The Hunters (Presidential Agent 3)

“Hand the phone to one of them,” the ambassador said.

“Thank you very much, sir.”

“Happy to be of service,” the ambassador said.

Castillo handed the phone to the nearest of the two Americans.

“The ambassador,” he said.

The second man said, “Sir, the embassy has a rule about dogs.”

Max growled. The second man looked very uncomfortable.

“I have just been granted a waiver,” Castillo said.

The man holding the telephone said “Yes, sir” into it a half dozen or so times, then handed the phone to Castillo. “The ambassador wishes to speak with you, Mr. Castillo.”

“Yes, sir?” Castillo said into the handset.

“If there’s anything else you need, Mr. Castillo, just call me.”

“Thank you very much, sir.”

“Get the Marine guard on the line, please. If I tell him you’re to have the keys to the kingdom, it’ll be easier.”

“Thanks again, sir,” Castillo said and motioned for the guard to pick up his telephone.

“Why don’t we go inside?” the man who had been talking to the ambassador asked, gesturing to the metal-detector arch.

Otto Görner asked with his eyes what he was supposed to do. Castillo, making no effort to hide the gesture, motioned for him to go through the metal detector.

“And this gentleman is, Mr. Castillo?” the man who had talked with the ambassador asked, looking at Görner.

“This is Mr. Smith. He’s with

me.”

“I really have to have a name, Mr. Castillo.”

“You’d really like to have a name, so that you can tell Ambassador Montvale who I had with me. That’s not quite the same thing.”

“And this gentleman is, Mr. Castillo?” the man repeated.

Okay, so you’re the resident spook. I sort of thought you might be.

“Sergeant, will you get the ambassador on the horn again?” Castillo said, raising his voice.

The two locked eyes for a moment. Then the man said, “That won’t be necessary, Sergeant. If you’ll follow me, gentlemen, please?”

They passed through the metal-detector arch. As the man Castillo had decided was the CIA station chief went through it, the device buzzed and a red light began to flash.

Why does that make me think you’re carrying a gun?

So thank you, metal detector, for bringing that to mind.

An elevator took them all to the basement, where the second man walked ahead of them to a heavy steel door and opened it with a key.

Inside was a bare room, with four unmarked doors leading off it.