The balloon rose forty feet in the air before the destruction was complete enough for it to start falling. Strands of gondola webbing had snapped, leaving gaps big enough to expel a body. The stainless steel on the bottom held up better, riddled with bullet holes but fundamentally intact. The major problem was the holes in the canopy. It only took a few seconds to hit the ground once the descent began.
“Good thing we weren’t on that balloon, dude.”
Bones glanced back one last time as he made his way over the wall out of the zoo. Maddock had already reached the ground and was scanning for additional threats. Right as the bullets started flying, he and Bones had slipped over the side of the gondola, landing on the ground with the platform hiding them from their pursuers. They could have been seen, but Maddock was counting on the tendency of people to assume the obvious, in this case that Maddock and Bones were trying to escape via hot air balloon. His ploy had worked.
Bones’ feet hit the sidewalk next to him. “Do we go after those guys?”
Maddock shook his head. “I don’t think so. Even if we got our knives from the car, it’s foolish to go after three armed men on unfamiliar ground with civilians around. They just showed that they don’t care about collateral damage.”
“We need to figure out who these jerks are, though.”
“Yep. Follow me.”
Maddock and Bones quickly went to each of the four cars that were blocking the Mustang. “We each need to remember two of the license plate numbers.”
“No problemo, but how are we gonna trace them?”
“I’ll tell you when we’re back in the Mustang. Those guys have figured out by now they’ve been had, so we need to leave pronto.”
Seconds later, Bones revved the engine of the Mustang and pulled along the sidewalk to get around the blocking vehicles. The zoo quickly disappeared in the rear view mirror.
“Where to?”
“Independence Hall, right?”
“Why not? Can’t let a little thing like being shot at ruin our day.”
“I don’t know. Last time we checked out a historic site together, we were attacked by a group of extremists who believed George Washington was visited by an angel. And that was their least crazy idea.”
Bones smiled. “Relax, Maddock, that was in Boston. That’s hundreds of miles away. Though it wouldn’t take that long in a car like this. Let’s see how fast this baby can go. What do you think, a buck thirty, a buck forty?”
Maddock groaned. “How about we at least wait until we’re out of the school zone to find out?”
“If you say so.”
Maddock would have just taken the subway or a bus to get around for their trip, but Bones had insisted on renting a convertible despite the early December chill. He barely fit behind the wheel of the Mustang, but his grin was as wide as the horizon when he first turned the ignition. A kid in a candy store, except the kid was almost eighty inches tall.
“So Bones, you remember Jimmy Letson?”
“The reporter who helped us out in Boston? Looks like Weird Al?”
“That’s the one. I’m thinking we should put his computer hacking skills to use.”
“I see where you’re going and I like it. He’ll bust into the government computers and find out what we need. Hey, can you tell him while he’s in there to check on Area 51? I’ve got a theory that they’re keeping the aliens hidden because they’re all hot. Like young Lieutenant Uhura hot.”
Maddock smiled. “For someone who likes to make wisecracks about nerds who read books in high school instead of getting laid, you’ve got some sci-fi knowledge.”
“I’ve got hot babe knowledge. Big difference.”
“Whatever. Anyway, those were Pennsylvania and Maryland plates. All he’ll have to do is get into the DMV computers.”
Bones’ face fell. “Bummer.”
The visuals at Independence Hall weren’t what interested Maddock. It was more the feel of the place. Over two hundred years ago, in this very spot, the foundation of the American system of government was laid. It took several months, and politicians back then weren’t much different than they are now. People yelled, people got fed up and left, three people even refused to sign the final document. When it went to the states, several refused to ratify unless a Bill of Rights was added.
In other ways, though, Maddock knew most of them were different than the people in D.C. today. They had lived through a tyrannical monarchy and a bloody war, followed by almost a decade of disorganized government. They knew they needed something better and they produced it. That’s what made this place special, its history of men rising to the needs of their nation. He knew it was corny, but that same desire lay behind his joining the Navy and trying to become a SEAL.
Bones must have felt the same way, because the big man kept his irreverent quips down to a dull roar during their tour.
“So Bones, who was the founder you most admire?”
“You’re asking the wrong guy. You know what most of these guys thought of Indians?”
“Come on Bones, you wouldn’t have joined the Navy if you didn’t respect some of this stuff.”
Bones raised his eyebrows when he met Maddock’s eye. “Ben Franklin. More curiosity than almost any man in history. And not afraid to change his mind or admit he was wrong.”
“I seem to recall he modeled his ideas for the U.S. government after the Iroquois tribes.”
“Yep, he was one smart dude. Even smarter than you think you are, Maddock.”
As they made their way back from Independence Square to where the Mustang was parked, Maddock looked at his watch. “11:30, I’m ready for lunch.”
“You gonna give Letson a call first?”
Maddock had called Letson from a pay phone before they went into Independence Hall. The hacker had been pleased to hear from them and assured him that getting DMV information was child’s play. Maddock had allowed the earlier attack to slip from his mind during the tour, but now he agreed with Bones that they needed to find another phone.
Letson answered on the first ring. “Maddock, I got what you need.”
“Keep that quiet or Bones will get jealous.”
“I still can’t believe you two are tight. Some kind of yen and yang thing?”
“I suppose. He’s not so bad once you get to know him.”
“Hey, it makes no difference to me. Anyway, I looked up the cars. The two Maryland plates are registered to the same Maryland Corporation called G. Mason Incorporated. Appears to be a consulting firm, but I found no record of it anywhere other than the corporate papers with two officers’ names on it. One of them is a lawyer, probably one of those guys who’ll agree to be an officer for a fee. Another is a Graham Mason, age thirty-five. Probably the source of the corporation name. Haven’t had the chance to get the full scoop on him, but he lives in Baltimore and he’s never been arrested.
“The two Pennsylvania cars are registered to individuals who live in Philly, James Roberge and Carl Stilton. These guys you want to watch out for. One conviction for an armed robbery which they pulled off together. Suspected of a dozen others, but not enough evidence to go to trial. They did seven years and then got out early for good behavior four years ago. I have the addresses on file with their parole officers from a year ago when parole ended.”
“That’s awesome, Jimmy, we owe you.”
“You do. I’m partial to Wild Turkey if you’re in the giving mood.”
“I don’t think we’ll make it to D.C. this trip, but the drinks are on me next time I see you.” Maddock hung up and looked at Bones. “We have an address. You want to check it out or have lunch first?”
Bones opened his mouth in mock horror. “Blow off lunch just so we can go beat up on some bad guys?”
“Bad guys who tried to kill us,” Maddock reminded him.
“Even so, I think they can wait. Man cannot live on revenge alone.”