Tor nodded his recognition of the airplane.
“Why not to the United States?”
“Two reasons. One, that Úr Kocian doesn’t want to go to the States, and, two, I think we’re going to find what we’re looking for in southern South America. And maybe three, I think I can protect him better there than I could in the States.”
“That doesn’t seem reasonable.”
“I think I may be able to get word to whoever is trying to get to Úr Kocian that it no longer makes sense to try to get his information or kill him because the information is now in my hands.”
“I will ensure that Úr Kocian gets safely from the hospital to here and then to the airport.”
Castillo said, “What would it take to get you to come to Argentina with us?”
Tor met Castillo’s eyes.
“You would not have to ask permission to do something like that?” Tor said.
Castillo shook his head. “Will you come with us?”
“Of course.”
“What are we going to do about the police?” Castillo said.
“Nothing. If my people can find their car—and I think they will be able to—we will put the bodies in it, take it into the woods, and burn the car with them in it.”
“And that’ll be the end of it?”
“We will hope so.”
[FIVE]
Danubius Hotel Gellért
Szent Gellért tér 1
Budapest, Hungary
0550 7 August 2005
“Why does finding you awake and dressed at oh-dark-hundred and with an Uzi on the coffee table make me uncomfortable, Charley?” Colonel Jake Torine asked as he and Fernando Lopez walked into the living room. And then, as Max trotted in, showing his teeth, he exclaimed, “Jesus Christ!”
“They’re good guys, Max,” Castillo said, in Hungarian. “Down.”
Max walked to where Castillo was sitting and lay down at his feet.
“What is that, a Hungarian Great Dane?” Torine asked. “Where did he come from?”
“He’s Billy Kocian’s.”
“What happened to his head?”
“We have problems, Jake. We have to go wheels-up as soon as possible.”
“Charley, we just flew here from Baltimore, with only a piss stop at Frankfurt.”
“What kind of problems, Gringo?” Fernando Lopez asked.
“The bad guys tried to kidnap Billy Kocian. Max grabbed the arm of one of them and the bad guy clobbered him with his pistol, whereupon another bad guy shot Billy. Twice. Luckily, not bad. We’re getting him out of the hospital right about now. As soon as he shows me where his files are, we’re going back to the airport.”