to be an attempt by the demonstrators to stop vehicular

traffic from reaching the hotel. The front driveway was being blocked by a

line of p & lfp-ers who had linked arms, preventing several waiting cars

and taxis from moving in. Also cordoned off by a second contingent was an

adjoining service entrance. Two trucks were held up there. One, Nim saw,

was a milk delivery van, the other an open pickup with a load of fire

extinguishers. The drivers of both trucks had got out of their vehicles and

were protesting the delay.

Several city policemen now appeared. They moved among the demonstrators,

cautioning them. A brief argument followed between police and

demonstrators, in which Birdsong joined. Then the big, bearded man shrugged

and motioned his supporters away from both entrances while the police,