Midnight Sun (77 page)

“
Kharzai?
”
said
Kreshnik
as
they
lifted
a
large
,
curved
electronic
device
shaped
to
fit
precisely
between
the
two
layers
of
pipeline,
placing
it
into
the
space
previously
filled
by
the
insulation
they
removed
the
night
before
.
“
I
like
him.
”

“
How
can
you
like
that
lunatic
?
I
swear
he
is
schizophrenic.
He
is
one
person
now,
a
different
tomorrow,
and
a
third
after
that.
And
then
he
is
back
to
the
first
and
doesn't
even
seem
to
notice
the
difference.
”

“
But
all
his
personalities
are
focused
on
the
same
goal,
”
Kreshnik
replied
,
“
and
at
least
Kharzai
has
cursed
the
infidel.
”

“
Yeah,
that
is
true
.
He
has
cursed
the
infidel,
and
the
infidel's
fat
ugly
wife,
and
his
skinny
lover,
and
his
spoiled
children,
and
his
dog,
and
his
potted
plants.
He
never
stops
cursing
the
Americans
and
English
alike.
”

“
See,
since
he
is
Farrah's
friend
,
he
makes
up
for
what
the
Englishman
is
lacking,
right?
”
Kreshnik
smiled
up
at
his
cousin.
Leka
shook
his
head
and
turned
toward
the
work.

Chapter
1
6

FBI
Office

Downtown
Anchorage

1:00
p.m.

Hilde
’
s
Blackberry
played
a
soft
jazzy
song.
She
pulled
it
from
her
purse,
pressed
the
answer
button
with
her
thumb
,
and
held
the
red
cell
phone
to
her
ear.

“
Hey
,
girlfriend!
”

Tonia's voice was extremely loud, in spite of the fact that Hilde kept the volume of her cellphone relatively low.
Hilde
quickly
stretched
her
arm
to
get
the
phone
away
from
her
ear
before
it
could
cause
permanent
hearing
damage
as
Tonia
’
s
voice
came
over
the
tiny
speaker
with enough force
for
everyone
within
twenty
feet
to
hear
her.

“
I
see
you
tried
to
call
me,
but
I
missed
it.
You
ready
for
that
double
date?
I
got
a
real
man
now.
”

“
Tonia?
N
o
time
to
be
social
. Where
are
you?
”

“
Huh?
”

“
Where
are
you?
I
’
m
not
the
only
one
trying
to
get
hold
of
you
—the
SAC
is
too.
”

“
I
’
m
at
a
little
café
downtown,
by
the
hotel.
What
’
s
going
on?
”

“
Can
’
t
talk
here.
We
need
to
see
you
face
-
to
-
face.
Bring
Warner
and
Tomer
with
you
if
you
can.
”

“
How
did
you
know
I
’
m
with
Tony?
”

“
The
SAC
told
us.
W
here are you?
We
’
ll
come
there.
”

“
Snow
City
Café.
Right
beside
the
hotel.
”