"Jake!" Castillo said, warningly. "Colonel, what we need to do is get into the White House switchboard on a secure line."
"And you are, sir?"
"My name is Castillo. I'm with the Secret Service."
He showed Lieutenant Colonel Martin his credentials.
"This is very unusual," Lieutenant Colonel Martin said.
"I'm prepared to explain it to the ambassador or the chief of mission," Castillo said.
"One moment, please," Lieutenant Colonel Martin said, and motioned for the Marine guard to slide him the telephone. He punched in a number. "This is Colonel Martin. We have an Air Force colonel here, I've checked his ID, who wants to be connected to the White House switchboard. Can we do that?"
There was a reply.
Lieutenant Colonel Martin turned to Colonel Torine.
"He said that you have to be authorized to connect to the White House switchboard. Do you have that authorization?"
"I do," Torine said.
"Excuse me, sir. But how do I know that?"
Torine threw up his hands in disgust.
"That was your commo room?" Castillo asked.
Lieutenant Colonel Martin nodded.
"Is it tied into the White House switchboard?"
"To the State Department switchboard."
"Tell him to get the State Department switchboard operator. Tell her, or him, as the case may be, that C. G. Castillo wants to talk to the secretary of state, and that if she is not available, to be connected to the White House switchboard."
"You want to talk to the secretary of state, Mr. Costello?"
"It's Castillo. See that you get that right when you call."
"Sir, it's four o'clock in the morning in Washington."
"So I have been told."
"Just one moment, please," Lieutenant Colonel Martin said, and took his hand off the mouthpiece of the telephone. "Mr. Costello-"
"Castillo. Castillo. With an 'a' and an 'i,'" Castillo said.
"Mr. Castello wonders if it would be possible for you to contact the State Department switchboard and ask… see if they will take his call for the secretary of state." Martin turned to Charley. "The office of the secretary, Mr. Castello, or Secretary Cohen personally?"
"Castillo with an 'i,'" Castillo responded. "Secretary Cohen personally."
"Secretary of State Cohen personally," Lieutenant Colonel Martin parroted. He put his hand over the mouthpiece again. "It'll be just a moment."
A moment later, he announced: "They will take your call, Mr. Castillo, but Secretary Cohen is not available. She's in Singapore."
"What time is it in Singapore, Seymour?"
"Jesus, Major, I don't know," Sergeant Kranz confessed.