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He held up a full magazine for Castillo's edification, and only then began to understand his chain was being pulled.
"What is it, 'Sergeant'?" Castillo asked, reaching for the magazine.
"Staff Sergeant, sir."
He more than reluctantly let go of the magazine. Castillo took it, checked to see there was no round chambered in the pistol, and then slid the magazine into its place in the handle.
"I don't want this to get any further than it has to, Sergeant, which means that was the last time you call me 'sir,' but the cold and unvarnished truth is that I'm a soldier."
"Sir, the ambassador didn't say anything-"
"What part of don't-call-me-'sir' didn't you understand?"
"Sorry, s-"
"I don't think the ambassador knows I'm a soldier. Actually-the reason I can give you orders-I'm a major."
"Yes, s-" the sergeant said, and then, "Major, it comes automatically. I say 'sir' to civilians all the time."
"Well, try not to say it to me, okay?"
"Yes, sir. Oh, shit."
"I'm sorry I brought the subject up," Castillo said, chuckling. "Let's go, Sergeant." [FOUR] Room 677 The German Hospital Avenida Pueyrredon Buenos Aires, Argentina 0940 23 July 2005 There were half a dozen uniformed Policia Federal in the lobby of the hospital, and when Castillo asked for Mrs. Masterson, one of them, a sergeant, walked up to him somewhat menacingly.
"Senor," he began.
A tall, well-dressed man walked up.
"Senor Castillo?"
Charley nodded.
"Come with me, please, senor."
"Get yourself a cup of coffee," Castillo said to the Marine.
"The ambassador said I'm not to let you out of my sight."
"Good, no 'sir,'" Charley said. "Tell the ambassador I was difficult. Not to worry."
Almost biting his lip not to say "sir," the Marine said, "I'll be right here."
The tall man waved Castillo onto an elevator, nodding at another well-dressed man already on it as they entered. The man pushed the button for the sixth floor.
There was a sign saying Seimens had built the elevator.
And the lobby was spotless, waxed, and shiny. And that RAUCHEN VERBOTEN! sign in black and red!
When they say "German Hospital," they mean German hospital.
When the door opened, Castillo saw more uniformed police and several other well-dressed men who he decided were almost certainly SIDE agents.
The tall man led him down a corridor to a door,
opened it, and waved Castillo in.
Colonel Munz was in the room, which was some sort of monitoring center. There was a row of television sets-all of German manufacture-on the wall.
