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"And you believe them?" McNab asked incredulously. "Two whys, Charley: Why would they tell you, and why do you believe them?"
"I can give you a long answer, sir, or--"
"Short one first."
"They happen to be Christians who take it seriously and don't want several million innocent people poisoned."
"Jesus Christ! And you believe that?"
"I do, and so does Edgar Delchamps."
"The guy who stuck a needle in the traitor's neck in the Langley parking lot?"
"That has been alleged, sir. He and Alex Darby, the station chief here, both believe what the Russians have told us."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but what I'm hearing here is that a brand-new lieutenant colonel with a well-deserved reputation for being a world-class loose cannon, an agency dinosaur who takes out people he doesn't like in the CIA's parking lot, and another agency type who got himself banished to Gaucho Land because he still thinks the Russians are a threat all have decided, based upon what a couple of Russian defectors--who the Russians say took off because they stole three million dollars, not because they're born-again Christians--told them that there is a bona fide terrorist threat that the agency, having looked into it, says is nonsense. Does that sum it up fairly accurately, Colonel Castillo?"
"Yes, sir. That's about it."
"And what do these three lunatics plan to do about it?"
"This lunatic, sir, is going to go over there and find out for himself what's going on."
"And then?"
"Either take it out myself or lay proof on the President's desk of what's going on."
"All by yourself, John Wayne?" McNab asked, bitterly sarcastic.
There was a moment's pause before Castillo responded.
"Well, sir, now that you've brought it up, I was hoping I could borrow Uncle Remus for a couple of weeks. He has the right complexion and he speaks Swahili."
"If you are referring, Colonel Castillo, to Chief Warrant Officer Five Colin Leverette of this command, he not only speaks Swahili, but Lingala and Tshiluba as well. And not only is Mr. Leverette far too valuable to be put at risk in a dangerous--not to mention unsanctioned--operation such as you propose, but he is far too wise and experienced to even momentarily consider volunteering for anything like it."
"Yes, sir."
There was a very long pause.
"Lieutenant generals, as you should know, Lieutenant Colonel Castillo, do not bargain with lieutenant colonels."
"Yes, sir."
"But if I should suddenly lose my mind and discuss this situation with Mr. Leverette and he similarly suffers a temporary loss of his good judgment and agrees to talk with you about it, it will be with the understanding that if I do not approve--personally, here in the States--every detail of your proposed operation to snoop around this chemical factory in the Congolese jungle, you will not undertake it. Agreed?"
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."
"When and where do you want Uncle Remus, Charley?"
"Here, as soon as possible, sir."
"I can't get him on a plane today."
"Sir, Major Miller will probably be coming down here in a Presidential Gulfstream. It could stop at Bragg . . ."
"And you don't think Montvale will hear about that?"
"Montvale knows about it, sir. I made a deal with him, too."
