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Any questions？〃
The Magic Shop was silent。
〃Okay； people；〃 Cabrillo said； 〃then give your letters to Julia。〃
Medical Officer Julia Huxley hated this part of her job。 The letters gave instructions for the lengths of medical care each man wanted if critically injured。 They also gave detailed instructions as to the dispersal of the operatives' funds and other bequests。 Whatever was in the letters； Huxley was bound to see it through。 She walked around the room collecting the sealed envelopes。 When she was done； the room was quiet。
〃That always puts a pall over the proceedings；〃 Murphy said； laughing。 〃We're not going in to disable a nuclear warhead。 We're just stealing some gold。〃
The sour mood dissipated and they resumed talking。
〃We have some time before we need to leave；〃 Hartley said； 〃so if you need to eat or whatever； the time is now。〃
Everyone filtered out of the room； leaving only Cabrillo and Hanley。
〃Meadows and Jones ready？〃 Cabrillo asked。
〃Right on schedule；〃 Hanley said。
〃And the flyboy？〃
〃Jetting his way here；〃 Hanley said； 〃as we speak。〃
〃Then the fun is about ready to happen。〃
A PAIR OF men on motorcycles with sidecars sat on the side of Rua de Lourenco and watched employees from the Macau Public Works Department erecting barricades along the route of the Good Friday parade。 The side streets would all be blocked off； but the barricades were wooden sawhorses and would yield to the bumper of a car or the front tire of a motorcycle。
〃Let's ride over to the staging area；〃 one of the men said。 The other man nodded and pushed his starter button； then placed the cycle in gear and drove up the street。 A few blocks away； he slid over to the side of the road and shut off the engine。 The street leading out of the staging area was festooned with banners and crepe…paper streamers。 Paper lanterns holding candles were placed along the route； waiting to be lit at dusk。 Various vendors were setting up shop in handcarts to offer food and drink to those watching the parade； while a street sweeper made a last…minute pass to make sure the street at least started out clean。
〃They sure are big on dragons；〃 said one of the men； pointing to a large line of floats。
There were at least seventy different floats。 Ships； stages where musicians would play； sword swallowers and juggling acts。 And dragons。 Red crepe…paper monstrosities； a blue…and…yellow dragon with a long tail posed in the air。
The floats were built on motorized platforms； then outlined in thick
wire and covered with cloth； paper or； in one case； what looked like hammered copper。 A single driver perched inside each steered down the route by staring through a small slit in the front of the float。 The exhaust from the small internal…bustion engines was vented out the side。
It was quiet now； but by the amount of speakers on the various floats； it was obvious that once the parade got under way there would be a medley of sights and sounds。
〃I'm going to go take a look；〃 one of the men said as he climbed off the motorcycle and walked over to a nearby float。 Lifting the side curtain； he stared at the framework before a policeman walked over and shooed him away。
〃Lot of room under there；〃 he said to his partner as he returned and climbed back into his seat。
Several members of a marching band trudged past； followed by an elephant with a handler sitting atop in a basket chair。
〃Hell of a deal；〃 the second man said quietly； 〃hell of a deal。〃
RICHARD TRUITT STARED in the mirror in his hotel room on AvLV^nida de Almeida Ribeiro； then adjusted his tie。 Reaching into his shaving kit； he removed a round container and opened it up。 Touching his fingertip to the colored contact lens； he placed it over an eye and blinked it into place。 After placing the second lens； he stood back and examined the result。
Truitt was pleased and he smiled。
Then he reached into another bag and removed a dental appliance and slid it over his top row of teeth。 Now he had a slightly bucktoothed look。 Removing a pair of tortoiseshell glasses from the bag； he placed them over his ears and adjusted them on the bridge of his nose。 If it was geek he was seeking； he'd hit the mother lode。 All that remained was to grease down his hair and sprinkle a little false dandruff on the collar of his tweed jacket。 Perfect。
