ou think you can rescue her？〃
〃We won't know until we try；〃 Zavala said with a slight smile。
〃It will be very dangerous。 You may have a chance； though。 The guards are preoccupied。 There's some kind of meeting planned。 You must move quickly before people start ing here。〃
〃What kind of meeting？〃 Zavala asked。
〃I don't know； only that it's extremely important。 I have to have this facility up and working by then； or they'll kill Gamay。〃
She glanced out of the office to see if the coast was clear。 Then she led them to the elevator。 Austin thought that she looked exhausted。 There were black circles under her red…rimmed eyes。 She wished them well and disappeared into the network of pipes。
Wasting no time； they stepped into a strange egg…shaped elevator。 The elevator rose through the water to the tram room Francesca had described。 They got aboard the tram car and sped along the tunnel to its terminus。 From the tram room they stepped into a passageway。 The elevator door was a few paces away。 The light over the door indicated that the elevator was moving down。
〃Do we go naughty or nice？〃 Zavala asked。
〃See if nice works。〃
The door opened； and a guard stepped out。 A machine pistol was slung from his shoulder。 He looked at Zavala suspiciously； then at Austin。
〃Pardon me；〃 Zavala said politely。 〃Could you tell us where to find the woman from NUMA？ Can't miss her。 Tall with red hair。〃
The guard began to raise his machine pistol。 The move brought Austin's ham…sized right fist crashing into the man's midsection。 He made a sound like a deflating balloon； and his legs went limp。
〃I thought we were going to try nice；〃 Zavala said。
〃That was nice；〃 Austin replied。 He grabbed the man's arms； and with Zavala holding the feet； they dragged the guard into the elevator。 Zavala brought the elevator halfway to the next floor and locked it in place。 Austin kneeled and lightly patted the guard's cheek。 The man's eyes rolled； then popped wide open when he saw Austin's face。
〃We're feeling generous today。 You get a second chance。 Where's the woman？〃
The guard shook his head。 Austin wasn't in the mood for stalling。 He brought the gun muzzle to the bridge of the guard's nose； so close that the man looked cross…eyed at it。
〃I'm not going to waste any time；〃 Austin said quietly。 〃We know she's on the first level。 If you don't tell us where she is； we'll find someone who can。 Understand？〃
The guard nodded。
〃Good；〃 Austin said。 He pulled the man to a standing position by the scruff of his neck； and Zavala hit the button for the next floor。 Nobody was waiting for the elevator。 They pushed the guard out into the deserted hall。
〃What's the security like ahead？〃
The guard shrugged。 〃Most of the guards are upstairs taking care of the big shots ing in for the meeting。〃
Austin was curious about the purpose of the meeting and who the VIPs were； but he was more concerned about Gamay。 He stuck the gun in the guard's ribs。 〃Fetch；〃 he said。
The guard reluctantly led the way down a corridor and stopped in front of a door with a keypad lock。 He hesitated； wondering if he could stall by saying he didn't know the bination； but one look at the thunder and lightning on Austin's brow told him he'd better not try。 He punched out the code； and the door opened。 The room was empty。
〃This is her room；〃 the guard said。 He looked worried。
They pushed him inside and looked around。 The small room was evidently used as a cell because it could only be opened from the outside。 Zavala went over to the bed； plucked some thing off the pillow； and grinned。
〃She was here。〃 The dark red strand he held in his fingers was unmistakably Gamay's。
Austin turned back to the guard。 〃Where did they take her？〃
〃I don't know；〃 the guard answered sullenly。
〃Make believe that the next thing you say may be your last words； and think very carefully about it。〃
The guard knew that Austin would shoot him without hesitation。
〃I'm not protecting those creeps；〃 he said。
〃What are you talking about？〃
〃The Kradzik brothers。 They had her taken to the Great Hall。〃
〃Who are these guys？〃
〃Couple of killers who do the boss's dirty work；〃 he said with obvious disgust。
〃Tell us how to get there。〃
The guard gave them the directions。 Austin told him to expect a return visit if he sent them on a wild goose chase。 They left him in the room and locked the door； then bolted down the hall to the elevator。 They didn't know who the Kradzik brothers were； and they didn't care。 One thing they could be certain of。 Whatever was planned for Gamay couldn't be good。
