The Hostage (Presidential Agent 2)

"You are going to fly Special Agent Schneider, the doctor, and the nurses from here to Philadelphia just as soon-maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after tomorrow-as they say she's up to the trip."

"On whose authority, Major?"

"On mine," Castillo said softly.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Major. My orders were to fly the FBI team down here, and then to return them to Washington."

"Listen to me very carefully, Colonel Newley," Colonel Torine said, icily. "I am telling you that Major Castillo has all the authority he needs to tell you to do anything. Now you can accept that, and cheerfully and willingly comply with any orders he may give you, or I will get on the horn to General McFadden at CentCom and inform him that after relieving you for obstructing a presidential mission, I am placing your copilot in command of the Gulfstream, assigning one of my backup crew as copilot, and returning you to Andrews by commercial air."

General Albert McFadden, U.S. Air Force, was the CentCom deputy commander.

Lieutenant Colonel Walter Newley's face paled. He swallowed, then said, "Yes, sir," very softly.

"Does that mean you understand you're under Major Castillo's orders?"

"Yes, sir," Lieutenant Colonel Newley said softly.

"What? I didn't hear that. You're supposed to sound like an Air Force officer, not some faggot wearing the wings of an Air Chad cabin attendant."

"Yes, sir," Lieutenant Colonel Newley said, much louder.

"Wait in the corridor for me, please, Colonel," Torine said, in a normal voice.

"Yes, sir," Lieutenant Colonel Newley said, somewhat loudly.

Torine waited until the door closed, then turned to Castillo.

"Charley," he began, and then saw that Corporal Lester Bradley, USMC, had heard the exchange.

"Son," Torine asked, "I don't think you heard much of that little conversation, did you?"

"What conversation is that, sir?" Corporal Bradley asked.

"The only thing I like better than a Marine is a selectively deaf Marine," Torine said.

"Permission to speak, sir?"

"Granted."

"During our training at Quantico, sir, we are told we will hear things we will immediately forget we heard."

"Thank you," Torine said. "Now, son, please go into the corridor for a moment so that it won't be necessary for you to forget what Major Castillo and I are going to discuss."

"Yes, sir," Corporal Bradley said, and went into the corridor.

When the door had closed, Torine said, "I have no idea what that nonsense with Newley was all about, but I have the feeling there's something more to it than him being a by-the-book asshole."

"He knew I'm a major. I never said I was. So somebody told him. I think I know who."

Torine made a give-it-to-me gesture with his hands. "There's an FBI agent, assigned to the embassy in Montevideo. Name of Yung. I think he's made me."

"I don't think I understand."

"Howard Kennedy told me he's one of their hotshots-"

"Kennedy is here?" Torine asked, visibly surprised.

"He was. Kennedy said he used to work with this guy, and that whatever he's doing in Montevideo-he's supposed to be working on money laundering-isn't what he's really doing."