'My office,' Kline replied. 'Officially, the Vatican is calling for patience and a peaceful resolution to the crisis. Unofficially, they want the assassins caught, Father Bradbury released or rescued as quickly possible, and his captors apprehended and tried.'
'I can understand why,' Hood said.
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'We found the driver who took the two 'deacons' to Maun,' Kline said. 'His description pretty much confirmed what we suspected. They were not affiliated with Father Bradbury's church. We are looking into the whereabouts of all the deacons who serve or have served in Botswana, though we are relatively certain these men will not be among them. It looks like your agent may have been right. They could very well be Brush Viper imposters.'
'Could they have stolen vestments from one of the church residences?' Hood asked.
'Easily,' Kline replied. 'We may have more information soon, however. The driver did tell us where he dropped them. The entire Spanish unit is converging on the area. The driver also put us in touch with the man who brought your agent to Maun. He won't tell us anything.'
'Maybe he doesn't know anything,' Hood pointed out.
'I don't believe that,' Kline said frankly. 'He won't even tell us where he dropped your agent. Surely he knows that.'
'I can't answer for what he does or doesn't know,' Hood said. 'Maybe he doesn't want to be involved in this. He could be afraid.' That would not surprise Hood. Either Maria had terrified the driver or charmed him. Either way, he would not be talking.
'Paul, I gave you access to that church to use as a data drop,' Kline said. 'I have told you what we know. As I was just telling Mr. Herbert, I thought we were cooperating on this.'
'Mister?' Herbert muttered. He scrunched his face.
'Edgar, we are cooperating,' Hood said.
'Then I'll ask you the same thing the other members of your staff refused to answer, Paul,' Kline said. 'Where is your agent now? Is she still in Maun, or has she followed the two Brush Vipers?'
Hood looked at Rodgers.
'Edgar, this is Mike,' Rodgers said. 'As I told you a minute ago, we don't know where Maria is. She has not contacted us.'
'You have an agent in the field, closest to the scene, and
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she has not called in to let you know where she is?' Kline said.
'I have to assume she's been very busy,' Rodgers said.
'Either that, or she's not in a position to talk to us,' Herbert said. 'She could be hiding in a goddamn closet somewhere, eavesdropping.'
'Edgar, what reason would we have to withhold information from you?' Hood asked.
No one said anything for a moment. Hood could think of many reasons. No doubt Kline could as well. But this was not the time to go into them. Which was why Hood had asked the question.
'You've got other agents en route,' Kline said. 'How are they going to rendezvous with her?'
'We're hoping she will contact us so we can relay the information to them,' Rodgers said.
'Well, while you're waiting for that, we're going to find the Brush Vipers,' Kline said.
'I wish you luck, Edgar,' Hood said. 'I sincerely do.'
'We're going to find them and do whatever it takes to stop them from terrorizing our missionaries. What I don't want is for your people-more of your people, General Rodgers-to be caught in the crossfire in a foreign land.'
That last dagger was a reference to the loss of Striker in Kashmir. The general took the hit impassively. Hood did not.
'If you want our cooperation, Edgar, you'll address my people with a little more tact,' Hood said.
'What I will do, Paul, what I am concentrating on doing, is bringing down the people who are attacking my Church,' Kline said. 'If anyone gets in our way, I'm sorry if they get clipped with a little tactlessness. They'll recover.'
'What about Father Bradbury being caught in the crossfire?' Herbert asked. 'How much does that matter?'
'I'm not even going to answer that,' Kline said.
'No, you wouldn't,' Rodgers said. 'Because you and I both know how the Grupo del Cuartel General and their Unidad Especial del Despliegue work.'
'Explain,' Hood said.
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'Paul, those soldiers hit hard,' Rodgers said. 'And they protect their own. They would sooner take out everyone in the line of fire than suffer any casualties. If you pursue your publicly stated policy of patience and peace, our
