High Steaks

ers charged it again. They managed to gather enough momentum to ram it into the door a little harder, making the hollow bronze statue

s from the situation room faded from hearing. He knew the door was made of solid

nd risked a stealthy peek outside through the window on

aned with fatigue and frustration, and let the hea

another trooper suggest. A shorter, rounder man of similar age l

operating the battering ram – which he recognized as a stat

s breath. "Adriano Lupini! Who

e show. He shook his head. Gary knew the fascists wanted the Palace taken as intact as possible – after all, it was to remain

to a faintly glowing control panel on the reception des

hat he sounded just like a doddering, senile old man

of the left wing of the building, at the rear, he heard the sound of breaking glass, which told him the fascists had lost patience with the door and instead smashed the window with Adriano Lupini – the bronze edition, and were now climbi

!" She grinned at him

iggled. "Is ev

as he moved up beside her at the top step. "I know we have a b

e. Old furniture stood stacked about, covered in dusty sheets. The pair squeezed through a gap between an old bookshelf and stacks of dusty picture frames leaned against a wall – portraits of heads of state, visiting dignitaries and former Governors of

urgently, "There's no

uely like a TV remote. A little red light blinked on it to indicate power – though perhap

nodded. Gary pointed the device at the wall, pressed something, and waved it in a circle. As if by mag

nerves fraying, murmured. "How will d

at the tool Scrooby had loaned him, than

at Landry, before sticking a hand into th

nounced, before taking a step forward – va