Ben Raines was going over the intel reports with Mike Post when Dr.

Larry Buck knocked on his door and entered, a smile on his face.

"h.e.l.lo, Doc," Ben said, looking up from the maps spread on his desk.

"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary."

"Better than that, Ben. We've finally managed to get the formula for a vaccine against the bug Bottger is planning to use. I've ordered full production, so we should be ready to begin inoculations within twenty-four hours."

224.

Ben nodded, returning the doc's smile. "Good, 'cause it looks like Mexico City will fall within the week. After that, Bottger is sure to begin deployment of his BW as soon as he can."

"There is something strange going on, though," Mike Post said."What's that, Mike?" Ben asked.

"My spies in the U.S. say there is no program of inoculation going on there among Osterman's troops. What do you make of that?"

Ben glanced at Buck. "Is there any way they could already be immune, Larry?"

"No way, Ben. This bug is completely new and different from anything I've seen before. If Osterman's not already immunizing her troops, then they're going to be as vulnerable as ours would have been."

Ben scratched at a two-day growth of beard on his face. He'd been too busy lately to shave, and the new growth itched terribly.

After a minute, he looked up. "That must mean Bottger is planning to double-cross Osterman. I'll bet he figures the plague will devastate both our countries, leaving the entire North American continent ripe for picking."

"But, that'd mean millions of deaths," Buck said, a look of horror on his face. "No one can be that callous toward human life."

"Don't count on it, Larry," Ben said. "If there's a spark of humanity in Bruno Bottger, I haven't seen any sign of it yet."

"Ben, I don't know if I can in good conscience withhold this vaccine from Osterman. Even if we are at war, those are still Americans living there. Can you stand by and see millions of innocent people die just to defeat a crazy woman?"

"No, Larry, of course not. I never regret killing men in battle who are trying to kill me, but I've never countenanced killing civilians along with the military, not even to win a war I didn't start. Of course, we'll share the formula with Oster- 225.

225.

man, but we'll not give her the actual vaccine until all of our men have had a chance at it first."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Gather up all your papers on the illness Jersey and Coop suffered after exposure to the bug, as well as your culture reports and basic information on both the bug and your vaccine. I'll contact Sugar Babe tomorrow, after we've begun to vaccinate our troops."

"I'll have the information on your desk first thing in the morning,"

Buck said.

226.

Less than an hour after Ben had faxed the information on the BW of Bruno Bottger to Claire Osterman's office, his phone rang.

He picked it up and said, "h.e.l.lo, Claire."

"What is this s.h.i.t, Raines? What have you got up your sleeve now?" sheasked in a harsh voice.

"I thought the information was pretty self-evident," he replied in a reasonable tone of voice. "Are you seriously having trouble believing a man like Bruno Bottger would be planning to double-cross you?"

"How did you know-" she began.

Ben interrupted her. "How did I know you are in cahoots with Bruno Bottger?" he finished for her.

"I don't know where you got the idea Bottger is still alive, or that I'm in cahoots with him, as you say," she said lamely.

"Oh, come on, Claire. Who else would have the technical know-how to take the same bug Bottger used against the world a couple of years ago and cause a mutation that would make it even more deadly?"

When he was met with silence on the other end of the phone, Ben continued. "And as far as knowing about your deal with the devil, we've known about that from the very beginning, Claire," Ben said, stretching the truth to make her even more unsure of his sources.

"Well, anyway," she continued in a stronger tone of voice, 227.

227.

"why should I trust any information you give me after you sent your a.s.sa.s.sins to try and kill me?"

"Claire, if I wanted you dead, you'd already be decomposing."

"Bulls.h.i.t, Raines. You know attempted a.s.sa.s.sination of a country's leaders is expressly forbidden by the Geneva Convention rules of war."

Ben threw back his head and laughed. "Claire, I'm surprised you even know the Geneva Convention rules, since you've broken every single one of them since you've been president of the U.S., especially the ones concerning the use of chemical and biological weapons."

She paused, then: "Nevertheless, answer my question. Why should I trust you now?"

"Because you know it fits with Bottger's character, or lack thereof,"

Ben said patiently.

"If he's got this weapon ready, why hasn't he used it already?" she asked, her tone becoming more businesslike.

"Probably because he needs you to keep me busy until he can gain control of Mexico by taking Mexico City. Once he's established there and the Mexican Army is out of the picture, I think he'll launch a full-scale attack on the SUSA with his plague bacteria."

Another hesitation while she pondered the reasonableness of Ben's idea.

"And, Claire," Ben continued, "if you're thinking that might be good for you, think again. If the plague gets a hold here in the SUSA, even on aminor scale, remember what happened last time he and you played with biological weapons. Plagues know no boundaries. The sickness will surely cross the border like a wildfire out of control, and burn you as badly as us."

