Savino grabbed Andre and manhandled her into the elevator. As he got in after them, Drakov beckoned to the two men he had brought with him. He indicated Gulliver and Hunter.
“Kill them and dispose of the bodies in the river,” he said.
“No! Wait!” shouted Gulliver.
The elevator doors closed.
The two men came forward, reaching inside their custom tailored jackets.
Dr. George Ericson, the chief hospital administrator, was not pleased with Lt. Harris and he let him know it in no uncertain terms.
“Now look here, Sergeant—” he began.
“Lieutenant,” Harris corrected him, testily. It was not an auspicious beginning.
“Lieutenant,” the administrator said, his tone clearly indicating that whether it was sergeant or lieutenant made not the slight
est bit of difference to him. “This has to stop immediately. I can’t have you turning this hospital into an armed camp.”
“This hospital is on a military base, sir,” said Harris, wryly. “It’s right in the middle of an ‘armed camp,’ as you put it.”
“I fail to see what that has to do with anything, “ Ericson said, impatiently. “You have literally invaded this hospital with your armed guards. It’s disturbing the patients and the staff feel practically besieged. We simply cannot have this. I cannot allow you and your men to goon harassing the patients and the staff, making everyone coming in and out submit to being searched, checking identification, really, it’s quite intolerable. By what authority do you—”
“By the authority of the acting base commander, Col. Steiger, sir,” said Hams, interrupting him. “That gives me all the authority I need. As to invading this hospital, sir, that’s precisely what we’re here to prevent.”
“You’re disturbing the patients—”
“I don’t really think that we’re disturbing any of the patients, sir. Most of them are military personnel in the first place and would certainly understand the need for security under the circumstances. The only patients who can even see any evidence of additional security on the premises are those who were up on General Forrester’s floor and they’ve all been moved. Our people up there are doing all they can to make their presence as inconspicuous as possible.”
“Nevertheless,” Ericson persisted, “this entire so-called security operation of yours is an unwarranted intrusion and it’s interfering with the function of this hospital. It simply won’t do. I cannot allow it to continue.”
“I think what’s happening, sir,” Harris said, evenly, “is that your doctors are complaining about being searched every time they come into the hospital or pass one of the interior checkpoints we’ve established. And frankly, sir, that’s tough. You might remind them that one member of the hospital staff has already been murdered by an infiltrator. We’re here to see that it doesn’t happen again.”
“Well, I take the strongest possible exception to this,” the chief administrator protested.
“I’ll make a note of it, sir,” said Harris.
“Don’t you condescend to me, Sergeant—”
“That’s Lieutenant,” Harris said.
“Whatever. I demand to speak to your superior officer at once”
“That would be Col. Steiger, sir”,” said Harris.
“Fine, I’ll speak to him.”
“As you wish, sir.”
“Well?” said Ericson.
Harris sighed wearily. “Well, what? Sir.”
“I’m waiting.”
“For what?”
“For you to go and get Col. Steiger,’ of course!” the chief administrator said, as if Harris were a total idiot.