Black Ops (Presidential Agent 5)

He walked back to Svetlana, who was standing at the foot of the step door.

"Get back on the airplane," he ordered. "Get everybody's passports." He looked up and into the airplane and saw Davidson. "Jack, get the airplane's papers and the Americans' passports."

Svetlana went up the stairs.

A moment later, Davidson and Sparkman came down the stairs with all the passports and the aircraft's documents.

They formed a fire-bucket line, and their luggage began to come off the plane. Castillo saw that Svetlana had taken her place in the line.

And then he saw that Svetlana's skirt was either Loden cloth or something heavy like it.

Jesus, that's about the worst thing she could be wearing here.

This is the hottest part of the summer.

The customs officer began a perfunctory inspection of the luggage. A man from Jet Aviation Service began to deal with Torine about landing fees, parking fees, and fuel.

"Very nice, Charley," Santini said to Castillo, vis-a-vis Lieutenant Colonel Alekseeva. "I have always been partial to redheads."

Redhead?

Castillo looked. What had looked like dark brown hair now indeed, in the bright sunlight, looked red. Dark red, but red.

"My relationship with the lady is purely professional, Tony," Castillo said.

"Sure it is."

"She is--they are--people I want to get to our house in Pilar safely and without attracting attention. When that's done, I'll tell you all about them."

"Who are they?"

"Later, Tony."

Santini heard the tone in his voice and didn't push.

"Wheels?" Castillo asked.

"I have my car and an embassy Suburban," Darby said, offering his hand. "Welcome back, Charley."

"And I've got my car," Tony Santini said. "And Munz has his."

Munz saw there was some problem with the customs or immigration officers and went to deal with it.

"The Sienos?" Castillo asked.

"He's not coming," Darby said, "and she couldn't get on the morning plane. She may not be able to get a seat on the afternoon plane, either."

"Shit!"

"Kensington said that Miller called and said Bradley would be on the Aerolineas Argentinas flight out of Miami tonight."

"What's going on, Charley?" Darby asked.

"It'll have to wait until we're in Nuestra Pequena Casa," Castillo said, nodding toward Munz, who was walking back to them, his left fist balled with the thumb extended, signaling that all was okay.

[THREE]

Nuestra Pequena Casa