Midnight Sun (62 page)

“
Ravens,
”
Marcus
said
,
“
rude
beggars
of
the
wild.
Those
things
have
little
fear
of
mankind,
especially
if
you
happen
to
have
any
kind
of
food
trash
sitting
in
the
back
of
your
truck.
”

“That thing is huge,” Hilde said. “It looks like a crow on steroids.”

“Native lore says that they’re the reincarnated spirits of the dead, and their favorite thing is to play evil tricks and generally torment the living.”

“Let’s hope it’s not planning to trick us.” Lonnie said.

They
reached
the
building
and
walked
in
to
the
small
lobby.
The
space
was
packed
with
a
security
desk
,
behind
which
sat
two
armed
federal
police
officers
,
and
a
bank
of
cameras
that
scanned
the
outside
of
the
building,
the
streets
around
it
,
and
the
secure
parking
garage.
The
remaining
area
contained
a
pair
of
uncomfortable
-
looking
government
-
issue
chairs
and
a
large
metal
detector
and
x-ray
machine,
leaving
barely
enough
open space
for
the
four
of
them
to
stand.
One of the officers looked up as they entered
. T
he other kept his eyes on the series of black
-
and
-
white surveillance screens. Mike and Hilde both pulled out their FBI credentials and said
who
they
were.

“
Yeah,
Agent
Caufield
’
s
secretary
just
called
down
to
let
me
know
he
was
expecting
you,
”
the officer
said.
“Are any of you armed?”

“
Yes,
”
Lonnie
said
,
producing
her
t
rooper
b
adge
and
ID
and
adding,
“
Walther
PPK
in
my
ankle
holster.
”

The
officer
glanced
at
her
as
if
she
said
something
crazy.
Then
he
looked
over
her
credentials
and
nodded
to
Marcus.

“
You?
”

“
No,
”
Marcus
said.
“
I'm
the
only
non-cop
here
,
and
I
didn't
want
to
push
my
luck
bringing
in
a
firearm.
”

“
Good,
”
said
the
officer,
“
cuz
if
you
had
,
I'd
need
to
disarm
you
,
and
by
the
looks
of
you
,
that's
not
something
I
think
I'd
enjoy
much.
”

He
motioned
them
through
the
metal
detector,
which
filled
the
only
access
point
to
the
building
like
a
gate
with
an
electronic
portcullis.
Beyond
it
stretched
a
short
,
featureless
hall
that
terminated
at
an
elevator
and
a
stairwell
door.
The
guard
told
them
to
wait
for
a few minutes while the
escort
came down
who
would
take
them
up
to
the
second
floor
,
where
Special
Agent
in
Charge
William
Caufield
was
waiting
for
them.
Just as the words finished reaching their ears
,
Caufield's
secretary,
a
smartly
dressed
middle
-
aged
woman
with
a
disarming
smile,
came
out
of
the
elevator.

“
Good
morning,
”
s
he
said
with
a
professional
-
sounding voice
.
“
May
I
help
you?
”

“
Yes,
I
am
A
gent
Hildegard
Farris
from
the
Ohio
Valley
office.
Undersecretary
Paul
Hogan
said
he
had
arranged
a
meeting
with
the
SAC.
”

“
Yes,
we
just
got
the
call
a
little
while
ago
,
and
he
’s
waiting
for
you.
”