Unintended Consequences

his knee, while blood dribbled from his broken nose and off his chin. “Really, now, Mr. Barrington. Surely you are too civilized a gentleman to listen to such ill-considered talk from this woman.”
    “Oh, I don’t know,” Stone said, “I think she’s making a lot of sense.”
    “Let me offer a more businesslike alternative—two alternatives, actually.”
    “Go on,” Stone said.
    “Why don’t we just throw him off the building?” Helga asked. “We can say he ran, then fell.”
    “That’s certainly a possibility,” Stone said, “but I want to hear what his idea of business is.”
    “Very wise, Mr. Barrington,” Majorov said. “There is a piece of luggage in the trunk of my car containing two million dollars in cash. My travel expense money. Why don’t you take that—and the car, if you wish—and just go home? I’ll clean up here, and the police need never know about these events.”
    Helga spoke up. “Why don’t we throw him off the building, then take the money and the car?”
    “You see,” Stone said to Majorov, “she’s really thinking very clearly.”
    “Yes, Mr. Barrington,” Majorov said, “and I admire her acuity. However, then you would still be left with elaborate explanations to the police, and some risk to yourselves.”
    “He has a point,” Stone said to Helga. “Neither of us really needs the money, and I already have two cars, so why don’t we just hog-tie him and wait for Dino to figure out where we are. In fact,” he said, getting out his iPhone, “I can satisfy his curiosity right now.”
    “Really, Mr. Barrington,” Majorov said, “there is no need for this pig-tying business. I have been crippled, you see, so I will not be fleeing. It is quite impossible in my condition.”
    “You’re breaking my heart,” Stone said.
    “And you didn’t listen to my second alternative,” Majorov said.
    “You’re right, I didn’t.”
    “The second alternative is to wait here for another minute or so, when this rooftop will be flooded with my associates, whom I have already asked to join me here. They will be heavily armed and not so inclined to be as businesslike as I.”
    Stone had just pressed the speed-dial button for Dino when, with a roar, two unmarked NYPD police cars shot onto the roof from the ramp and spilled out Dino, Holly, Paddy, and Stanley, each waving a weapon.
    “It looks like you didn’t need us,” Dino said, surveying the rooftop carnage and the cringing Majorov.
    “Well, Dino,” Stone said, “if what Majorov has just told me is true, not only do we need you, but we may need reinforcements, as well.”
    Then, from somewhere, came the beat of helicopter blades, and a large, evil-looking chopper rose from below the building’s parapet and turned sideways, revealing a wide-open door and several men inside, bristling with automatic weapons.

58
    E veryone stood, transfixed, staring at the helicopter and its deadly cargo. Majorov used this moment to slither around the Mercedes and begin to hobble painfully toward the machine.
    Then, as one man, Stone and his group dived behind the Mercedes as the firing began. The Mercedes, which seemed brand-new, began to disintegrate into small pieces of flying glass and metal, as did the two police cars behind it.
    “Stay behind the engine,” Stone yelled, and they all huddled more closely together.
    “This car will be gone in a minute,” Dino pointed out.
    “Just stay behind the engine!” Stone yelled.
    Then the firing, unaccountably, stopped. Instead of automatic weapons fire, Stone could hear the sound of a second helicopter.
    “I hope to God they don’t have reinforcements coming,” Dino said.
    Stone took the opportunity to peep from behind the remains of the Mercedes and saw Majorov being assisted into the big helicopter, then the machine turning away from the building. “It’s leaving,” he said. Then another helicopter hove into view, and this one was a welcome sight.
    “Dino,” Stone said, “check this out. Is that a Black Hawk?”
    “I believe it is,” Dino said.
    “And, Holly, is that Rick LaRose behind the machine gun in the firing bay?”
    Holly popped up. “One and the same!”
    Rick gave them a wave as his chopper turned in pursuit of Majorov’s transport, which was beating its way at top speed toward the beach.
    Stone stood up. “Is anybody hit?”
    “Strangely enough, no,” Holly said.
    Helga, Stanley, and Paddy got to their feet.
    They all turned and looked at the two