The Hunters (Presidential Agent 3)

“Yes, sir.”

“I could offer any number of reasons why a liaison officer who enjoys my trust could be very useful to you.”

“I’m sure you could. But, thank you very much just the same, I don’t want Mr. Ellsworth.”

“Because you think he would be spying on you for m

e?”

Castillo didn’t reply. But he thought of something that might provide an excuse for him not to do so immediately.

Maybe I’ll think of something.

“Sir, excuse me. I have to make a call.”

Montvale looked at him impatiently. Naylor looked at him curiously.

Castillo punched an autodial number on his cellular telephone.

“Dick,” he said a moment later, “I think I can make the 2330 Air France flight to Paris. Can you send my luggage—and the suit and shirt and tie I left on the bed, and my laptop case—to the Army-Navy Club? Just tell the driver to wait outside.”

Castillo listened for a moment, then said, “Actually, I’m having a drink with General Naylor and Ambassador Montvale.” He paused. “Yes, I will. Thanks, Dick. I’ll check in from Paris.”

He pushed the CALL END button and turned to General Naylor.

“Major Miller’s compliments, sir,” he said.

Naylor nodded.

“What’s your objection to having Mr. Ellsworth work with you?” Montvale asked, resuming the conversation as if there had been no interruption.

Castillo met his eyes for a moment.

I might as well go down fighting.

“I’ve been thinking about that, sir,” Castillo said. “I certainly can’t order you to do anything. But if you elect to keep sending Mr. Ellsworth to the Nebraska Complex, I’m afraid what he’s going to be doing is sitting in an office all day without very much to do at all.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Unless Mr. Ellsworth has access to the Presidential Finding establishing the Office of Organizational Analysis, there’s nothing I can tell him about what we’re really doing.”

“That’s ridiculous and you know it,” Montvale snapped. “Ellsworth has had the highest-level security clearances for years.”

Again Castillo didn’t reply and again Montvale took his meaning.

“You’re not actually suggesting, Castillo, that you’re not going to give Truman Ellsworth the necessary security clearance, are you?”

“Sir, I don’t see where Mr. Ellsworth has the Need to Know about the Presidential Finding and my mission.”

“I’ll clear him for the Finding!”

“Sir, I don’t believe you have that authority,” Castillo said. “As I understand it, only the President and I do.”

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing! Just who the hell do you think you are? I’m the director of National Intelligence. I decide who is cleared for what.”

“Ambassador, you don’t have the authority to clear anyone for that Presidential Finding,” Castillo said.

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to see what the President has to say about that,” Montvale said, “and about your attitude.”