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“Leverette and Gregory, Mr. President, are both Afro-Americans and retired from Delta Force,” Lammelle began.
“What’s Afro-American got to do with anything? Why did you have to bring that up? You know full well my administration is color blind.”
“I think it probably has something to do with their being able to move inconspicuously around Somalia, Mr. President,” Ellsworth said. “Most of the people in Somalia are Afro-Amer… African… of the Negro race.”
“I don’t think you’re supposed to say that either,” the President said.
“Mr. and Dr. Britton are also African-Americans,” Lammelle said.
“Why does Castillo think he needs a doctor in Somalia?”
“She’s a Ph.D., Mr. President, a philologist, not a physician.”
“She’s a stamp collector?” the President asked incredulously.
“Stamp collectors are philatelists, Mr. President. Philologists are language experts.”
“Okay, so she speaks whatever gibberish they speak in Somalia. Why not say that, that she’s an interpreter? I’m beginning to wonder if Castillo is purposely trying to confuse me.”
“I don’t know if Dr. Britton speaks Af-Soomaali or not, Mr. President,” Ellsworth said.
“Speaks what?”
“Af-Soomaali, Mr. President, the language spoken in Somalia.”
“Of course she does,” the President said impatiently. “If she doesn’t speak Af-soo… whatever you said… why would Castillo be taking her there? But find out for sure. If she doesn’t, that would really sound fishy to me.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. President.” Ellsworth paused, then went on: “Mr. Britton is a former Secret Service agent, Mr. President. And before that he was an undercover detective in Philadelphia.”
“Does he speak Af-soo whatever?”
“I just don’t know, Mr. President,” Ellsworth confessed.
“Mr. and Mrs. Sieno, Mr. President,” Lammelle said quickly, “are both retired from the Clandestine Service of the Agency.”
“Both of them are retired CIA spies?”
“We like to think of people like that as ‘field officers,’ Mr. President,” Ellsworth said.
“Why can’t you people call a spade a spade?” the President said.
“Many African-Americans find the term ‘spade’ offensive, Mr. President,” Robin Hoboken said. “I for one would never think of calling CIA field officers ‘spades.’”
The President glared at his spokesman.
“Actually, Mr. President, I’m not sure whether the Sienos are Italian-Americans or Latinos,” Lammelle said.
“If you two are the best intelligence people we have,” the President said, “the country’s in deep trouble. Get the hell out of here!”
[TWO]
The Presidential Suite
The Meliá Cohiba Hotel
Verdado, Havana, Cuba
1425 10 June 2007
