He ordered, "Take her holster, and take off her watch, her shoes, socks, and jacket, then wand her."

I heard the sounds of these items being removed and tossed aside, then Madox said, "Frisk her."

Next, I heard Kate say, "Get your fucking hands off me."

Madox retorted, "Do you want a strip search, or a frisk and wanding?"

No reply. Then Luther's voice said, "Clean."

Madox ordered, "Turn over."

I heard her turn over, then a few seconds later, the wand made a hit, and Carl asked, "What's that?"

Kate replied, "My fucking belt and zipper. What's it look like?"

Madox said, "Take your belt off."

I didn't know if they wanded her again, but I didn't hear a buzz, so the BearBanger hadn't been detected.

Madox instructed, "Carl, pat her down."

I couldn't see where he patted her, but she said to Carl, "Having fun?"

A few seconds later, Carl said, "Clean."

I didn't know where that BearBanger was on Kate's body, but either it had escaped detection or they had it and didn't know what they had.

Madox said to the other security guy, "Derek, put the shackles on her."

I heard metallic sounds as the shackles were clamped and locked, then Madox said, "Your turn, John. You know the drill. Gun first."

Still lying facedown, I brought my hand under my chest as though reaching for my gun, and I pulled the BearBanger out of my shirt pocket, then laid it on the carpet under my stomach.

Madox had apparently moved behind me, near my feet. "Don't even think about being a hero, or your wife is dead." He added, "Yes, I know she's your wife."

"Fuck you." I pulled my Glock from my belt and slid it across the carpet.

"What else? No lie, John, or I put a .45 slug in your ass."

"Ankle holster. Left side."

Someone pulled up my pants leg and took my holster and .38 revolver.

Then, two guys pulled off my shoes and socks, and my leather jacket and watch. Madox said, "Wand him."

One guy, I think Luther, walked around me with the wand, but nothing set it off.

Madox continued, "Frisk him."

Someone patted down my legs, took my wallet, then patted down my back. Luther reported, "Clean."

I said, "Bain, Luther was squeezing my ass."

Luther wasn't amused and said, "Shut your fucking mouth, sir."

"You're supposed to pat, not squeeze."

I felt a heavy boot smashing into my right rib cage as Luther shouted, "Asshole!"

Madox warned Luther, "Don't ever do that without my permission."

After I caught my breath, I couldn't resist pointing out, "Not that well disciplined, Bain."

Madox said, "Shut up." He informed me, "I really don't like your sarcasm." He snapped, "Roll over!"

I needed to roll over without exposing the BearBanger on the carpet under my stomach. So, instead of doing a simple sideways roll, I made a pretense of being in pain from the kick in the ribs and did a passable imitation of a beached whale flopping around so that I wound up in the same place on the carpet with the BearBanger under my back.

I could see Madox now, standing near my feet, and Carl standing near Kate, pointing the shotgun at her.

Luther was off to my right side, holding the wand, which he was slapping into his hand, as though it were a billy club that he was thinking about swinging at my head.

The other security guy, Derek, was someplace I couldn't see from where I was lying, but I figured he'd repositioned himself behind my head with his M16 pointing down at me.

The only good news here was that Madox, for some reason, hadn't just opened fire.

He seemed to sense what I was thinking and said to me, "If you're wondering why I'm taking all this time and trouble with you two, the answer is I need some information from you. Also, I don't want blood on this Persian carpet."

Both those reasons sounded good.

Madox instructed, "Take off your belt."

I unbuckled it, pulled it through the loops, and tossed it aside.

He said to Derek, "Shackle him," and Derek ordered, "Raise your legs."

I raised my legs, and Derek slapped the ankle bracelets on and locked them in place. I was surprised how heavy they were, and I dropped my legs, causing the shackles to rattle.

Luther pulled the pen out of my shirt pocket, then passed the wand over me. My zipper also set it off, so Luther stuck the wand down my pants and said, "No brass balls, Colonel."

Everyone got a little chuckle out of that, except me and Kate.

It occurred to me that I'd pissed off everyone in this room-maybe including Kate-and that though they'd been mostly professional so far, it could get very personal very quickly. So I thought, for my wife's sake, I should try to keep my mouth shut.

I looked over at Kate, who was lying about ten feet from me, also on her back, and also wearing shackles. We made eye contact, and I said to her, "It's going to be okay when they get here."

"I know."

Of course, it wasn't a matter of "when" but a matter of "if."