Hood knew the intelligence chief well. There was something else on Herbert's mind. 'Out with it, Bob,' Hood said. 'What's the rest of it?'
'The rest is a real kick in the head,' Herbert said. 'Air Force Intelligence Signal Surveillance picked up a transmission from those same coordinates at four-thirty-one P.M. Botswana time.'
'Why were they listening to that area?' Rodgejp asked.
'They weren't. They picked something up because they've
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been monitoring our outgoing calls,' Herbert said.
'Come again?' Coffey said.
'It seems that since the showdown in Kashmir, the AFISS has been keeping track of our foreign communications,' Herbert said.
'What are they doing?' Coffey asked. 'Making sure that we behave ourselves?'
'On the books, they probably want to make sure we don't field any military missions that might backfire,' Herbert said. 'Trigger something that could involve more U.S. forces.'
'We haven't done that so far,' Coffey said.
'That's a bullshit reason,' Rodgers said. 'The Air Force is doing this because they don't want us showing them up.'
'That would be the off-the-books reason,' Herbert agreed. 'Look-the fact that our own people are spying on us is not what, surprised me. It was the nature of the signal they received.'
'What about it?' Hood pressed.
'The AFISS routinely monitors radio transmissions that are sent to major intelligence agencies around the world,' Herbert said. 'Even if they can't decipher the code, they keep track of activity. Not just content but volume and frequency are also important.'
'Like a surge in credit card activity sending up flags,' Coffey said.
'Bingo,' Herbert replied. 'That's how we knew when the Russians were going to move into Chechnya. Increased cornmunication. The radio transmission from the landing area in Botswana was noticed by the AFISS computer because it matched a foreign office we've been calling.'
'Which one?' Hood asked.
Herbert replied, 'Shigeo Fujima at the IAB.'
FIFTY
The Trans-Kalahari Highway,
Botswana Friday, 8:07 P.M.
Battat was at the wheel as he and Aideen left Gaborone in their rented Jeep Wrangler Sahara. They got on to the TransKalahari Highway. Almost at once they were struck by the scope of the countryside. Battat had been across Texas and had taken the Trans-Siberian railroad. When he was a teenager, he had crossed the ocean working on a yacht for some international oil tycoon. But he had never seen expanses as level and featureless as these. On both sides there was nothing but scrub, rock, and tawny earth to the horizon. Occasionally, the setting sun would catch a snow-topped mountain. But the peaks were so remote they were quickly hidden by the dusty winds that blew across the veldt.
As the Americans began their drive toward Maun, Aideen called the embassy at Gaborone to access the voice mailbox at Op-Center. Battat was surprised to hear that they had received new instructions. They were no longer going to be linking up with Maria Corneja in Maun.
'Is something wrong?' Battat asked.
'Maria managed to sneak off with Leon Seronga,' Aideen said. 'They believe he's taking her to Dhamballa's camp.'
'Damn, that woman gets around,' Battat said.
'There's more,' Aideen told him. 'Undercover Spanish troops are searching for Seronga and Dhamballa. Op- Center is inclined to assist them.'
'What about assisting Maria instead?' Battat said. 'We have an agent on site who may be in a position to defuse the situation.'
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'That's international politics for you,' Aideen said. 'I suspect we're helping the Vatican, not Spain. The United States needs to maintain good relations with Rome and, through them, help keep peace in Africa. We don't want another Somalia.'
'Whoever we're helping, Maria is with Seronga. That puts her in the line of fire,' Battat said.
'Maybe not,' Aideen went on. 'Hood wants the Spanish soldiers delayed. That's why we have to get to Maria first. We'll split up, one party going with Seronga, the other taking the Spanish along a different route. Whoever goes to the Vodun encampment is to try to get Father Bradbury away. That has to happen before the Spaniards arrive to take him by force. Ideally, we would also convince the Brush Vipers to lay low.'
'Cornered and desperate men do not always do what you want,' Battat remarked.
