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something as elaborate as this and execute with a whimper. Whatever or whoever their target is, it’s important enough to justify everything they’re doing.”
    “So they’ll be willing to die for it,” said Robie.
    “And we’ll have to be willing to match them on that,” replied Stone. “Otherwise, they probably win.”

CHAPTER 8
    Harry and Reuben passed the bank, each giving it just a brief glance, and continued, turning down the corridor to the restrooms and service area adjacent to the bank.
    They found an orange pylon with a CLOSED sign attached to it in a janitorial closet in the restroom and set it out by the door to the men’s room.
    Harry knelt down next to the wall on the bank side of the restroom. He opened his duffel and took out a listening device. He attached it to the wall, inserting the other end in his right ear.
    He listened for a few seconds and then glanced up at Reuben. “Sawing. And hammers. Hand tools it sounds like.”
    “Don’t use those sorts of tools on a bank vault,” said Reuben.
    “No, you don’t. I think Oliver’s theory is right. They’re using the bank to get to somewhere else in the building. Maybe the residences. You saw who’s there. The VP has to be the target.”
    “I think so too. But we don’t know which residence it is. And until Annabelle checks back in we’re running blind. We need more information if we’re going to have a real shot at stopping this.”
    “Maybe we should call in the FBI, Reuben. I mean, it is the VP after all. If this gets beyond us and we haven’t told anyone? They might throw us all in prison and forget we’re there.”
    “They might. But though we’re few in number I’ll take the Camel Club over all the suits at Hoover. What about you?”
    Harry slowly nodded. “Agreed.”
    “Good. Now let’s beef up our intel so we can kick these suckers’ asses.”
    Reuben called Caleb and told him where to meet. He clicked off. “Let’s go, Harry,” he said.
    “Where?”
    “You’ll see.”
    They met Caleb in front of the mall’s administrative office, which was now closed. It was also located down a service corridor. Admin offices generated no revenue and were thus relegated to the cheap, retail-unusable space in the mall.
    Reuben eyed the door and the lock. “Looks to be alarmed,” he said.
    Harry nodded and started searching in his bag while Caleb said, “Annabelle hasn’t called yet from the event.”
    “She will, once she gets the lay of the land,” replied Reuben. “She’s the real deal. We all know that. Con the pope, that girl could.”
    “Actually, she probably has,” added Caleb drily. “I’ve yet to meet the man who is impervious to her charms.”
    Reuben eyed him critically. “Really? Would that include you, Caleb? If memory serves correctly, you spent quite a bit of time in a large van with our gal in a very isolated area where innumerable opportunities might exist to test your theory.”
    Caleb sputtered, “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not that sort.”
    “What sort?”
    “I’m a gentleman. I would never take advantage of a female professional colleague like that.”
    Reuben chuckled. “As if you could. She’d kick your butt all the way to Jefferson’s library at Monticello.”
    Caleb’s features swelled with indignation. “What do you need me up here for?” he asked. “I presume you have some plan that requires my participation.”
    Reuben said, “You presume right. You have to cover our six. I need you to go to the end of the corridor. Anybody starts to come down this way you have to distract them and give us a heads-up. And then keep that up until we can make a clean getaway. Improvise when you have to.”
    Caleb looked incredulous. “Really? Is that all? Do you want me to kung fu them too?”
    “Do you know kung fu?” asked Reuben pointedly.
    “Right now I wish I did!” Caleb spun on his heel and marched back down the hall.
    Reuben’s amused gaze followed Caleb down the hall. But when he