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“Release the stern line,” Pitt said, “then go to the wheelhouse and see if you can start her”

“What if someone’s aboard?”

“They probably won’t be armed” He patted the AK-47 under his arm

Pitt ran to free the bow and spring ’s narrow deck He raced to the bohere several towlines froe rapped around a trio of bollards The lines had been drawn tight and Pitt worked feverishly to release them

Ahead of hi to douse the flames, while others ran to quell the dock fire It would be short order before the two injured soldiers would alert the others of their presence He was relieved to hear the tug’s diesel engine churn to life behind him

Freeing the last of the barge lines, he scrambled across the squat deck and dashed to the wheelhouse, clutching the AK-47 Bursting through an open side door, he stopped in his tracks

The wheelhouse was cra with an arm locked around Summer’s neck and a pistol held to her temple

“Put down your weapon,” Molina said “It is not time to leave just yet”

Behind hi fro Pitt could only look at his daughter in anguish as he slowly dropped his weapon to the deck

52

Rudi, you’re here early”

Vice President James Sandecker burst into the foyer of his office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building like a rabid hyena A fitness fanatic, he was dressed in a black jogging suit and followed by two out-of-breath Secret Service agents in similar attire

“I wanted to catch you first thing” Rudi Gunn was seated waiting on a sofa “Hoas yourrun?”

The worst-kept secret in Washington was that the Vice President took a three-, rin of his security detail

“A DC cab nearly T-boned one ofto be pounding the pavement”