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〃You may not be so hasty with praise； Mr。 President； after you hear the full story。〃
〃Okay； Martin； let's have it。〃
〃Dirk Pitt and Jessie LeBaron。 。 。〃 Brogan paused and gave a dejected shrug of his shoulders。 〃They didn't return to the mother ship with Major Quintana and his men。〃
〃Were they killed on the island along with Raymond LeBaron？〃
〃No； sir。 They departed with the others； but veered away and headed for Cuba。〃
〃Cuba；〃 the President repeated in a soft voice。 He looked across the table at Oates and Fawcett； who stared back incredulously。 〃Good lord； Jessie is still trying to deliver our reply to the proposed U。S。…Cuban pact。〃
〃Is it possible she can somehow make contact with Castro？〃 asked Fawcett。
Brogan shook his head doubtfully。 〃The island is teeming with security forces； police and militia units who check every mile of road。 They'd be arrested inside an hour； assuming they get past patrols on the beach。〃
〃Maybe Pitt will get lucky；〃 Fawcett muttered hopefully。
〃No；〃 said the President gravely； his features shrouded with concern。 〃The man has used up whatever luck he had。〃
In a small office at the CIA headquarters at Langley； Bob Thornburg； chief documents analyst； sat with his feet crossed on his desk and read through a pile of material that had been flown in from San Salvador。 He puffed a veil of blue pipe smoke and translated the Russian typing。
He quickly scanned three folders and picked up a fourth。 The title intrigued him。 The phrasing was peculiarly American。 It was a covert action named after a mixed drink。 He quickly glanced through to the end and sat there a moment； stunned。 Then he set the pipe in an ashtray； removed his feet from the desktop； and read the contents of the folder more carefully； picking it apart sentence by sentence and making notes on a yellow legal pad。
Nearly two hours later； Thornburg picked up his phone and dialed an internal number。 A woman answered； and he asked for the deputy director。
〃Eileen； this is Bob Thornburg。 Is Henry available？〃
〃He's on another line。〃
〃Have him ring me first chance； this is urgent。〃
〃I'll tell him。〃
Thornburg assembled his notes and was restudying the folder for the fifth time when the chime of his phone interrupted him。 He sighed and picked up the receiver。
〃Bob； this is Henry。 What have you got？〃
〃Can we meet right away？ I've just been going over part of the intelligence data from the Cayo Santa Maria operation。〃
〃Something of value？〃
〃Let's say it's a blockbuster。〃
〃Can you give me a hint？〃
〃Concerns Fidel Castro。〃
〃What no good is he up to now？〃
〃He's going to die the day after tomorrow。〃
As soon as Pitt woke up he looked at his watch。 The time was 12：18。 He felt refreshed； in good spirits； even optimistic。
When he reflected on it； Pitt found his cheerful outlook grimly amusing。 His future was not exactly bright。 He had no Cuban currency or identification papers。 He was in a munist country without even one friendly contact or an excuse for being there。 And he was wearing the wrong uniform。 He would be lucky if he made it through the day without getting shot as a spy。
He reached over and gently shook Jessie by the shoulder。 Then he crawled from the drainage pipe； warily surveyed the area； and began doing stretching exercises to relieve his stiff muscles。
Jessie opened her eyes and woke up slowly； languidly； from a deep luxurious sleep； gradually fitting her world into perspective。 Uncurling and extending her arms and legs like a cat； she moaned softly at the pain； but was thankful it spurred her mind into motion。
She thought of silly things at first who to invite to her next party； planning a menu with her chef； reminding the gardener to trim the hedges bordering the walks and then memories of her husband began passing in front of her inner eye。 She wondered how a woman could work and live with a man for twenty years and still not e to grips with his inner moods。 Yet she more than anyone saw Raymond LeBaron simply as a human being no worse or no better than other men； and with a mind that could radiate passion； pettiness； brilliance； or ruthlessness almost on cue to suit the moment。
She closed her eyes tightly to shut out his death。 Think of someone or something else； she told herself。 Think of how to survive the next few days。 Think of。 。 。 Dirk Pitt。
