The Sum of All Fears.pdf - Delta Force

window seat and looked at the country, his first time in America. As with most
Europeans, he was surprised, almost awed by the sheer size and diversity. The
wooded hills of Appalachia; the flat farmlands of Kansas, speckled with the
immense circular signature of the traveling irrigation systems; the stunning way
the plains ended and the Rockies began within easy sight of Denver. No doubt
Marvin would say something when they arrived about how this had all been the
property of his people. What rubbish. They'd been nomadic barbarians, following
the herds of bison, or whatever had once been there before civilization arrived.
America might be his enemy, but it was a civilized country, and all the more
dangerous for it. By the time the aircraft landed, he was squirming with his
need for a smoke. Ten minutes after landing, they'd rented a car and were
examining a map. Bock's head was dizzy from the lack of oxygen here. Nearly
fifteen hundred meters of altitude, he realized. It was a wonder that people
could play American football here.
They'd landed behind the morning rush hour, and driving to the stadium was
simple. Southwest of the city, the new Skydome was a distinctive structure
located on an immense plot of ground to allow ample room for parking. He parked
the car close to a ticket window and decided that the simple approach would be
best.
'Can I get two tickets for tonight's match?' he asked the attendant.
'Sure, we have a few hundred left. Where do you want them?'
'I don't know the stadium at all, I'm afraid.'
'You must be new here,' the lady observed with a friendly smile. 'All we got's
in the upper deck, Section Sixty-Six and Sixty-Eight.'
'Two, please. Is cash all right?'
'Sure is. Where are you from?'
'Denmark,' Bock replied.
'Really? Well, welcome to Denver! Hope you enjoy the game.'
'Can I look around to see where my seat is.'
'Technically, no, but nobody really minds.'
'Thank you.' Bock smiled back at the simpering fool.
'They had seats for tonight?' Marvin Russell asked. 'I'll be damned.'
'Come, we will see where they are.'
Bock walked through the nearest open gate, just a few meters from the big ABC
vans that carried the satellite equipment for the evening broadcast. He took the
time to notice that the stadium was hard-wired for the equipment. So, the TV
vans would always be in the same place, just by Gate 5. Inside, he saw a team of
technicians setting up their equipment, then he headed up the nearest ramp,
deliberately heading in the wrong direction.
The stadium had to seat sixty thousand people, perhaps a little more. It had
three primary levels, called lower, mezzanine, and upper, plus two complete
ranks of enclosed boxes, some of which looked quite luxurious. Structurally, it
was quite impressive. Massive reinforced-concrete construction, all the upper
decks were cantilevered. There were no pillars to block a spectator's view. A
fine stadium. A superb target. Beyond the parking lot to the north were endless
hectares of low-rise apartment buildings. To the east was a government office
center. The stadium was not in the city center, but that couldn't be helped.