'I'm sorry, Darrell,' Rodgers said.
'Thanks. I appreciate that,' McCaskey said.
Rodgers took a swallow of coffee. He was not certain whether this was a good time or a terrible time to broach the subject of Maria becoming a part of the new unit.
Given the situation in Botswana, he decided he did not have a choice. He also thought of something that might appeal to McCaskey.
'So what are you going to do if she does want to go back into the field?' Rodgers asked.
'I don't know,' McCaskey said. 'I guess the question is: Where does she get that opportunity?' He leaned in closer again. 'There was a rumor going around the clubhouse yesterday that you're going to spearhead a new HUMINT operation. Is that true?'
Rodgers nodded. Herbert must have slipped McCaskey the word. The intelligence chief hated keeping a brother at arms in the dark.
McCaskey sat back. 'Damn, Mike. I would have appreciated some kind of heads-up.'
'You would have gotten that today, right now,' Rodgers said. 'That's why I asked to see you this morning. Christ, Paul just hit me with this new operation. '
McCaskey scowled.
'As for Maria, I don't know why Bob called her,' Rodgers said. 'The new group is my operation, not his. And I won't ask Maria to be involved with my team if it'll make things tough for you.'
Even as he said that, Rodgers knew he should not have. He might not have anyone else he could call on in Europe. However, there might be a solution.
'I don't know, Mike,' McCaskey admitted. 'I love the woman. I always have. I gave Maria up once rather than worry about losing her in the field, if that makes any sense.'
'It does,' Rodgers said.
'But after talking to her this morning, I know she's not going to be happy working as a nine-to-fiver agaij^ even for us,' he said.
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'How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm after they've seen Paree,' Rodgers said.
'Something like that,' McCaskey replied.
'Maybe she won't have to,' Rodgers said.
'What do you mean?'
'We might be able to work something out where Maria is in the field part-time,' Rodgers said. 'And when she does go out, we wouldn't send her into red zones.'
Red zones were high-risk areas, such as going behind the lines in combat situations. A white zone action was the infiltration of an adversary's nonmilitary group. A green zone operation was the kind Maria was doing now, going into an allied area for information.
'That could work,' McCaskey said. 'Hell, I don't want to try to control Maria.'
'As if you could,' Rodgers said.
'Exactly. I just don't want her dead.'
Rodgers glanced at the wall clock.
'Listen, Darrell, we can talk about this later,' Rodgers said. 'Having Maria work with me is not why I wanted to see you. I asked you here to tell you about the HUMINT group because I may need help from some of your people in D.C. and abroad.'
'Then why did you want to meet at this place instead of the office?' McCaskey asked.
'Because two other people are joining us,' Rodgers said. 'I want to see how they conduct themselves in public.'
'You mean how well they blend in,' McCaskey said.
'Exactly,' Rodgers said.
Just then, as if on cue, Rodgers saw Aideen Marley enter the shop. Actually, the first thing he saw was the young woman's brilliant red hair. It was longer than he remembered, framing a face that was not as full as he remembered. She was wearing a smart fawn-colored pantsuit and seemed taller somehow. Maybe working in the corridors of power had changed her. Either it gave a person new self-confidence, or it crushed them. He liked the fact that working as a political consultant clearly had enhanced the thirty-six-year-old's poise.
Rodgers waved to her, and both men stood. Aideen weaved
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through the crowd. The smile she wore was genuine. That, too, was a rarity in Washington.
When Aideen arrived, she gave the general a warm hug. 'How are you?' she asked.
'Not bad,' Rodgers said. 'You look terrific.'
'Thanks,' she said. She turned to McCaskey and offered her hand. 'I hear you got married. Congratulations.
