By Order of the President (Presidential Agent 1)

The captain held up a massive hand to tell her to shut up. “He’s a really good guy,” Castillo said.

“I’ll take this from here,” the captain said. “You can go back on the floor.”

When the wiry woman hesitated, the captain pointed somewhat impatiently at the door.

When she went through it, the captain said, “Close your suitcase, sir.”

“Thanks,” Castillo said.

“I heard he was a sergeant in Vietnam,” the captain said.

“He was,” Castillo said and closed his suitcase.

The captain picked up one of the suitcases and led Castillo out a

back door and then into the arrival lobby.

“Tell him another ’Nam sergeant hopes he likes the cake,” the captain said.

“I will,” Castillo said and then started dragging his suitcases toward the buses and taxis door.

[TWO]

The Mayflower Hotel 1127 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 1625 8 June 2005

A bellman pushing an ornate baggage cart followed Castillo into his apartment.

“Just put them in the bedroom, please,” Castillo said as he handed him his tip.

“I keep telling you, Charley, we have to stop meeting in hotel rooms like this,” Major H. Richard Miller, Jr., said from behind him. “People are going to talk.”

Charley startled, looked around the living room.

Miller was sprawled low in an armchair. He was wearing a suit. His shirt collar was open and his tie pulled down. A bottle of Heineken beer sat on the table beside him.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Charley asked.

“An old pal told me not to worry, he could cover for me. Turns out he couldn’t. You are looking at a disgraced you-know -what relieved for cause.”

“Oh, shit,” Castillo said. “Relieved for cause?”

“They did everything but cut off my uniform buttons and march me through the gate at the Luanda airport while a band played ‘The Rogue’s March.’ ”

“How did you know where to find me?”

“General Naylor knew where you were, or at least about this apartment. He told me a key would be waiting for me and I was to make myself as invisible as possible until whatever is going to happen happens.”

“I’ll be damned,” Charley said.

“Nice place, Charley. You must be on a different per diem scale than I am.”

“It’s close to where I work,” Charley said. “My boss likes to have me available.”

“Yeah,” Miller said, disbelievingly, then added, “I have a cell phone with the number of your boss, to be used only if necessary.”

“What does that mean?”

Miller shrugged. “General Naylor gave it to me. I guess if somebody shows up here with a cross to nail me to, your boss wants to know.”