o ashes； even the bones reduced to crumbled piles。 Only her legs remained； from the knees down； a few fragments from her hands； and a piece of forehead with a lock of blonde hair attached。 The rest of the body was merely an outline in ash and crumbled bone。 It； and other early cases such as Madame Nicole of Rheims； were invariably ascribed to death by the 'visitation of God。'〃
〃Excellent research； Constance；〃 Pendergast said。
She smiled。 〃There are several volumes devoted to spontaneous human bustion in the library here。 Your great…uncle was fascinated by bizarre forms of death…but of course； you know that already。 Unfortunately there are no books here more recent than 1954； but there are still many dozens of earlier accounts。 SHC cases all have several elements in mon。 The torso is pletely incinerated； but the extremities are frequently left intact。 The blood is； quite literally； vaporized from the body： normal fires do not dehydrate body tissue to such a great degree。 The inferno is extremely localized： nearby furniture or other items； even inflammable ones； remain untouched。 Officials often speak of a 'circle of death'： everything inside is consumed； while everything outside is spared。〃
Slowly； D'Agosta pushed away his half…eaten steak。 This all sounded pretty similar to what happened to Grove and Cutforth； with one crucial difference： the branding of the cloven hoof and face； and the stench of brimstone。
Just then came a low； hollow knock at the distant front door。
〃Neighborhood kids； I imagine；〃 said Pendergast after a moment of silence。
The hollow knock came again…deliberate； insistent； echoing through the galleries and halls of the ancient mansion。
〃That's not the knock of a delinquent；〃 Constance murmured。
Proctor cast an inquiring glace at Pendergast。 〃Shall I？〃
〃With the usual precautions。〃
Within the space of a minute； the servant had ushered a man into the room： a tall man with thin lips and thinner brown hair。 He wore a gray suit； and the knot of his tie had been pulled down from the collar of his white shirt。 His features were regular； his face perhaps lined more than would be usual for a man his age； yet the lines spoke more of weariness than years。 He was neither handsome nor ugly。 In every way； the man was remarkable for his lack of expression and individuality。 It seemed to D'Agosta an almost studied anonymity。
He paused in the doorway and his eyes roamed over the group； ing to rest on Pendergast。
〃Yes？〃 Pendergast said。
〃e with me。〃
〃May I ask who you are； and on what errand you e？〃
〃No。〃
A short silence greeted this。
〃How did you know I lived here？〃
The man continued gazing at Pendergast with that expressionless face。 It wasn't natural。 It gave D'Agosta the creeps。
〃e； please。 I'd rather not ask again。〃
〃Why should I go with you if you refuse to divulge your name or the nature of your business？〃
〃My name is not important。 I have information for you。 Information of a sensitive nature。〃
Pendergast looked at the man a moment longer。 Then he casually removed his Les Baer 。45 from his suit coat； made sure a round was in the chamber； replaced it in his suit。 〃Any objections？〃
The expression never changed。 〃Won't make any difference either way。〃
〃Wait a minute。〃 D'Agosta rose。 〃I don't like this。 I'm ing； too。〃
The man turned to him。 〃Not possible。〃
〃Screw that。〃
The man's only response was to stare at D'Agosta。 His features； if anything； grew even deader。
Pendergast laid an arm on D'Agosta's。 〃I think I'd better go alone。〃
〃The hell with that。 You don't know who this guy is； what he wants； anything。 I don't like it。〃
The stranger turned and walked swiftly out of the room。 A moment later； Pendergast followed。 D'Agosta watched him go with a mounting feeling of dismay。
31
The man drove north on the West Side Highway； saying nothing；and Pendergast was content to leave it that way。 Rain began to fall； splattering the windshield。 The car approached the on…ramp to the George Washington Bridge； its gleaming lights strung across the Hudson。 Just before the ramp； the car veered off on a service road and bumped its way down the pitted； half…paved surface to a turnaround； hidden in a cluster of poison sumac at the foot of the bridge's enormous eastern tower。
Only now did the man speak。 〃Wired？〃
〃No。〃
〃I ask only for your sake。〃
〃CIA？〃
The man nodded at the windshield。 〃I know you could ID me in a minute。 I want your word that you won't。〃
〃You have it。〃
The man tossed a blue folder into Pendergast's lap。 Its label tab bore a single word：BULLARD。 It was stampedClassified： Top Secret。
