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es from Greer； too。 You're out of here by six。〃 Cantor left； denying Jack a chance to object。
Ryan turned back toward his desk； but stared at the wall for several minutes。 Cantor was right。 He was working so late that half the time he couldn't drive up to Baltimore to see how his daughter was doing。 Jack rationalized that his wife was with her every day； frequently spending the night at Hopkins to be close to their daughter。 Cathy has her job and I have mine。
So； he told the wall； at least I managed to gel something right。 He remembered that it had been an accident； that Marty had made the real connection； but it was also true that he'd done what an analyst was supposed to do； find something odd and bring it to someone's attention。 He could feel good about that。 He'd found a terrorist maybe； but certainly not the right one。
It's a start。 His conscience wondered what the French would do if they found that pretty girl； and how he'd feel about it if he found out。 It would be better； he decided； if terrorists were ugly； but pretty or not； their victims were just as dead。 He promised himself that he wouldn't go out of his way to find out if anyone got her。 Jack went back into the pile； looking for that one piece of hard information。 The people he was looking for were somewhere in the pile。 He had to find them。
〃Hello； Alex；〃 Miller said as he entered the car。
〃How was the trip？〃 He still had his beard； Dobbens saw。 Well； nobody had gotten much of a look at him。 This time he'd flown to Mexico； driven across the border； then taken a domestic flight into D。C。； where Alex had met him。
〃Your border security over here's a bloody joke。〃
〃Would it make you happy if they changed it？〃 Alex inquired。 〃Let's talk business。〃 The abruptness of his tone surprised Miller。
Aren't you a proud one； with one whole operation under your belt； Miller thought。 〃We have another job for you。〃
〃You haven't paid me for the last one yet； boy。〃
Miller handed over a passbook。 〃Numbered account； Bahamian bank。 I believe you'll find the amount correct。〃
Alex pocketed the book。 〃That's more like it。 Okay； we have another job。 I hope you don't expect to go with it as fast as before。〃
〃We have several months to plan it；〃 Miller replied。
〃I'm listening。〃 Alex sat through ten minutes of information。
〃Are you out of your fucking mind？〃 Dobbens asked when he was finished。
〃How hard would it be to gather the information we need？〃
〃That's not the problem； Sean。 The problem is getting your people in and out。 No way I could handle that。〃
〃That is my concern。〃
〃Bullshit！ If my people are involved； it's my concern； too。 If that Clark turkey broke to the cops； it would have burned a safe…house and me！〃
〃But he didn't break； did he？ That's why we chose him。〃
〃Look； what you do with your people； I don't give a rat's ass。 What happens to my people； I do。 That last little game we played for you was bush league； Sean。〃
Miller figured out what 〃bush league〃 meant from context。 〃The operation was politically sound； and you know it。 Perhaps you've forgotten that the objective is always political。 Politically； the operation was a plete success。〃
〃I don't need you to tell me that！〃 Alex snapped back in his best intimidating tone。 Miller was a proud little twerp； but Alex figured he could pinch his head off with one good squeeze。 〃You lost a troop because you were playing this personal； not professional and I know what you're thinking。 It was our first big play； right？ Well； son； I think we proved that we got our shit together； didn't we？ And I warned you up front that your man was too exposed。 If you'd listened to me； you wouldn't have a man on the inside。 I know your background is pretty impressive； but this is my turf； and I know it。〃
Miller knew that he had to accept that。 He kept his face impassive。 〃Alex； if we were in any way displeased； we would not have e back to you。 Yes； you do have your shit together；〃 you bloody nigger； he didn't say。 〃Now； can you get us the information we need？〃
〃Sure； for the right price。 You want us in the op？〃
〃We don't know yet；〃 Miller replied honestly。 Of course the only issue here is money。 Bloody Americans。
〃If you want us in； I'm part of the planning。 Number one； I want to know how you get in and out。 I might have to go with you。 If you shitcan my advice this time； I walk and I take my people with me。〃
〃It's a little early to be certain； but what we hope to arrange is really quite simple 。 。 。 〃
〃You think you can set that up？〃 For the first time since he'd arrived； Sean had Alex nodding approval。 〃Slick。 I'll give you that。 It's slick。 Now let's talk price。〃
Sean wrote a figure on a piece of paper and handed it to Alex。 〃Fair enough？〃 People interested in money were easy to impress。
〃I sure would like an account at your bank； brother。〃
〃If this operation es off； you will。〃
〃You mean that？〃
Miller nodded emphatically。 〃Direct access。 Training facilities； help with travel documents； the lot。 Your skill in helping us last time attracted attention。 Our friends like the idea of an active revolutionary cell in America。〃 If they really want to do business with you； it's their problem。 〃Now； how quickly can you get the information？〃
〃End of the week good enough？〃
〃Can you do it that fast without attracting attention？〃
〃Let me worry about that；〃 Alex replied with a smile。
〃Anything new on your end？〃 Owens asked。
〃Not much；〃 Murray admitted。 〃We have plenty of forensic evidence； but only one witness who got a clear look at one face； and she can't give us a real ID。〃
〃The local help？〃
〃That's who we almost ID'd。 Nothing yet。 Maybe they've learned from the ULA。 No manifesto； no announcement claiming credit for the job。 The people we have inside some other radical groups that is； those that still exist have drawn a big blank。 We're still working on it； and we have a lot of money out on the street； but so far we haven't got anything to show for it。〃 Murray paused。 〃That'll change。 Bill Shaw is a genius； one of the real brains we have in the Bureau。 They switched him over from counterintelligence to terrorism a few years back； and he's done really impressive work。 What's new on your end？〃
〃I can't go into specifics yet；〃 Owens said。 〃But we might have a small break。 We're trying to decide now if it's real or not。 That's the good news。 The bad is that His Royal Highness is traveling to America this ing summer。 A number of people were informed of his itinerary； including six on our list of possible suspects。〃
〃How the hell did you let that happen； Jimmy？〃
〃No one asked me； Dan；〃 Owens replied sourly。 〃In several cases； if the people hadn't been informed it would have told them that something odd was happening you can't simply stop trusting people； can you？ For the rest； it was just another balls…up。 Some secretary put out the plans on the normal list without consulting the security officers。〃 This wasn't a new story for either man。 There was always someone who didn't get the word。
〃Super。 So call it off。 Let him get the f