“Okay, the trams are regular access. What else?”

“There’s a helo pad on the upper level of the Pinnacle. Rarely used because of the wind shear, which makes landing difficult even on a calm day. I assume Vash has it booby-trapped, because that’s the obvious landing place for an assault by helicopter. The access door to the helo pad is blastproof, even if you did manage to land a copter.”

“You mentioned a satellite phone,” says Shane, who seems eager to get on with it.

“Yes, of course. But first let me show you the layout of the Pinnacle itself. You may find it useful.”

Weems rolls open a blueprint and the two men lean over it, tracing the outline of the complex. I have to butt in to get a look-why is it that men always suppose a woman can’t read an architectural drawing? Okay, I’m not good with schematics, but with the help of the Home Depot clinics, and many hours studying HGTV, I’ve developed an excellent sense of space and scale. And I must say the Pinnacle looks really cool, designwise. The exterior drawing reveals a soaring structure with a subtly curved concrete roof extending well beyond the supporting walls, like the brim of a stylish hat. Protection from snow, I assume. Large glass walls slant inward at about twenty degrees. The whole place has the look of a modern airport terminal in some trendy city like Paris, or that famous opera house in Sydney.

The look of it aside, Weems points out that the design was about more than being stylish. “Arthur always had security in mind, even in his more open periods. The way the roof juts out and the walls slant back? He insisted on that because it makes an assault from the air extremely difficult-it’s rappelproof for one thing. Plus there are blast shutters that can be deployed instantly. As I mentioned, the tram is controlled from the top, and if that fails, the cable can be manually detached at the upper terminus, cutting off all access. The only other way in is through the tunnel shaft, indicated here,” he says, tapping the drawing with a thickened fingernail. “But as I say, we can expect Vash and his men to figure that out sooner rather than later. My concern is that when she becomes aware that an attack is under way, Eva will drop the blast shutters, detach the tram cable, and seal the building. You’ll have a siege situation.”

“That would be the nightmare scenario,” Shane agrees. “We can’t let that happen.”

“Seen enough?”

“I think, so, yeah.”

Weems rolls the prints up and produces an Iridium phone that could be a clone of the one that belongs to the Barlows. Part of a matched set, apparently-not that it did the Barlows much good. “You’ll have to stand close to an exterior wall,” he suggests, handing the sleek little phone to Shane.

Shane, looking just a teensy bit nervous, punches in the number. He strains to listen and then his face lights up. “Maggie! I’m inside. Yes. I’ve secured Mrs. Corbin, who was being detained against her will. She has seen video images of her son, who is being held in the other building. The Pinnacle. Just like you said. Weems?” Shane glances over, makes eye contact with the strange little man. “Mr. Weems is cooperating. Matter of fact, he’s the one who broke me out of jail and gave me the means to contact you. No, I’m not kidding, I’ll tell you all about it later. Hold on, I’ve got an idea.”

Shane has Weems unroll the blueprints, snaps pictures of the Pinnacle design, then takes a photo of me standing next to Weems, who does everything but tuck his head into his torso like a turtle, and sends all of the images to the FBI over the satellite phone.

Looking very pleased with himself, Shane says, “Okay, that should be more than enough for a warrant. Maggie? See if the HRT will respond to the obvious challenge. If not, go for the local, but get ’em here quick, whatever you do. Time is of the essence. We think they may be making a move against the boy. Gotta go!”

He snaps the phone shut.

“What’s the HRT?” I ask.

“Hostage Rescue Team. They’re the best. But if they’re not available, the field office tactical team in Denver can do the job.”

“So it’s happening? For real?”

“Help is on the way.”

Now that it’s actually happening, now that the rest of the world is ready to believe me, working to rescue my son, I’m not sure how to react. Part of me is wild with anticipation, part of me sick with fear. What if we’re too late? What if they hurt Noah? What if any one of a million things goes wrong and somehow it’s my fault?

Shane doesn’t seem to notice, as if he’s already concentrating on the task at hand.

“Mind if I keep this?” he asks Weems, dropping the phone into a pocket before our host has a chance to reply.

Obviously the big guy is about to make his move. I’m ready for an argument about why I should stay behind. Too dangerous, I’ll get in the way, and so on. Let him try-I’m not taking no for an answer. I can’t be this close to my son and not take the extra step.

What I don’t expect is that without so much as a quick goodbye, Randall Shane will take three quick strides to the bathroom door and lock himself inside.

Slam, bam, no thank you, ma’am.

By the time I persuade Weems to unlock the door-okay, I threaten his miserable life-Shane has already slipped down into the shaft and sealed the clever little hatch behind him.

Evangeline has a new plan. This will be a short-term plan, as opposed to her long-term plan. Long-term, she becomes the voice of the Rulers, in complete control of the organization. That’s a given, despite the nagging impediments that stand in her way. Short-term, she finds a way to turn the current crisis to her advantage. She must take control, bend others to her will-that, after all, is the most basic rule of one. Manage this crisis successfully, it will also help achieve her long-term goal.

Planning and execution. Which, in this case, are inextricably linked.

“Vash?”

Lover boy is busy at his desk, scrolling through the video archives, looking for evidence of how Wendall Weems is managing to move around the community undetected. He looks up from the screens, his handsome face bathed in the light from below. “Yes?”

“Irene has her instructions. She’ll take care of the boy.”

He shrugs, absently stroking the wings of his mustache with his left thumb. “Good.”

“Any sign of Mr. Nobody and the miracle mom?”

“Not yet. They’ll show.”

“No doubt,” she says with a tiny, cutting smile. “Probably when we least expect it.”

“Could happen, yes.”

He waits, knowing there’s more.

“I’ve been thinking, Vash.”

“Ah,” he says, his expression unreadable.

Evangeline plants her hip on the edge of his desk. She’s excited by her new idea. Even in the middle of a long winter night it makes her feel wide-awake, zoomed with the perfection of her plan.

“When Arthur passes, we enter a new age,” she begins. “Everything will change, and yet we must have continuity. The organization cannot be allowed to splinter. We must continue to speak with one voice. Even more important, we must shape the truth.”

“Shape truth?”

Evangeline sees that she finally has his attention. Bagrat Kavashi is familiar with the notion of a malleable truth.

“Let’s assume that we can expect a visit from the Feds, sometime very soon. Within the next day or so. Do we agree that’s likely, whether or not this man Shane pays us a visit here personally?”

“Very likely. Hundred percent.”

“Okay, given that we’ll be taking a hit, exposing ourselves to the outside world, the questions is, what do they find?”

“Not boy,” he says firmly.

“Not alive, no. He’s a smart little thing, who knows what he might tell them? But what if the Feds find something that leads them to the boy, and away from us? What if they find Wendy and his followers?”