And with cause.

They have done their very best, from a sense of duty plus their feelings of admiration for Masterson and his wife, and it hasn't been good enough.

They're probably thinking, Some hotshot who's been in Buenos Aires for two days is now in charge. G.o.d only knows what that sonofab.i.t.c.h said about us when he got on a secure line to Washington. Some hotshot who's been in Buenos Aires for two days is now in charge. G.o.d only knows what that sonofab.i.t.c.h said about us when he got on a secure line to Washington.

He took a sip of the coffee, burned his lip, and said, "s.h.i.t!"

"I should have warned you it was hot," the commo sergeant said.

"My fault," Castillo said.

Well, at least I learned how to handle a situation like this at The Point.

It's essentially a matter of what not to do.

You don't line the troops up and say, "Jesus, guys, wait until you hear what a dumb order we just got."

When you get a lawful order, no matter how dumb- and with all due respect, Mr. President, this decision of yours is about as dumb as orders get-you either refuse to obey it or you obey it.

And since this order cannot be refused-it's "not open for debate" and I have sworn a solemn oath, without any mental reservations whatsoever to cheerfully obey the orders of officers appointed over me, which would certainly include the President-that means I will have to go before the troops bubbling over with enthusiasm to carry out the brilliant order I have just received. And then do my G.o.dd.a.m.nedest to execute it.

"Can I take this with me? The amba.s.sador wants to see me ten minutes ago."

"Sure," the sergeant said.

[FOUR].

"Sir, I just spoke with Secretary Hall, who told me what the President has ordered."

"The President made it crystal clear what he wishes done; what he wants you to do," Amba.s.sador Silvio said.

"For your ears only, sir, I'm way out of my depth."

"The President doesn't seem to think so," Silvio said, "and that's all that really matters, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir, I guess it is."

"I've asked everybody with a role in this to come to the conference room. They're in there now."

"Have you said anything to them, sir?"

"I thought I would ask you what you would like me to say before I said anything."

"Sir, I think the simple facts-that the President told you he has given me the responsibility to get Mrs. Masterson and the children, and Mr. Masterson's body, safely out of the country, and that I am now in charge of the investigation-would be the best way to handle it."

"That's about what I was thinking," Silvio said. "Just before the President called me, I made a decision that I don't think is going to please the FBI team that's coming down."

"Yes, sir?"

"Colonel Munz asked for permission to perform the autopsy on Mr. Masterson's body and I gave that permission. It was a tough call."

"I'm not sure I follow you, sir."

"We get into a somewhat hazy area of law and diplomacy here," Silvio said. "A murder and an abduction have occurred. Those are violations of Argentine law. The murder of an official of the U.S. government, no matter where it occurs, is a violation of the United States Code, one of the few offenses for which the death penalty may be applied. . . ."

Castillo thought, If I needed another proof that I don't know what the h.e.l.l I'm doing, I never thought about any of this. If I needed another proof that I don't know what the h.e.l.l I'm doing, I never thought about any of this.

". . . And in theory at least, the government can demand that the perpetrators be extradited to the United States for trial. I don't know-I just haven't had the time to look into it-where Mrs. Masterson's abduction fits into this, but her abduction violates Argentine law."

"I never even thought about this," Castillo confessed.

"I've given it some thought," Silvio said. "Now, presuming that the people who did this are apprehended, they would be arrested by the Argentines, and tried in an Argentine court. The problem I have with that is that if found guilty, the maximum penalty is twenty or twenty-five years' imprisonment."

"No death penalty," Castillo said.

"And, for your ears only, Mr. Castillo, while I would dearly love to see these people-what is that lovely phrase?-'hung by the neck until dead, dead, dead,' that's just not going to happen.

"Furthermore, extradition poses some problems. Unfortunately, a number of Argentine officials and more important legislators oppose anything we norteamericanos norteamericanos ask for-probably a vestige of Juan Domingo Peron-as a Pavlovian reflex. While I'm fairly certain that extradition would ultimately be approved, I'm not certain. ask for-probably a vestige of Juan Domingo Peron-as a Pavlovian reflex. While I'm fairly certain that extradition would ultimately be approved, I'm not certain.

"Our death penalty enters into the equation. When I was a young consular officer in Paris, there was a terrible man from Philadelphia who stuffed his girlfriend in a trunk and let her petrify there. When this was finally discovered and he was arrested, his attorney-now Senator Arlen Specter, as a matter of interest-got him out on bail, which he promptly jumped. We finally located him in France. When we tried to have him extradited, French officials and legislators, who seem to share the Argentine fondness for denying anything we Americans ask, were more than a little difficult.

