"I don't want Hector to know you know about him," Castillo said. "If he calls here, and I suspect he will, act normally, but tell him you don't know where I am, and that you haven't heard from me."

Dona Alicia nodded.

"Okay," Castillo then said, "what are we doing here? Randy, you were aware that the Army, the armed forces, went to DefConTwo a while back?"

"Just before we bombed some place in Africa?"

Castillo nodded.

"Yeah. n.o.body would talk about it, but the G-Three's daughter heard about it, and snooped around. And she has a big mouth."

"What is that, Carlos? DefConTwo?" Dona Alicia asked.

"DefCon stands for Defense Condition. DefConTwo is the next-to-highest degree of readiness to go to war."

"Let me take the briefing, Charley," Uncle Remus said. "You look pretty beat, and we don't want to leave anything out."

Castillo gave him the floor with a wave of his hand.

"The reason the Defense Department went to DefConTwo," Leverette began, "is because the President had learned that the Iranians, the Russians, and some former East Germans were making a biological weapon in the Congo, and he decided that it had to go."

"How did he learn about it?" Randy asked.

Leverette looked at the boy, then at Castillo. "You're right, Charley. He does have a mouth." He looked again at the boy, and said, "You get one one interruption, Randy. And that was it. Next time, raise your hand." interruption, Randy. And that was it. Next time, raise your hand."

"Yes, sir."

"Your fa-Colonel Castillo was instrumental in getting two senior Russian intelligence officers to defect. They wanted to get out of Russia for a number of reasons, including that they were unhappy about the biological weapons factory in the Congo. As soon as Colonel Castillo got them to Argentina, they told him about it." was instrumental in getting two senior Russian intelligence officers to defect. They wanted to get out of Russia for a number of reasons, including that they were unhappy about the biological weapons factory in the Congo. As soon as Colonel Castillo got them to Argentina, they told him about it."

Both Leverette and Castillo saw Randy look at Tom Barlow and Svetlana, asking with his eyes if they were the Russians, and then saw Svetlana nod.

"Am I allowed to ask questions, Mr. Leverette?" General Wilson asked.

"Yes, sir. Of course."

"Was that attack based on more than what the defectors told Charley? Or the President? The reason I ask is because there was some talk the President went off half-c.o.c.ked."

"Sir, it was based on more than what the Russians told us. Colonel Hamilton, from Fort Detrick, went over there himself and brought out samples of the material, and even the cadavers of three people who had died from the effects of the poisonous substance."

"Thank you. I'm really glad to hear that." Then he had a thought and said it aloud: "How the h.e.l.l did Hamilton get into and then out of the Congo with three bodies?"

"Carefully and surrept.i.tiously, General," Leverette said.

"Tell the general who took Colonel Hamilton into and out of the Congo, Mr. Leverette," Castillo said.

Leverette, clearly uncomfortable, said nothing.

"Why am I not surprised?" General Wilson said.

"That's why they gave him another Distinguished Service Medal when he was retired," Castillo said.

"You were at the retirement parade, Randy," General Wilson said. "You saw both Mr. Leverette and Colonel Castillo being decorated with the DSM."

"Then why did my father say he was kicked out of the Army?"

That pompous a.s.shole and chairwarmer is not your father.

I am.

"He must have been given the wrong information," Castillo said. "It happened so suddenly that it probably looked like we were being thrown out."

"Anyway, we thought the whole thing was over," Leverette went on. "I was in Uruguay, about to go into the cattle business, when the Russian rezident rezident in Budapest handed Mr. Kocian a letter. It said that a mistake had been made and that the Russians should come home, all is forgiven." in Budapest handed Mr. Kocian a letter. It said that a mistake had been made and that the Russians should come home, all is forgiven."

"You're not going back, are you, Svetlana?" Randy asked nervously.

"No," Svetlana said. "Now shut up and let Uncle Remus finish."

Leverette went on: "The next thing that happened was a barrel of this stuff was delivered to Colonel Hamilton, at Fort Detrick and ..."

". . . And that brought us, Dona Alicia, to your door," Leverette concluded.

"And what happens now?"

"We eat a lot of grapefruit and maybe do a little fishing while we wait to see what the Powers That Be decide to do with the tapes," Castillo said. "And the one thing we don't do until that happens-for the next four or five days-is talk about this."

"I think we should have an early lunch," Dona Alicia said. "I'll ask them to set up a table on the verandah."

[FOUR].

The Office of the Amba.s.sador of the United States of America Avenida Colombia 4300 Buenos Aires, Argentina 1315 8 February 2007

Amba.s.sador Juan Manuel Silvio-tall, lithe, fair-skinned, well tailored-stood up behind his desk, smiled, and put his hand out as Amba.s.sador Charles M. Montvale and Truman Ellsworth walked into his office.

"How nice to see you again, Mr. Montvale," Silvio said.

"Amba.s.sador," Montvale said.

"I know you only by reputation, Mr. Ellsworth," Silvio said. "I'm Juan Silvio."

"I've heard about you, too, Mr. Amba.s.sador," Ellsworth said with a smile.

Ellsworth knew much more about Silvio than the scathing description of the diplomat Montvale had given him.

Ellsworth was aware that there was more to his story than the bare, commonly known facts that Silvio's family had escaped from Castro's Cuba on a fishing boat.

