"John's got someone on them. Are you okay, Cade?"
With a shrug, Cade said, "I could use a coffee."
Nodding, Carter said, "Yeah, me, too. Later, Cade. Good job," and turned to
head back to her camera room.
Fifteen minutes or so later, Cade heard the announcer hand out the prizes
for first, second, and third place. The other contestants were heartily thanked
and given surprise consolation prizes in the form of twenty-dollar dealer's room
gift certificates, then the band cranked up.
Through Cade's earpiece came, "Open the doors now," and he kicked the stops
back up on his doors, opened them, and stood to one side of the alcove as people
left the ballroom.
It was a short rush of people; some headed for the restrooms or the
escalators, but most of those gathered in the ballroom remained seated because
the evening's entertainment would continue until around midnight.
Maybe ten minutes later John made his way to Cade through the swarming
people and eyed the alcove for a moment before he said, "Both backpacks were
full of plastique. It didn't really matter which one got through."
"Kinda figured that.
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