"Not if he shares the vaccine with us," Claire said, an uncertain note in her voice.

"Has he made any effort to even inform you of his plans, much less share his vaccine with you?" Ben asked.

228.

"There's still time," Claire said, "if what you're saying is the truth."

"Now who's bulls.h.i.tting whom, Claire?" Ben asked. "My medical experts tell me the vaccine will take from one to two weeks to become effective after inoculation. If that's true, and Bottger is only days away from taking Mexico City, then you haven't got a lot of time to prepare, have you?"

"s.h.i.t!" she said, evidently realizing she'd been set up as surely as night follows day.

"Claire, in spite of our . . . philosophical differences, our countries share a common history and a common blood bond. We are all, in a sense, Americans. For that reason, and for that reason alone, I don't wish to see your citizens die by the millions."

"What do you suggest?" she said slowly, as if thinking over his words.

"I'd like to make a deal."

"What kind of deal?" she asked, more suspicious now.

"Call it a quid pro quo," Ben said, "a t.i.t-for-tat sort of deal."

"Oh, so your humanity has a price?" she said scornfully.

Ben chuckled again. "In the words of the immortal writer Robert A.

Heinlein, Claire, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch."

"So, what's this 'lunch,' as you call it, going to cost me?"

"Simply pull your troops back from our borders and stand them down."

"That's it?" she asked.

"That's it, Claire," he answered. "It's a war you know you can't win anyway, so you have nothing to lose by doing the deal."

"And if we do this?"

"I'll ship you detailed instructions on the manufacture of a vaccine effective against the anthrax plague, as well as a supply to get you started with your vaccinations until you can make your own."

229.

229"And that's all?" she asked.

"Oh, and one more thing," Ben said.

"I knew it," Claire said.

"You've got to allow inspectors from the United Nations to monitor your troop withdrawal."

"What?"

"It's not that I don't trust you, Claire, but you've got to admit, you're not known for keeping your word."

"You're a son of a b.i.t.c.h, Raines! You know that?"

"Son of a b.i.t.c.h or no, Claire, you know I always keep my word, especially when it means the saving of millions of lives," Ben said.

After a few seconds, Claire answered, "All right, Raines, I'll do it."

"Good. You've made the right choice, Claire. I'll arrange with President Jeffreys to have Jean-Francois Chapelle get some inspectors on their way to your country immediately."

"What about the vaccine?" Claire asked. "If what you say is true, time is of the essence."

"I will take you at your word and send it right away," Ben said. Then, in a harsher voice, he added, "And, Claire, if you double-cross me after I send it, I make you a solemn promise. I will bomb you and your country into the Dark Ages."

The only answer Ben got was a loud click as Claire slammed her phone down.

He called Mike Post and told him of his deal with Claire.

"Do you think you can trust her?" Mike asked.

"You never know with Claire, so here's what I want you to do. Have communications get in touch with Jackie Malone and her crew of guerrillas, and have them cease all aggressive tactics, but to stay there undercover, just in case Claire doesn't come through on her end of the bargain."

Mike chuckled. "Jackie's not going to like sitting around with her hands in her pockets," he said.

Ben smiled. "I know, but tell her it's the best we can do 230.

right now. If I know Claire Osterman, Jackie will get another chance at her before all this is over."

Claire slammed the phone down, muttering, "That arrogant p.r.i.c.k! Just who does he think he is?"

Herb Knoff, who'd been sitting across the room listening to half theconversation, raised his eyebrows quizzically.

Claire glanced at him. "Get General Stevens and Harlan Millard in here right now!"

After her advisors had been a.s.sembled, Claire got right to the point.

"Ben Raines called. He said he's got proof Bottger is planning a double-cross."

"What?" General Stevens said. "But how? His troops are thousands of miles from here, and on the other side of the SUSA from us. How in the h.e.l.l can he hurt us?"

"The son of a b.i.t.c.h has got a new BW. A mutation of the plague he tried in Africa some years back."

"But, Claire," Millard said diffidently. "We knew that when we agreed to use him, and we've all been inoculated against his BWs."

"Not this one, according to Raines," she said, striding back and forth in front of her desk.

"Can we trust Raines?" Herb Knoff asked.

"Ben Raines is a lot of things," Claire said, "a son of a b.i.t.c.h not the least, but he's not a liar. If he says something, you can take it to the bank, even if you don't much like him."

"What about this so-called proof?" Stevens asked.

She pointed to the pile of papers and culture reports Ben had faxed her.

"It's all in there. I want you to get it to our medical people immediately."