Chapter 38
The fifty men gathered around the table on the deck of the Gogstad ship were dressed in dark business suits rather than cloaks and armor； but the scene could have been taken from a thousand…year…old pagan celebration。 Torchlight glinted off the sharp metal edges of the medieval armaments lining the walls and cast flickering shadows on the men's faces。 The theatrical effect was not accidental。 Brynhild had designed the entire chamber as an elaborate stage set with herself as director。
The Gogstad board of directors was made up of some of the most prominent individuals in the world。 They came from many countries and every continent。 Their ranks included the chief executives of multinational corporations； trade representatives whose secret negotiations gave them more power than some governments； and politicians； past and present； who owed their careers to the plutocracies that were the real ruling class in the countries they came from。 The men represented every race and color； but despite the differences in their physical stature and skin plexion； they were bound together by a mon denominator： their insatiable avarice。 With every disdainful facial expression and gesture； they projected the same polished arrogance。
Brynhild stood on the deck of the Viking ship at the head of the table。 〃Wele； gentlemen；〃 she said。 〃Thank you for ing on short notice。 I know many of you traveled a long way； but
I assure you； the journey will have been worth it。〃 She looked from face to face； glorying in the greed she saw lurking behind the practiced smiles and the knifing eyes。 〃We in this room rep resent the heart and soul of Gogstad； an invisible government more powerful than any the world has ever seen。 You are more than a corporate elite； you are priests in a secret society； like the Knights Templar。〃
〃Pardon me for interrupting your stirring pep talk right at the start；〃 said a fish…eyed English arms dealer named Grimley。 〃You're not telling us anything new。 I hope I didn't just fly six thousand miles to hear you tell us what an extraordinary group this is。〃
Brynhild smiled。 The directors were the only people on earth who could talk to her as equals。
〃No； Lord Grimley； I called you together to inform you that our plans have been drastically accelerated。〃
The Englishman was still unimpressed。 His long nose sniffed the air as if he smelled an unpleasant odor。 〃You were originally talking of years to gain the monopoly on the world's water supply。 That has been changed to months； I take it？〃
〃No； Lord Grimley。 I'm talking a target date of days。〃
There was a low murmur around the table。
An unctuous smile crossed Grimley's face。 〃Disregard my earlier ment；〃 he said。 〃Please go on。〃
〃I'd be happy to；〃 Brynhild said。 〃As you know from my monthly reports； our plans have been moving smoothly but slowly。 Every day we have acquired another water source； but it has taken time to build up our tanker fleet。 The huge storage bags that would be used to transport water across oceans have been a problem。 Only now has the technology to construct the bags been achieved。 And most recently our project has elicited interest from the National Underwater and Marine Agency。〃
An American real estate baron named Howes was the first to pounce on the significance of her last sentence。 〃NUMA？ How did they e to know about us？〃
〃It's a plicated story。 You will all be provided with reports detailing NUMA's interest。 Suffice it to say for now that their people are very persistent and lucky。〃
〃This is serious；〃 said the American。 〃First the newspaper investigation； now this。〃
〃The newspaper will not be running the story； nor will any one else。 All the investigative records have been destroyed。 In regard to NUMA； that situation； too； has been neutralized。〃
〃It's still damned worrisome；〃 Howes said。 〃We've spent mil lions keeping our activities secret。 This whole thing could un ravel in no time。〃
〃I agree wholeheartedly；〃 Brynhild replied。 〃We have done everything possible to preserve our privacy； but an operation of this size and duration could not go undetected forever。 The facade we erected to hide our activities from public view is be ginning to crack。 It was only a matter of time； so I'm not surprised； but it did suggest the need for haste。〃
〃Are you saying that you are rushing our plans because of NUMA？〃
〃No。 Only that there has been a fortunate t