and Charley was right to propose the cease-fire.”
“And he accepted the cease-fire proposal, didn’t he?” Pevsner countered sarcastically. “Even going so far as to permit Stefan and his family to leave Russia. Unless, of course, he did that to lull us to sleep.”
“But, according to your theory,” Castillo said, “in our naivete we were already asleep. So what’s the hit and kidnapping all about? Wouldn’t that wake us up?”
“I thought we were agreed, Charley,” Pevsner said, “that we are all now wide awake.”
“Touche,” Castillo said.
“I don’t
“So,” Tom Barlow said, “what do these people-whoever they are-want with this Colonel Ferris?”
“The last time we went down that road,” Sweaty said, “we agreed we’ll just have to wait and see.”
“On the other hand,” D’Alessandro said, “there’s the possibility-which a couple of our guys-”
“‘Your guys,’ Vic?” Tom Barlow said.
“The Special Forces guys in Acapulco as trainers,” D’Alessandro explained. “A couple of them suggested that they snatched Colonel Ferris to exchange him for some-maybe all-of the Sinaloa cartel guys we have in jail in the states.”
“And killed the others to make the point they’re willing to kill Ferris if we don’t go along?” Castillo asked.
“Right.”
“That’s possible, Vic,” Delchamps said. “But I go along with Alek. I think his pal Vladimir Vladimirovich is behind this. A prisoner swap may well be part of their game plan, but my gut tells me there’s more to it than that.”
“And do you agree with my suggestions as to how we should deal with the situation?” Pevsner asked softly.
“I’m a dinosaur, Alek, you know that. As well as what that means.”
Both Parker and Danton had sudden clear memories of what they had heard from the elderly lady with the walker at Lorimer Manor:
“And you, Charley, are you in agreement?” Pevsner asked again, softly.
It took a moment for Castillo to frame his reply, and then he said, “I would really have preferred the armistice, but count me in, of course.”
“So, as I understand our agreed-upon plan, we wait for Vladimir Vladimirovich’s next move, in the meantime putting in place certain precautions. Need I spell them out?”
“Yeah, you do,” Castillo said. “Just so everybody understands everybody else.”
“Very well,” Pevsner said. “I have already taken what precautions I think are called for here at the Grand Cozumel and in Argentina. What happened in Acapulco might be a diversion; and they might really start what they’re up to with me.
“That said, I agree with you, Charley, that they probably are considering action against your grapefruit farm here, or even against your family-especially your grandmother-in the United States. Against that possibility, the ten ex-Spetsnaz Stefan and I brought up this morning will be flown to the grapefruit farm at first light tomorrow by Fernando and Uncle Nicolai.
“Once they are in place to his-and of course to Fernando’s-satisfaction, Stefan will return here to handle the ex-Spetsnaz, another ten of them, who will arrive on the PeruaireCargo flight the day after tomorrow.
“Fernando will stay at the grapefruit farm as long as he feels is necessary or return to the United States, whichever he feels is best. I will return to Argentina tomorrow morning and see what, if anything, I can learn about Vladimir Vladimirovich’s plans from my sources.
“Dmitri will stay here in the Grand Cozumel. My instructions to the staff are that he speaks with my voice. You and Svetlana will go to San Antonio to satisfy yourself about your grandmother’s security.”
Pevsner met Castillo’s eyes, and added: “Is that about it?”
“Two things, Alek. I don’t care what you told your staff about Tom. He and everybody else are to understand that I’m calling the shots in Mexico. Is that understood?”
“Dmitri,” Pevsner said, “is that satisfactory to you?”
“Perfectly,” Berezovsky replied. “But I wonder about you. You’re not used to asking anybody for permission to do anything.”
“I have given my word,” Pevsner said.
“That’s good enough for me,” Castillo said. “The agreement is that nobody takes any action-except in self- defense-until it is discussed and agreed to by Alek, Edgar, Dmitri, and me. And we’re all agreed, right, that that applies to snatching Pavel Koslov?”
“You know I don’t agree with that,” Sweaty said angrily. “We should grab him while we have the chance.”
“You made that point, my love, over and over. And you were voted down. They call that democracy.”
Her brother laughed.
“Who’s Pavel Koslov?” Danton asked.
“The Mexico City
Castillo nodded, then looked around and said, “Is that it?”
“What do I tell McNab, Charley?” D’Alessandro asked. “He said he wants to see me the minute I get back.”
“Tell him everything,” Castillo said. “I never lied to him before, I don’t want to start now, and I’m certainly not going to ask you to withhold anything from him.”
“He’s going to ask what you’re going to want from him,” D’Alessandro said. “What do I tell him?”
“I’d like whatever intel he feels he can give me. But aside from that, I’m not going to need anything from the Stockade. Except you, of course.”
“Got it.”
“Uncle Nicolai, you about ready to fly Vic to Mexico City?”
“No. I’ve been drinking. But one of my pilots is standing by.”
D’Alessandro walked around the table, shaking hands, and then disappeared past the sliding glass doors.
IV
ONE
Office of the Commanding General United States Special Operations Command Fort Bragg, North Carolina 0830 13 April 2007
A substantial number of liaison officers was attached to the Special Operations Command. Some of them were military-for example, the liaison officers from the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; the Office of the Chief of Staff, USAF; the commander in chief, Central Command; the Defense Intelligence Agency; and even the XVIII Airborne Corps, which commanded the physical assets of Fort Bragg as well as the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions.
There were also civilian liaison officers: They included a State Department liaison officer; an FBI liaison officer; and a CIA liaison officer. They all had staffs, some of them as large as a dozen deputies and clerks.
The building in which they were housed was known jocularly as “Foggy Bottom, South.” Others called it
