The vice president walked over to Diane and handed her a fax. �Ms. Russell, this ought to convince him that the transfer has gone through. Swiss authorities are cooperating with us and are prepared to take his confirming phone call any time. Good luck, ma�am.�

Diane hugged the vice president, and the crew of villagers and local cops made their way to the airport in their jalopies and old clunker police cars. The Learjet was parked next to the small terminal, its stair assembly extended. Its loud engines were whining as the plane prepared for takeoff. As the cars approached, Sr. Alberto descended. He looked dapper in his crisp white traveling suit.

�Where�s my baby?� Diane�s voice was twisted with tension. She could hear him crying inside the plane. �He�s hungry,� she half-growled as her desperate eyes scanned the porthole windows, but they were blacked out.

�All in good time, Ms. Russell,� he purred. His sadistically unctuous voice made her blood freeze. He extended his hand to her, and she put the fax into it. He clucked his tongue as he scanned it, then looked up at Diane and said, �Please, do come in and rest a moment while I verify that our business is indeed concluded.�

Diane put her hand on the rail and looked over at Paul. He shook his head vigorously. Her intense mothering instincts got the best of her, and she put her own safety and cop�s cautiousness aside as she bolted up the stairs and entered the jet. Paul tried to jump out of the car and run after her, but Bob held him back. Suddenly, the ladder was retracted into the jet and the door slammed shut. The jet started to move.

�Diane!� Paul screamed as the jet backed up toward the tarmac and prepared to take off.

All the jalopies and local cop cars raced toward the runway, doing their best to block the jet�s escape path. The jet reached the end of the runway and came about. The engines whined to an ear-piercing squeal and the jet started to move forward, accelerating for liftoff. The jalopies reached the runway in time to effectively block its takeoff, and the pilot stopped the jet. The jalopies and the jet stood quietly staring one another down, and finally, the jet�s engines calmed to their normal resting whine. The door sprung open and the stairs extended. Paul broke free from Bob�s grasp and ran to the stairs just as Diane was descending with the baby carrier in her arms. Paul put his arms around Diane and swept her away to Bob�s car, looking back over his shoulder for the telltale cylinder of a gun. Se�or Alberto appeared at the top of the steps and shouted over the engine, �Round one goes to you, Mr. Matisse. We will meet again when our son is better able to travel. Then you can fulfill your end of the bargain at last. I hope you sleep well.�

�My son,� Paul said as the Boss disappeared behind his jet�s door.