“Then have them bring the Buick.”
“Clete, I can drive you into town, my car’s here,” Tony Pelosi said.
“I want to go around town, not into it,” Clete said. “But thank you.”
“Are we going to do an after-action, boss?” Ashton asked.
“You mean did our theatrics properly impress Almond?”
“Yeah.”
“I think so. It went well, I think. I thought he was going to piss his pants when I shot next to him.”
“A completely understandable reaction, I would say,” Ashton said.
“I hope it went well,” Clete said thoughtfully. “I really don’t want to have to kill him.”
“Are you prepared to?” Ashton asked, very seriously.
Clete met his eyes, then nodded.
“Sometimes, despite the unkind things Colonel Graham said to you, I think you really are suited for this line of work,” Ashton said.
“I’m almost sorry Almond doesn’t know Graham,” Clete said, not responding to the comment. “And I agree with Tony, I don’t think he’s even heard his name. I thought it would be sort of funny if Almond told him he had checked me out in the Lodestar.”
He walked the rest of the way down the aisle, opened the door, and jumped to the ground.
“Welcome to Buenos Aires, my friend,” Coronel Bernardo Martín said, stepping out of the shadows. “I was getting a little worried about you.”
“I’m touched, but why should you be worried?”
“You left Posadas Airfield at half past eleven this morning, and no one’s seen you since.”
“Well, it’s a long way from Missiones Province, mi Coronel.”
Ashton jumped to the ground, then Pelosi.
“You remember these gentlemen, I’m sure,” Clete said.
Martín saluted, and Ashton and Tony returned it somewhat awkwardly.
“We don’t salute when we’re in civilian clothing,” Clete said.
“Really? I wonder why not? I don’t think that people stop being officers when they put on civilian clothing, do you?”
> Enrico jumped to the ground, saw Martín, and saluted.
“You see?” Martín asked, chuckling. “Enrico understands.”
“Unless you’d rather stand around here chewing the fat with Coronel Martín, why don’t you guys take off?” Clete said. “Call me when you hear something.”
“Yes, Sir,” Tony said.
“I see Lieutenant Pelosi isn’t the only one who can’t seem to remember you’re no longer an officer,” Martín said.
“For which I will order him tarred and feathered,” Clete said.
“You’re not going into town with them?” Martín asked.