"One of the reasons they cited for denying extradition was that we have the death penalty, and they don't. There were other reasons, but that was one of their major moral arguments. It took us about twenty years to get this chap extradited from France. That took place just a couple of years ago. And I feel sure that our death penalty would be advanced as a reason for the Argentines to deny extradition."

"I heard that story," Castillo said. "I have some friends in the Philadelphia Police Department."

Including a former sergeant named Betty Schneider, who at this very moment is on her way down here. And who may not be nearly as delighted to see me as I will be to see her.

"Two of whom, sir," Castillo went on, "have become Secret Service agents. I asked that they be sent here to a.s.sist me. One of them is a woman, whom I intend to a.s.sign to Mrs. Masterson's security detail. The other is a very bright detective, who will keep his eyes on the investigation for me. He's a black guy, which I thought might be useful."

"So you do have some ideas what to do?" Silvio said. "I suspect you're not nearly as far out of your depth as you say you are."

Oh, yes I am. And did I ask for Sergeant Schneider because I wanted her to sit on Mrs. Masterson, or because I can't get her out of my mind? How does d.i.c.k Miller so cleverly phrase it? That I have the lamentable tendency to think with my d.i.c.k?

"With all of these things in mind," Silvio said, "it seemed to me that justice-as much of it as can be expected in this circ.u.mstance-would best be served to have these sc.u.m tried and convicted in an Argentine court."

"Yes, sir. I understand."

"Which means, of course, that all evidence gathered will be retained by the Argentine judicial system; that extraditionof these people, even if finally approved, would be futile. Even if we could get around the double jeopardy business, we would have no evidence to present. Plus, the very act-justified, legally permissible, or not- of asking for extradition would certainly offend Argentine pride. It would be tantamount to saying we don't trust their judicial system."

"Did you tell the President what you had decided, Mr. Amba.s.sador?"

"The conversation, Mr. Castillo, was rather one-sided," Silvio said. "Is there anything else we should talk over before we go into the conference room, do you think?"

"I can't think of anything, sir."

[FIVE].

Everyone sitting at the long conference table stopped talking and rose to their feet as Amba.s.sador Silvio and Castillo entered the room.

Alex Darby was at the foot of the table. Kenneth Lowery sat on his right, and Tony Santini on his left. The two FBI agents from Montevideo sat together. There were a dozen other men around the table. Castillo didn't know any by name, but some of them, the DEA people, he recognized from the brainstorming session Masterson had organized the day before. There were three people in uniform: an Air Force colonel, an Army colonel, and a Marine gunnery sergeant.

Castillo pegged them as the defense attache, the military mission commander, and the NCO in charge of the Marine guards. Everybody looked at Castillo with unabashed curiosity.

"Keep your seats, please, gentlemen," Silvio ordered, as he walked to the head of the table. He put his hands on the back of the chair there.

"For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to meet him, this gentleman is Mr. C. G. Castillo, who is in Argentina as the President's agent. A short time ago, the President conveyed to me his decision to place Mr. Castillo in charge of dealing with all aspects of the unfortunate situation we find ourselves in vis-a-vis Chief of Mission J. Winslow Masterson and his family. The President further informed me that the secretary of state, the secretary of defense, and the directors of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been informed of his decision."

The amba.s.sador looked at Castillo, said, "Mr. Castillo, you have the floor," and sat in the first chair at the side of the table.

Castillo looked around the room.

There's not a h.e.l.l of a lot of friendly faces looking at me. As a matter of fact, none.

Well, here goes.

"Good morning, gentlemen," Castillo began. "Our priorities are these. First, the protection of Mrs. Masterson and her children. Second, the protection of all emba.s.sy personnel. Third, to cooperate with the Argentine authorities in their investigation of what has happened.

"In regard to the last, after consulting with Amba.s.sador Silvio, I have decided that we will proceed on the a.s.sumption that the Argentine government will find out who committed these crimes, arrest the culprits, and subject them to trial in Argentine courts."

"We're not even going to try to extradite these sc.u.m-bags?" FBI agent Yung asked.

"That is what, after consultation with Amba.s.sador Silvio, I have decided. And please don't interrupt me again until I open the floor for comments and questions," Castillo said.

There was some murmuring, but nothing more.

Well, I got away with that. Let's see what else I can get away with.

