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He did it, surprise derailing anything else, and in three steps they were in an alcove safely hidden from the other security people "Condition Diamond, do you hear me?" Bryn asked, and saw his eyes widen An eerie relaxation caet on the air, and broadcast an alert that you received a threatening phone call There’s a bo must be evacuated Do you understandon you to save all these people Tell ed," he said "Broadcast radio alert that there is a bo, and evacuation must proceed Protocol priorities state that executives must evacuate first"

"Perfect," Bryn said "After you’ve broadcast the alert, call Irene Harte’s people and tell her that her car is waiting at the front door Questions?"

His eyes focused on hers, perfectly untroubled, but she knew that deep inside he’d be screa She’d felt this She kne … unclean it was "Where’s the bomb?"

"Basement," she said That would take the maximum amount of time; typically, it was a maze of machinery and locked rooun away fro to fail, it would do it now, in spectacular Technicolor; he could have been faking it, waiting for his chance

Instead, he just looked at her and said, "I need my radio, ma’am"

She handed it over

"This is Ledbetter at the entrance I have a Level One bomb threat Device is located in the basement Initiate immediate evac of executive personnel" He met Bryn’s eyes as he said, "Ms Harte has a private car at the front--get her out here now"

He clicked off Bryn nodded and holstered her weapon "Mr Ledbetter, I want you to join the others now and lead them in a search for the bomb Do you understand?"

"Yes In the basement" He hesitated "Is this related to the two men we have pinned down?"

Bryn felt her whole body flush with adrenaline "Pinned dohere?"

"The hallway on the left," he said "Ballroo as committed as if he really believed in the bomb … which she supposed he did, in a certain sense that was beyond his control Bryn shuddered The protocols ht create kamikaze bombers and suicidal terrorists, but they weren’t likely to produce any brilliant e had poked a stick into the hornet’s nest, and people boiled out of the building Bryn stopped another security man and commandeered his radio as he raced toward the baselass doors Executives arrived in neat tailored suits and expensive shoes, surrounded by assistants and arnized one as the first man she’d seen converted to Pharnized her, too, and his eyes widened "You," he said, and broke free of his guards to come toward her "You were there Across the hall"

"I’m sorry I couldn’t help you," Bryn said She meant it But thethat ever happened to reelanced down at her badge, then back up at her face, a frown grooving his brow "You’re not Irene Harte"

"Ms Harte gave et me into security," she said "I’ it, and as an executive, he would have knowledge and power to invoke Diamond protocol He could bury her in bodies in seconds

The radio suddenly rattled with static in her hand, and Ledbetter’s voice came over it to say, "This is a Level One alert All executives need to be out of the building now! We have a credible borabbed her problem executive by the ar, "But I don’t think she’s got the right badge…" They weren’t listening

Dia to love it

Except that in the next five , and not one of them was Irene Harte

She used the radio "I need a twenty on Ms Harte I repeat, there is no sign of Ms Harte in the evacuation Where is she?"

A female voice answered, calm and brisk "Who is this?"

"Her driver"

The voice turned cold "I’ned to drive both of you out of here as an e to Harte’s assistant, she realized "There’s a bo"

"No, there’s not We swept it for devices hours ago"

"Ma’am, as a precaution …"

"Harte doesn’t un are eliminated"