Walking into the living room of the suite； he removed a document from the out tray in his printer and gave it an examination。 It was ornate and pompous in true British fashion。 By royal appointment to the queen； said one line。 Since 1834； said another。 Truitt folded the document and slipped it into the inside pocket of his jacket。 Then he turned off the puter and printer and packed it into its case。 His bags were already packed and sitting by the door。 He returned to the bathroom to gather up his things there； then walked back into the living room and slid them into a side pocket of one of the bags。 Then he walked over to the telephone and dialed a number。
〃On my way；〃 he said quietly。
〃Good luck；〃 Cabrillo replied。
Now he just needed to make his way out of the room without being seen。
FOR THE MOST part； Linda Ross was a good…natured and positive JL person。
That's what made playing Iselda so much fun。 Most people have a bitchy sidethey just keep it suppressed。 Since the report on Iselda claimed she suppressed the best and not the worst； Ross was playing the opportunity to the hilt。 Riding down the elevator to the parking garage； she stepped over to the attendant's window and frowned。 The man raced from the enclosure to bring her car。 As Ross waited； she tried to decide what Iselda would tip and decided it was probably nothing。
The attendant pullod up in a dirty Peugeot and opened the door。 Ross slid into the driver's seat and muttered 〃I'll get you next time〃 to the attendant and slammed the door。 The inside of the car smelled like a Wisconsin roadhouse at closing time。 The carpet was littered with ashes and the ashtray was overflowing。 The inside of the windows were covered with a film of nicotine。
〃Here we go；〃 she whispered as she reached into the glove box and removed a pack of cigarettes and lit one up。 Then she placed the Peugeot into drive and rolled out to the street。 Ten minutes later she pulled in front of the mansion and passed her first test。
〃Open the gate；〃 she shouted at the guard； who stared inside and； seeing it was her； pushed a button； 〃I'm late。〃
Parking over to one side of the driveway； she climbed from the car and lit another cigarette。
〃Dump my ashtray when you get a chance；〃 she said to a gardener who walked past。
The man ignored her and continued on。 Walking to the front door； she rang the bell； then waited until the butler opened the door。
〃Out of my way；〃 she said as she swept past and headed for where she remembered the kitchen to be from the blueprints she'd memorized。 Bursting into the kitchen； she stared at the stove； then turned to one of the chefs Iselda had hired。
〃Is that the bisque？〃 she asked。
〃Yes； ma'am；〃 the Chinese chef answered。
Strutting over to the stove； she removed the lid and smelled。 〃Spoon； please。〃
The chef handed her a spoon and she tasted the soup。
〃Seems light on the lobster；〃 she said。
〃I'll add more；〃 the chef said。
〃Good； good；〃 Ross said。 〃If Mr。 Ho needs me； I'll be out back。 Let me know when you bake the first shrimp puffsI want to sample them。〃
〃Very good；〃 the chef said as Ross headed through the rear door leading to the grounds。
As soon as she was spotted leaving the house； the caterer in charge of the libations walked toward her。 He paused and stared。
〃You look particularly lovely today； Miss Iselda；〃 he said。
〃Flattery will get you zilch；〃 Ross said。 〃Do you have everything ready？〃
〃Except for that one thing we spoke about yesterday；〃 the caterer said。
Damn； Ross thought。
〃What thing？〃 Ross said。 〃I can't be expected to remember everything。〃
〃The glacier ice；〃 the caterer said。 〃It will be here in another hour or so。〃
〃Good； good；〃 Ross said。 〃Now make sure all the glassware is polished。〃
She hurried away to where a chef with an electric chain saw was cutting an ice sculpture。
The caterer shook his head at the exchange。 Her demeanor was the same； but the caterer could swear that the mole on Iselda's cheek was a few inches lower。 He banished the thought and went to check the glasses。
Ross crushed her cigarette out under her high heel。 Her head was spinning from all the smoking； and she paused and took a few deep breaths。 〃More detail on the wings；〃 she said to the chef； who nodded and continued working。 A tall man walked past carrying several stacked chairs。 He smiled and winked。
High in a hickory tree on the property； a Corporation employee dressed in a ghillie suit that blended into the leaves keyed a microphone and spoke。
〃Linda's in and working；〃 he said quietly。
STANLEY HO WAS standing in his top…floor office staring down at the party preparations。 He had seen Iselda walk onto the yard； but the last thing he wanted to do was talk to her。 The butch Portuguese woman annoyed Hoshe was good at what she did； but