"With regard to Priority One: Mr. Santini, who has had extensive experience with the Secret Service Presidential Protection Detail, will a.s.sume responsibility for the protection of the Masterson family until we can get them safely out of the country. An Air Force transport is already in the air on its way down here to transport Mr. Masterson's body and his family to the United States.

"With regard to Priority Two: Mr. Lowery will put in place whatever heightened security measures he deems necessary for the protection of all other emba.s.sy personnel. I know the President has a deep interest in this, so I'd like, within the hour, a rough game plan from you, Mr. Lowery, so that after Amba.s.sador Silvio approves it-or modifies it-I can send it to Washington."

Castillo looked at Lowery, who said, "Yes, sir. Within the hour."

Two down.

"With regard to Priority Three: Mr. Darby will handle all arrangements to cooperate with the Argentine authorities in their investigation of this situation, and, coordinatingwith Mr. Santini and Mr. Lowery, the incorporation of what security personnel the Argentine government provides into our own security arrangements.

"Further, the FBI is sending a team of investigators down here. They will report to Mr. Darby. Mr. . . . Yung, is it?"

"Yung," he confirmed.

"You will be responsible for the logistic support of the FBI team. Find them someplace to live, to operate, automobiles, whatever they need, and also keep Amba.s.sador Silvio, Mr. Darby, Mr. Lowery, Mr. Santini, and myself advised on a timely basis of whatever their investigation develops.

"The Secret Service is sending two special agents down here. One, Special Agent Schneider, will report to Mr. Santini to a.s.sist in the protection of the Masterson family. Special Agent Britton will monitor both the Argentine's and our investigation-including, of course, the FBI's- and report to the amba.s.sador and me what information he comes up with. I will, since both special agents will be working for me, handle their logistic requirements."

Now how the h.e.l.l are you going to do that?

"Finally, to ensure everyone's working on the same page, and to ensure that someone sitting behind a desk in Washington doesn't start to try to micromanage what we're going to do here, there will be no communication by any means-radio, e-mail, or telephone-with any agency in Washington unless it has been first vetted by the amba.s.sador or myself."

"You're telling me, sir, that I'm forbidden to communicate with the bureau?" Yung demanded.

"Thank you for the opportunity to make myself perfectly clear, Agent Yung, as apparently my request to finish without interruption also went unheard," Castillo said icily. "You are forbidden to communicate with the bureau-or anyone else-absent the approval of the amba.s.sador or myself in every instance. Got it?"

There was a moment's hesitation. Then a cold, "I've got it."

"Now, are there any questions or comments?"

There were far fewer questions and comments than Castillo expected.

There is, however, a sullen, bubbling resentment toward Presidential Agent Castillo that can be cut with a knife.

But I think trying to be a nice guy would have made things even worse.

"Well, if that's it, gentlemen, thank you for your time and attention. Now let's get to work. Mr. Darby and Mr. Santini, will you remain behind, please?"

"Will you be needing me for anything else, Mr. Castillo?" Amba.s.sador Silvio asked, when everyone but Darby and Santini had left the room.

"If you would, sir. Give me another minute."

"Of course."

"Tony, Alex, that commo block doesn't apply to either of you. But I couldn't keep just the FBI off the horn. And I really didn't want some hotshot second-guessing what we're going to try to do here." He looked at Darby. "Remember the Langley hotshots with access to a satellite phone in Afghanistan, Alex?"

"Painfully," Darby chuckled.

"Joel said you were really a hardnose," Santini said. "You did very well in here just now, Ace."

"I wish I thought so."

"I thought so, too," Amba.s.sador Silvio said. "I did wonder, however, why you claimed my decision not to go for extradition as your own?"

"We had a saying in Afghanistan, sir, when we did something we suspected might get us in hot water. 'Screw it. What are they going to do, send me to Afghanistan?'"

Silvio chuckled.

"There's also an expression, 'If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.' But that was gracious of you, Mr. Castillo. I'm grateful."

"Sir, do you think you could bring yourself to call me 'Charley'?"

"Of course. Thank you. My first name is Juan. My friends usually call me John."

"My real first name is Carlos, sir, and with your permission, I will continue to call you 'sir' and 'Mr. Amba.s.sador. '"

"Charley, who are these two agents they're sending down?" Santini asked.

"They're both ex-Philadelphia cops. We worked with them when we were looking for the 727. The lady was a sergeant in intelligence, and the guy worked deep cover for years for counterterrorism. Hall was impressed with both of them, and told Joel to recruit them. Joel just got them out of the training academy early to work in Hall's office. So they were available."

"What are you going to do with them?"