likely to have gone out and cast the role of a religious leader. Training someone and convincing others that he's the real thing is tough and time consuming. It's like gathering HUMINT. Infiltration
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doesn't work as well as finding an individual who is already on the inside and turning him. What's more likely is that someone spotted Burton or Dhamballa, heard him preaching, and saw an opportunity. They found a way to dovetail his beliefs into a project that was already in the works.'
'If that's true, then Dhamballa may not know he's being used,' Hood said.
'That's right,' Rodgers said.
Hood nodded. He looked at Matt and his team. 'Thanks, guys. You did a great job.'
Stephen Viens smiled, J2 and Mae high-fived each other again across the room, and Matt Stoll unfolded his arms. He went back to the keyboard and began typing. He must have had another thought. Stoll was rarely in the same mental space as everyone else.
Hood turned to Liz. 'Do you have some time right now?' he asked.
'Sure.'
'I'd like you to stay here and see if there's any other data you can pick up on Dhamballa,' Hood said. 'His family background, friends, people he may have gone to school with, or stood next to on the diamond line, that sort of thing. Work up a profile.'
'Sounds good,' she said eagerly. Liz was obviously enjoying the new respect Hood was giving her profession.
Stephen Viens had already started clearing boxes of diskettes and cables from a chair. He stacked them on the floor and rolled the chair next to his workstation. Hood thanked Liz, then left with Rodgers. The men made their way back to Hood's office.
'Profiling Dhamballa is not going to give us the key to defusing this crisis,' Rodgers pointed out.
'No,' Hood agreed.
'We need to get someone close to him. We need to get his ear somehow,' Rodgers said.
'Tell him that the Europeans are using him,' Hood said.
'At least plant the idea, make him trust a little less and maybe move a little slower,' Rodgers said. • '**
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'I agree,' Hood said.
'Then we'll definitely have Aideen Marley and David Battat airborne as soon as possible,' Rodgers said. 'They can be in Maun by tomorrow evening, about six P.M. local time.'
'Good,' Hood said. 'Assuming we can find Dhamballa and get our people close, what do we do about Father Bradbury?'
'I don't think we can do anything right now except try to get close to Dhamballa,' Rodgers said.
'Then it's strictly intel gathering,' Hood said. 'No rescue attempt?'
'Except for Maria, none of the three has had much experience with kidnap situations,' Rodgers said. 'And she can't go into this alone. Besides, I wouldn't want her tripping over those Spanish soldiers if they have some kind of rescue in the works. Unless you think you can work that out with Edgar Kline. And with Darrell,' he added.
'I don't know if Kline will give us the kind of access we'd need to coordinate our movements with the Unidad Especial del Despliegue,' Hood said. 'As for Darrell, let's not rev him up unless we have to.'
'I'm with you on that,' Rodgers said.
'I don't suppose we'll be able to count on much cooperation from Gaborone,' Hood said. 'They haven't seemed to show much interest so far.'
'No, and I've been thinking about that,' Rodgers said. 'If this were just a backwater cult, the government might have taken stronger action. But they have to be very cautious turning against a ten-thousand-year-old religion. Hell, there may even be Vodunists in the Botswana ministries and in parliament. They may want to nudge Gaborone toward embracing the faith the way Rome turned to Christianity in the fourth century A.D.'
'The Vatican is definitely not going to like that,' Hood said.
'Not a bit, which is why they're probably going to do a full-court press to get Father Bradbury back,' Rodgers said. 'Or at least force the government to move against Dhamballa.'
They reached Hood's office and stopped.
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'Mike,' Hood said thoughtfully. 'We're going to need to get Maria on site, aren't we?'
Rodgers nodded. 'If nothing else, Maria speaks Spanish,' the general said. 'If she manages to hook up with the Unidad Especial, she'll be able to converse with them. That could give us access to information we won't necessarily get through Edgar Kline.'
'I wonder if I can sell that to Darrell,' Hood said, glancing behind himself to make sure the FBI liaison was not listening.
