He planned to call ahead from Ratnapura. Let the government know the situation and discourage the military from attacking the creature. That would be difficult, given the amount of damage it could cause. Tachyon and the aces would be the answer. They had to be. His stomach burned. It was dangerous to hinge his plans on people he'd never met, but he had no other choice.
"I wonder what set him off?" Danforth asked, his voice almost too soft to hear.
"Well"-Jayewardene turned to speak to them-"he looked at the cameras, then at Miss Symmes. It was as if something clicked in his brain, brought him right out of the stupor."
"If anything happens to her, it'll be my fault." Danforth looked at the muddy floorboard. "My fault."
"Then we'll all have to work hard to make sure nothing does happen to her," Paula said. "Okay?"
"Right," Danforth said weakly.
"Remember," she said, patting his shoulder. "It's beauty that kills the beast. Not the other way around."
"Hopefully we can resolve the situation and keep both beauty and beast alive." Jayewardene turned to look back at the road. He spotted the buildings of Ratnapura ahead. "Slow down when you get to town. I'll direct you where we need to go." He intended to inform the military of the situation and then return to Colombo. Jayewardene sank back into the car seat. He wished he had slept better the night before. Today's work was going to spill into tomorrow and maybe even the next day.
They arrived back in Colombo a little after noon and went directly to Jayewardene's home. It was a large white stucco residence with a red-tfled roof. Even when his wife had been alive, it had been more space than they needed. Now he rattled around in it like a coconut in an empty boxcar. He called his office and found out the American delegation of aces had arrived and was staying at the Galadari Meridien Hotel. After settling Danforth and Paula in, he went to his garden shrine and reaffirmed his pledge of the Five Precepts.
Afterward he hurriedly put on a clean white shirt and pair of pants and ate a few fingerfuls of cold rice.
"Where are you going now?" Paula asked as he opened the door to leave.
"To speak to Dr. Tachyon and the Americans about the ape." He shook his head as she got up off the couch. "It would be better for you to rest now. Whatever develops, I'll call you."
"Okay."
"Is it all right if we get something to eat?" Danforth already had the refrigerator door open.
"Certainly. Help yourselves."
Traffic was heavy, even on the Sea Beach Road, which Jayewardene had instructed the driver to take. The car's air conditioner was broken and his clean clothes were soaked with sweat before they were even halfway to the hotel.
The film company driver, his name was Saul, was slowing to stop in front of the Galadari Meridien when the engine died. He turned the key several times, but there was only a clicking sound.
"Look." Jayewardene pointed toward the hotel entrance. People were scattering around the main doorway as something rose into the air. Jayewardene shaded his eyes as they flew over. One was a full-grown Indian elephant. A common enough sight, but this one was flying. Seated on its back was a well-muscled man. The elephant's ears were extended and appeared to help the creature steer while flying.
"Elephant Girl," said Saul. Crowds stopped up and down the street, pointing in silence as the aces flew by overhead.
"Do what you can with the car," he-told Saul, who already had the hood up.
Jayewardene walked quickly to the hotel's main entrance. He pushed past the doorman, who was sitting on the sidewalk shaking his head, and into the darkness inside. Hotel employees were busy lighting candles and reassuring the guests in the bar and restaurant.
"Waiter, get those drinks over here." The male voice came from the bar. He spoke English with an American accent.
Jayewardene let his eyes adjust to the dim lighting, then made his way carefully into the bar. The bartender was setting lamps up next to the mirror behind the bar. Jayewardene pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his sweaty forehead. They were seated together in a booth. There was a large man with a dark spade-shaped beard, wearing a tailored blue three-piece suit. Across from him was another man. He was middle-aged, but trim, and sat in the booth as if it were a throne. Although he thought he knew the men, the woman sitting between them was instantly recognizable. She was wearing a low-cut, shoulderless black dress, trimmed with sequins. Her skin was transparent. He quickly looked away from her. Her bone and muscles reflected the light in a disturbing manner.
"Pardon me," he said, walking over to them. "My name is Jayewardene. I'm with the Department of the Interior."
"And what do you want?" The large man took a skewered cherry from his drink and rolled it between his manicured thumb and forefinger. The other man stood, smiled, and shook Jayewardene s hand. The gesture was studied, a political greeting refined by years of practice. "I'm Senator Gregg Hartmann. Pleased to meet you."
"Thank you, Senator. I hope your shoulder is better." Jayewardene had read about the incident in the newspapers. "It wasn't as bad as the press made it sound." Hartmann looked at the other end of the booth. "The man torturing that cherry is Hiram Worchester. And the lady is Chrysalis."
"I believe." Jayewardene bowed. "May I join you."
"Certainly," Hartmann said. "Is there something we can do for you?"
Jayewardene sat down next to Hiram, whose bulk partially obscured Chrysalis. He found her profoundly disturbing to look at. "Several things perhaps. Where were Elephant Girl and that man going just now?"
"To catch the ape, of course." Hiram looked at him as one might at an embarrassing relative. "And rescue the girl. We just found out about it. Catching the beast is something of a tradition." He paused. "For aces."
"Is that possible? I don't think Elephant Girl and one man can manage that." Jayewardene turned to Hartmann. "The man with her was Jack Braun," Chrysalis said. Her accent was more British than American. "Golden Boy. He can handle almost anything, up to and including the giant ape. Although he hasn't been getting his rest lately. His glow's been a little on the feeble side." She nudged Hiram. "Don't you think?"
"Personally I don't really care what happens to Mr. Braun." Hiram twirled the small, red plastic sword from his drink. "And I think the feeling's mutual."
Hartmann coughed. "At the very least they should be able to rescue the actress. That should simplify matters for your government."
"Yes. One would hope." Jayewardene folded and unfolded a cloth napkin. "But such a rescue should be carefully planned out."
"Yes, they did rather fly off the handle," Chrysalis said, taking a sip of brandy.
Jayewardene thought he caught a glint of mischief in Hartmann's eyes, but dismissed it as the lighting. "Could you tell me where to find Dr. Tachyon?"
Hiram and Chrysalis both laughed. Hartmann maintained his poise and gave them a disapproving look. "He's unavailable right now"
Chrysalis motioned to the waiter and pointed to her glass. "Which one of the stewardesses is he trying this time?"
"Upstairs, trapped in the darkness together. If anything will help Tachy get over his problem, this is it. The doctor's not to be disturbed right now." Hiram held the plastic sword above the table and made a fist with his other hand. The sword fell and stuck in the tabletop. "Get the point?"
"Could we give him a message for you?" Hartmann asked, ignoring Hiram.
Jayewardene pulled out his snakeskin wallet and handed Hartmann one of his business cards. "Please have him contact me as soon as possible. I may be busy the rest of the afternoon, but he can reach me at my home. It's the bottom number."
"I'll do what I can," Hartmann said, standing to shake hands again. "I hope we see you again before we leave."
"Nice meeting you, Mr. Jayewardene," Chrysalis said. He thought perhaps she was smiling, but couldn't be sure. Jayewardene turned to leave but stopped short as two people entered the bar. One was a man whom Jayewardene judged to be in his late thirties. He was tall and muscular with blond hair and a camera slung over his shoulder. The woman with him was as stunningly beautiful as any of the photographs Jayewardene had seen of her. Even without the wings she would have attracted attention.