The Shooters (Presidential Agent 4)

Castillo went on: "I think we can presume Duffy has a car-maybe two-sitting on us at the gate. We are not going to try, a la James Bond, to lose them in traffic. If they can't keep up, much better, but we're not going to look as if we're running away.

"We can also presume that if they have managed to follow us to Ezeiza, they'll follow us inside the terminal and learn what we're doing and tell Duffy. With a little luck, they'll also tell him we haven't tried anything sneaky.

"That'll give him the choice between letting us leave or trying to stop us, and he'll have to make that choice in a hurry. I think he'll decide, 'Okay, good riddance,' possibly because keeping us from leaving might be hard for him to do anyway. If we're brazen, he'll reason that's because we've destroyed everything-the radios, for example-that could get us in trouble. And he doesn't want the stink that would be made if a bunch of American tourists were stopped without cause. So I think we can make it to Uruguay.

"Once we're airborne, we'll call on the radio. If you don't hear from us, or if somebody comes knocking at the door, be ready to use the thermite grenades to torch the radios and anything else that's incriminating."

He looked at everybody and added, "If anybody has any better ideas, I'm wide open."

There was a moment's silence.

"What about Max?" Delchamps asked.

"What about him?"

"If you don't take him, Ace, that might give Duffy the idea you plan to come back. But if you do, what are you going to do with him? How are you going to get him back here from Uruguay? The Gulfstream's going to the States."

Castillo looked down at Max, who was lying with his head between his paws, his big eyes looking up at him.

"Max goes," he said after a moment. "You're right. Duffy would expect me to take him with me if I was leaving."

Did I say that because I believe it? Or because, quite clearly, I just again heard Abuela saying, "You don't even have a dog"-and I don't have the heart to just leave the big sonofabitch here not knowing if I am coming back.

He's saved my life, once for sure in Budapest and probably in the garage of the Sheraton Pilar, and I could hide behind that.

But the truth is, Castillo, that you're a goddamned softie.

You like the way he looks at you with those big, soft eyes.

"Okay, Lieutenant Lorimer, sound 'Boots and Saddles,'" Castillo ordered.

[TWO]

Suite 2152 Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza Hotel Plaza Independencia 759 Montevideo, Republica Oriental del Uruguay 1720 9 September 2005 Special Agent David W. Yung was smiling and shaking his head as he watched Jake Torine toss peanuts to Max, who snapped them from the air.

Chief Warrant Officer Five Colin Leverette, holding a bottle of beer, stood up from the minibar, looked at Yung, and announced, "Two-Gun is thinking about sex. He's shaking his head in disbelief and smiling."

"Close," Yung replied. "I'm thinking I can't believe the general manager believed Charley's yarn-'I'm an epileptic and this dog has been trained to alert me when he senses a seizure coming on.'"

"I was counting on him having seen that malady on Fox News," Castillo said, solemnly. "You always have to have an answer prepared, David."

"What our dog lover here was actually counting on working was that hundred-dollar bill he slipped the manager," Torine said.

"Max is up here, isn't he, despite those 'No Pets' signs in three languages on the door?" Castillo said.

"And a good thing for you that he is, Charley," Torine said. "You're going to need him to protect you from that cop when he learns you're back."

The telephone buzzed. Castillo signaled for Yung to pick it up.

"Thank you," Yung said in Spanish into the receiver. "We'll be right down." He hung up, looked at Castillo, and switched back to English: "The car from the embassy is here."

"That was quick," Leverette said.

"The embassy's only a couple of blocks from here," Yung explained, and then added, "Maybe I better take Max with me to protect me from Ambassador McGrory. I don't think he's going to be happy to see me."

"Nonsense," Castillo said. "He'll be thrilled. The secretary of State called him personally to tell him you're coming."

"That's what I mean," Yung said.