〃Where did this e from？〃 Pendergast asked。
〃I've been investigating Bullard for the past eighteen months。〃
〃On what grounds？〃
〃It's all there。 But I'll summarize it for you。 Bullard's the founder； CEO； and majority shareholder of Bullard Aerospace Industries。 BAI is a medium…sized； privately owned aerospace engineering firm。 Mostly they design and test ponents for military aircraft； drones； and missiles。 They're also one of the subcontractors for the space shuttle。 Among other things； BAI was involved in developing the antiradar coating for the stealth bomber and fighter programs。 It's a highly profitable pany； and they're very good at what they do。 Bullard has some of the best engineers money can buy。 He is a very； very capable man； if hot…tempered and impulsive。 But he's one of the really bad ones。 Know what I mean？ He doesn't hesitate to hurt； or eliminate； those who stand in his way。 Civilianor official。〃
〃Understood。〃
〃Good。 Now listen。 BAI also does research work for foreign governments。 Some aren't so friendly。 That work is subject to strict export controls and transfer of technology prohibitions。 It's watched very closely。 So far； BAI has kept within the law…at least as far as its U。S。 facilities go。 The problem is with a small BAI plant in Italy； in an industrial suburb of Florence called Lastra a Signa。 A few years ago； BAI bought a defunct factory there。 It was once owned by Alfred Nobel。〃 An ironic smile flickered across the man's face。 〃It's a sprawling； decaying place。 They've turned its core into a highly sophisticated R&D facility。〃
Rain continued to drum on the roof。 There was the flicker of lightning over the river； a faint roll of thunder。
〃We don't really know what BAI does in this Italian plant； but we have some indirect evidence that they may be working on a project for the Chinese。 Last year we monitored a string of ballistic missile tests over the Lop Nur desert testing grounds。 It seems the missile in question is a new type； specifically designed to penetrate America's planned antimissile shield。〃
Pendergast nodded。
〃What makes the missile special is a new aerodynamic form； bined with some special surface or coating； which together make it invisible to radar。 It doesn't even leave a heat trace or turbulence wake on Doppler。 But here's the rub： whatever it is the Chinese have done； it isn't working。 Up to now； all their missiles have broken up on re…entry。
〃That's where BAI es in。 This is right up their alley。 We think the Chinese hired BAI to solve the problem。 And we think they're solving it at the Florentine plant。〃
〃How？〃
〃We don't know。 The breakups seem to have had something to do with a resonance spike that occurs at re…entry。 The shape of the missile is so constrained by having to remain invisible that it's almost unflyable。 A similar problem occurred with the stealth bomber； but it was solved with some heavy puting power and wind…tunnel research。 But here the missile is moving a hell of a lot faster； it's ballistic； and it's up against a much more sophisticated radar。 The answer lies somewhere in the field of eigenvalue mathematics； Fourier transforms； that sort of thing。 You know what I'm talking about？〃
〃At a basic level。〃
〃The mathematics of vibrations； resonance； and dampening。 It has to be perfectly aerodynamic while having a surface that's black to radar。 This missile can't have any curves； hardness； or smoothness…those would cause reflection or turbulence you could see on the Doppler…and yet it has to be aerodynamic。 If anyone can rise to the technical challenge； BAI can。〃
〃Is this file for me？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Why？〃
The agent looked at Pendergast for the first time； and his mask of expressionlessness fell away。 What Pendergast saw was the face of a very； very tired man。 〃It's the same old story。 The CIA is subject to partisan political pressure。 Bullard has friends in Washington。 I was told to deep…six the Bullard investigation。 After all； he's raised millions for the reelection campaigns of a half dozen key senators and congressmen； as well as the president。 Why； we're asked； is the CIA harassing a fine； upstanding citizen when there are so many foreign terrorists out there？ You know the refrain。〃
Pendergast simply nodded。
〃But screw it； this bastard is selling America down the river。 He's a traitor； just like those good old American panies that sell dual…use technology to Iran and Syria。 If Bullard gets away with this； the U。S。 will have laid out a hundred billion dollars develop