Who was he； she wondered。 What kind of man？ She looked at him through the drainpipe as he bent and flexed his body and for the first time since meeting him felt a sexual attraction toward him。 It was ridiculous； she reasoned； she was older by at least fifteen years。 And besides； he had not shown any interest in her as a desirable woman； never once cast a suggestive insinuation or made a flirtatious overture。 She decided Pitt was an enigma； the type of man who intrigued women； incited them to wanton behavior； but could never be owned or beguiled by their feminine ploys。
Jessie was snapped back to reality as Pitt leaned into the pipe and smiled。 〃How are you feeling？〃
She looked away nervously。 〃Battered but ready to meet the day〃 〃Sorry about not having breakfast ready；〃 he said； his voice hollow through the pipe。 〃The room service leaves much to be desired hereabouts。〃
〃I'd sell my soul for a cup of coffee。〃
〃According to a road sign I spotted a few hundred yards up the road； we're ten kilometers from the next town。〃
〃What time is it？〃
〃Twenty minutes to one。〃
〃The day is half gone；〃 she said； rolling to her hands and knees； and beginning to crawl toward the light。 〃We have to get moving。〃
〃Stay where you are。〃
〃Why？〃
He didn't answer； but returned and sat down beside her。 He gently took her face in his hands and kissed her mouth。
Jessie's eyes widened； and then she returned his kiss hungrily。 After a long moment； he pulled back。 She waited expectantly； but he made no further move； just sat there and stared into her eyes。
〃I want you；〃 she said。
〃Yes。〃
〃Now。〃
He drew her to him； pressing against her body； and kissed her again。 Then he broke away from her。 〃First things first。〃
She gave him a hurt； curious look。 〃Like what things？〃
〃Like why did you hijack me to Cuba？〃
〃You have a strange sense of timing。〃
〃I don't usually conduct foreplay in a drainpipe either。〃
〃What do you want to know？〃
〃Everything。〃
〃And if I don't tell you？〃
He laughed。 〃We shake hands and part pany。〃
For a few seconds she lay against the side of the pipe； considering how far she would get without him。 Probably no farther than the next town； the first suspicious policeman or security guard。 Pitt seemed an incredibly resourceful man。 He had proven that several times over。 There was no avoiding the hard fact that she needed him more than he needed her。
She tried to find the right words to explain； an introduction that made some kind of sense。 Finally she gave up and blurted it out。 〃The President sent me to meet with Fidel Castro。〃
His deep green eyes examined her with honest curiosity。 〃That's a good start。 I'd like to hear the rest。〃
Jessie took a deep breath and continued。
She revealed Fidel Castro's genuine offer of a pact and his bizarre manner of sending it past the watchful eyes of Soviet intelligence。
She told of her secret meeting with the President after the unexpected return of the Prosperteer and his request for her to convey his reply by retracing her husband's flight in the blimp； a guise Castro would have recognized。
She admitted the deception in recruiting Pitt； Giordino； and Gunn； and she asked Pitt's forgiveness for a plan gone wrong by the surprise attack from the Cuban helicopter。
And last； she described General Velikov's narrowing suspicion of the true purpose behind the botched attempt to reach Castro and his demand for answers through Foss Gly's torture methods。
Pitt listened to the whole story without ment。
His response was the part she dreaded。 She feared what he would say or do now that he had discovered how he had been used； lied to； and misled； battered bloody and nearly killed on several occasions for a mission he knew nothing about。 She felt he had every right to strangle her。
She could think of nothing further to say except 〃I'm sorry。〃
Pitt did not strangle her。 He held out his hand。 She grasped it； and he pulled her toward him。 〃So you conned me all up and down the line；〃 he said。
God； those green eyes； she thought。 She wanted to dive into them。 〃I can't blame you for being angry。〃
He embraced her for several moments silently。
〃Well？〃
〃Well what？〃
〃Aren't you going to say something？〃 she asked timidly。 〃Aren't you even mad？〃
He unbuttoned the shirt of the uniform and lightly touched her breasts。 〃Lucky for you I'm not one to harbor a grudge。〃
Then they made love as the traffic rumbled over the highway above。
Jessie felt incredibly calm。 The warm feeling had stayed with her for the last hour as they walked openly along the road's shoulder。 It spread like an anesthetic； deadening her fear