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THE SCREAMING had stopped for the moment when the Brazilian guarding the van heard the phone ringing。 It rested on its power unit in the front seat of the van； its antenna shooting fifteen feet beyond the roof。 He answered it in English； then ran to get an American。
Guy rushed from the cabin and grabbed it。
〃Is he talking？〃 Stephano asked。
〃A little。 He broke about an hour ago。〃
〃What do you know？〃
〃The money still exists。 He doesn't know where。 It's controlled by a woman in Rio； a lawyer。〃
〃Do you have her name？〃
〃Yes。 We're making calls now。 Osmar has people in Rio。〃
〃Can you get any more out of him？〃
〃I don't think so。 He's half…dead； Jack。〃
〃Stop whatever you're doing。 Is the doctor there？〃
〃Sure。〃
〃Get the boy treated and spruced up。 Drive him toward Asuncion as soon as possible。〃
〃But why…〃
〃Don't ask questions。 There's no time for it。 The feds are all over us。 Just do as I say； and make sure he's not hurt。〃
〃Not hurt？ I've been trying to kill him for five hours。〃
〃Just do as I say。 Put him back together。 Drug him。
Start toward Asuncion。 Call me every hour； on the hour。〃
〃Whatever。〃
〃And find the woman。〃
Patrick's head was lifted gently and cool water was poured on his lips。 The ropes were cut from his wrists and ankles； and they very slowly removed the tape and the wires and the electrodes。 He jerked and twitched； moaning words no one could understand。 A shot of morphine was pumped into his well…worn veins； then a light depressant； and Patrick floated away again。
At dawn； Osmar was in the airport at Ponta Pora waiting for a flight that would eventually get him to Rio by the end of the day。 He had made contact with people in Rio。 He had pulled them out of bed with promises of big bucks。 They were supposed to be on the streets。
SHE CALLED her father first； just…after sunrise； a time of the day he always enjoyed on his small terrace with his newspaper and his coffee。 He lived in a small apartment in Ipanema； three blocks from the shore； not far from his beloved Eva。 His apartment building was over thirty years old； making it one of the oldest in the poshest section of Rio。 He lived alone。
He knew from her voice something was wrong。 She assured him she was safe and would remain so； that a client in Europe suddenly needed her for two weeks； and that she would call every day。 She went on to explain that this particular client was perhaps a bit shady and very secretive； and therefore he might send representatives to poke around in her past。 Don't be alarmed。 It was not unusual in international trade。
He had several questions； but he knew there would be no answers。
The call to her supervising partner was much more difficult。 The story she had rehearsed delivered well； but there were huge gaps in it。 A new client had called late yesterday； a referral from an American lawyer she went to school with； and she was needed immediately in Hamburg。 She was taking an early flight。 The client was in telemunications； with plans for a large expansion in Brazil。
The partner was half…asleep。 He asked her to call later with more details。
She called her secretary with the same story； and asked her to postpone all appointments and meetings until she returned。
From Curitiba； she flew to Sao Paulo； where she boarded an Aerolineas Argentinas flight to Buenos Aires； nonstop。 For the first time； she used her new passport； one Danilo had helped her acquire a year earlier。 She had kept it hidden in the apartment； along with two new credit cards and eight thousand dollars in U。S。 cash。
She was Leah Pires now； same age but different birthday。 Danilo didn't know these details； he couldn't know。
She certainly felt like someone else。
There were many scenarios。 He could've been shot by bandits making a routine heist along a rural road。 Happened occasionally along the Frontier。 …He could've been grabbed by the shadows from his past； tortured； killed； buried in the jungle。 Maybe he talked； and if he did maybe her name got mentioned。 She could spend the rest of her life on the run。 At least he had warned her of this in the beginning。 Maybe he didn't talk； and she could remain Eva。
Perhaps Danilo was still alive somewhere。 He had promised her they wouldn't kill him。 They might make him beg for death； but they couldn't afford to kill him。 If the American authorities found him first； it would be a matter of extradition。 He'd picked Latin America because of its historical reluctance to extradite。
If the shadows found him first； they would beat him until he told them where the money was。 That's what he feared most…the coercion。
She tried to nap in the Buenos Aires airport； but sleep was impossible。 She called his home again in Ponta Pora； then the cell phone and the apartment in Curitiba。
In Buenos Aires； she boarded a flight to New York； where she waited three hours then caught another one to Zurich on SwissAir。
THEY LAID HIM across the rear seat of the Volkswagen van； and wrapped a seat belt around his waist so he wouldn't bounce off。 The roads ahead were rough。 He was dressed in his running shorts only。 The doctor checked the heavy gauze bandages…eight of them in all。 He had covered the burns with ointments and shot antibiotics into Patrick's blood。 The doctor took the seat in front of his patient； and tucked his little black bag between his feet。 Patrick had suffered enough。 He would protect him now。
A day or two of rest and more painkillers； and Patrick would be on his way to recovery。 The burns would leave small scars； which would probably fade with time。
The doctor turned around and patted him on the shoulder。 He was so pleased they hadn't killed him。 〃He's ready；〃 he said to Guy in the front seat。 A Brazilian driver started the van and backed away from the cabin。
They stopped every hour； precisely every sixty minutes； so the antenna could be raised and the cell phone could work around the mountains。 Guy called Ste…phano； who was in his D。C。 office with Hamilton Jaynes and a top official with the State Department。 The Pentagon was being consulted。
What the hell was going on； Guy wanted to ask。 Where did the feds e from？
In the first six hours they traveled a hundred miles。 At times； the roads were almost impassable。 They often fought with the phone trying to get Washington。 At two in the afternoon； the roads improved as they left the mountains。
THE EXTRADITION ISSUE was sticky； and Hamilton Jaynes wanted no part of it。 Important diplomatic strings were pulled。 The Director of the FBI called the President's Chief of Staff。 The American Ambassador to Paraguay got involved。 Promises and threats were made。
A suspect with cash and resolve can stifle extradition from Paraguay for years； if not forever。 This suspect had no money on him； and didn't even know what country he was in。
The Paraguayans reluctantly agreed to ignore extradition。
At four； Stephano instructed Guy to find the airport at Concepcion； a small city three hours by car from Asuncion。 The Brazilian driver cursed； in Portuguese； when told to turn around and head north。
IT WAS DUSK when they entered Concepcion； and it was dark when they finally found the airport； a sma