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Outside the hangar ca up Stokes was being forced to take off without his passenger If he was going to act, Pitt figured that he had less than thirty seconds He noted an ashtray on the desk with several cigarette butts and assuesture of defeat

"If I'ainst arette?"

"Not at all," said Merchant, pushing the ashtray across the desk "I may even join you"

Pitt had stopped s years before, but he made a slow movement as if to reach in the open breast pocket of his shirt He doubled up his right hand into a fist and clasped it with his left Then in a lightningwith the other for extra strength, he jauard's stouard doubled over

Merchant's reaction time was admirable He pulled a small nine-millimeter automatic from a belt holster and unsnapped the safety in one well-practiced un could clear the desktop, he found hiuard's automatic rifle, now cradled in Pitt's steady hands, lined up on Merchant's nose The security chief felt as though he were staring through a tunnel with no light at the other end

Slowly, he placed his pistol on the desk "This will do you no good," he said acidly

Pitt grabbed the automatic and dropped it in his coat pocket "Sorry I can't stay for dinner, but I don't wa

nt to lose my ride"

Then he was through the door and sprinting across the hangar floor He threw the rifle in a trash receptacle, cleared the door and slowed to a jog as he passed through the ring of guards They stared at him suspiciously, but assumed their boss had allowed Pitt to leave They made no move to stop hiandown the runway Pitt leaped onto a float, yanked open the door against the wash froo bay

Stokes looked dumbfounded as Pitt slipped into the copilot's seat "Good Lord! Where did you come from?"

"The traffic was heavy on the way to the airport," Pitt said, catching his breath

"They forced me to take off without you"

"What happened to your undercover agent?"

"He didn't show Security around the plane was too tight"

"You won't be happy to learn that Dorsett's security chief, a nasty little jerk called John Merchant, has you pegged as a snooping Mountie from the CID"