He knew that the fishing boat had been a sixty-two-foot Bertram, and that the Silvio family had brought out with them not only the clothing on their backs, but an enormous fish box filled with currency, jewelry, and stock certificates; some of the more valuable antiques from their Havana mansion; and the extra keys to the cars they kept at their Key Biscayne house.

Ellsworth knew Silvio had graduated from his father's alma mater, Spring Hill College, a Jesuit inst.i.tution in Mobile, Alabama, which had been educating South American aristocrats for two hundred years. And that Silvio had earned a law degree at Harvard, and then a doctorate in political science at the University of Alabama. He had joined the State Department on graduation.

He had done so for much the same reason that Truman Ellsworth had become executive a.s.sistant to the director of National Intelligence: not because they needed the job, but because they saw it-the term "n.o.blesse oblige" fit-as their patriotic obligation to serve their country.

Most important, Ellsworth knew that Silvio was not afraid of Montvale.

So far as Ellsworth knew, Silvio had never had to use it, but if push came to shove, he had behind him the enormous political clout of the Cuban-American community in south Florida. The Silvio family had spent a great deal of their money helping fellow Cubans escape from Castro and establish themselves in the United States. This was remembered. And gentlemen always repay their debts.

"May I offer you a cup of coffee?" Amba.s.sador Silvio asked, waving Montvale and Ellsworth into chairs facing his desk.

"No, thank you," Montvale said. "Mr. Amba.s.sador ..."

"That would be very nice, thank you," Ellsworth said.

". . . I am here at the personal order of President Clendennen," Montvale finished.

"So Ms. Grunblatt told me," Silvio said. "And as soon as we have our coffee, I'll ask how I may be of service. Are you sure you won't ..."

"I'm sure. Thank you."

"So how may I be of service to you, Mr. Montvale?"

"My orders are to locate both of the Russian defectors and former Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Castillo."

"'Former'? I was under the impression Castillo had been retired. Was that wrong? Did he resign?"

"No. He retired," Montvale said. "Do you know where he is, Mr. Amba.s.sador? Or the Russians?"

"I'm afraid I don't. The last time I saw Colonel Castillo was when you and he were both in this office."

"Do you think if I got Secretary of State Cohen, or the President himself, on the telephone to confirm my mission here, it would improve your memory, Mr. Amba.s.sador?"

Silvio did not rise to the bait.

"Mr. Montvale, when Ms. Grunblatt told me that you had told her that, I telephoned the secretary of State for verification. Secretary Cohen confirmed that you and Mr. Ellsworth are here at the direction of President Clendennen and instructed me to do whatever I can to help you accomplish your mission."

"And I have told you what that mission is."

"And I have told you I have no idea where Colonel Castillo or the Russian defectors might be. But I'll tell you what I can do: Now that everyone's back from the affair in Mar del Plata, and the emba.s.sy's vehicles are back in the motor pool, I'll be happy to augment the Suburban in which you must have been really crammed with a vehicle more in keeping with your rank and position. With a driver, of course. For as long as you're here."

"Thank you very much," Montvale said. "Mr. Amba.s.sador, would you be surprised to hear that your former commercial counselor, and my former Buenos Aires station chief, Alexander Darby, is in Ushuaia?"

"Yes, I would. I was led to believe that Mr. Darby had returned to the United States."

"I have been led to believe he's in Ushuaia with a young Argentine woman."

"I find that hard to believe, Mr. Montvale. How good is your source?"

Montvale ignored the question.

"It occurred to me, knowing what little I do about Ushuaia," he said, "that the southernmost city in South America, as remote as it is, would be an ideal place to hide the Russians. What do you think?"

"I think that's absurd," Silvio said.

"You are telling me, and I will tell the President that you have told me, that you think the possibility that Mr. Darby and/or Colonel Castillo are hiding the Russian defectors in Ushuaia is absurd?"

"Yes, I do. Or, rather, yes, Mr. Montvale, that is exactly what I'm telling you."

"I think I'm wasting my time here," Montvale said, and stood up. "Good afternoon, Mr. Amba.s.sador."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Montvale," Amba.s.sador Silvio said, standing up. "On your way out, ask the Marine guard for your car. If you need to contact me, you have my number."

"Oh, I have your number, Mr. Amba.s.sador," Montvale said, and, without shaking hands, marched out of the office.

Silvio and Ellsworth nodded at each other, and then Ellsworth followed Montvale.

Ellsworth thought: I would bet two cents against a doughnut that n.o.body-not this fellow Darby, nor Castillo, nor the Russians-is in Ushuaia. I would bet two cents against a doughnut that n.o.body-not this fellow Darby, nor Castillo, nor the Russians-is in Ushuaia.

And I will also bet the same amount that the minute we get into the car, Charles is going to say, "Send the other four Clandestine Service officers down there as quickly as possible. That's where everybody is."

Or words to that effect.

Montvale did.

[FIVE].

Marriott Plaza Hotel Florida 1005 Buenos Aires, Argentina 1620 8 February 2007

It is said that the bar in the Plaza hasn't changed since General Juan Domingo Peron drank there as a corporal. But this is untrue for several reasons, including the fact that General Peron was never a corporal. It can be more accurately said that the bar has changed very little from the time it opened with the hotel a century ago.

It is a warm and comfortable room, with an L-shaped bar tucked into a corner. There are a half-dozen tables and comfortable leather armchairs.