"Yes, sir."
"Decorated him?"
"A second Legion of Merit, sir. It was the most we could do without attracting attention."
"Given him leave?"
Coppersmith exploded—"He wouldn't take it, General. Said he didn't have time. I'm damned if I know what he's doing. He may have turned into the Dalai Lama. We'll get another report sooner or later, on some new mission."
"Satisfied?" said the Chief of Staff.
The engineer stammered his thanks. The Chief left the room first; the others waited their turn for the routine warnings on military secrecy.
At that moment, on the other side of the world, Dugan drove a jeep through the warm windy night of summertime Japan. Sarah sat beside him. Dugan drove with grim speed.
"Don't drive so fast, darling," she said.
He slowed down.