Page 17 of What is Lost

“In case you need backup.”

“You say tomato, I say tomahto.” He resisted the urge to say they ought to call the whole thing off. “But why me? Out of theentireintelligence community and out ofallSpecial Forces andallthe CIA’s paramilitaries…haven’t you wondered why I’m theonlyguy?”

“If I’m honest about it?”

“You mean you haven’t been?”

Davila let the sarcasm slip past without comment. “I think it’s probably a combination of factors. One is your personal stake in this.”

He wasn’t going to deny that. “Meaningthey…whoever they are…don’t mind manipulatingme. What’s another?”

“Very simple. According to Hank, you were asked for by name.”

“Seriously? Who? The CIA?”

“JSOC.” Davila slipped him a glance. “You know Joint?—”

“Joint Special Operations Command,” he said. “Yeah, I know what it stands for.”

“You say that like you don’t like it.”

“I don’t.”

“Care to share?”

“Not particularly, no.”Someone in Kabul either talked or they got around Stan and got access to my files—or both. More than likely, after what happened at the airport with that damn C17, someone had gotten curious to know more about the guy pulling that trigger. He wondered who they’d traced first: Roni or him. “Doesn’t this strike you as odd, though? That JSOC’s involved? You’re seriously going to tell me they don’t have their own people who could do this? The guys in JSOC are the elites and the CIA has paramilitaries all over the place. I know that for a fact. If CIA doesn’t want to use someone in-country, they can pilfer someone from JSOC. I can’t believe that Special Operations Command doesn’t have someone in Force Red or Blue.”

“I suppose. But apparently, they think you’re the man.”

“Okay, how about this? Does it not strike you as, well,oddfor JSOC to be interested in aretrieval?”

“Of remains? You mean, instead of a POW?” Davila rubbed his chin with a thumb as he thought. “Okay, I see your point. Which, I guess, means we’re back to...why you?”

Oh, buddy, could I give you an earful.And yet, what did the boy he hadbeenhave anything to do with the man he wasnow? Or with poor, brave, crazy Roni, who’d been in the wrong place at precisely the wrong moment?

After a few miles of silence, Davila said, “You know, I can think of a reason why JSOC would ask for you.”

“And why is that?”

“Either the spooks dropped the ball, or...”

“Or?”

Davila flexed his fingers and then gripped the steering wheel more firmly. “Orthey need somebody the government can disavow. Somebody who, if he gets caught, our side can deny knowing about. If this blows up, they can claim you’ve gone rogue or crazy, or rogueandcrazy.”

“Just likeMission: Impossible.” These same thoughts had occurred to him about a mile back, but he let Davila have the moment.

“And something else...about what makes you the perfect...”

“Fall guy?” he put in when Davila hesitated.

“I was going to say chump, but that’ll do...Hunh.” A small muscle along Davila’s jaw. “Just occurred to me that they could leak you being at Brighter Days, if things blow up.”

“They sure could. Throw a bit of PTSD into the mix, and it all boils down to one lone wolf, one wild and crazy guy.”

“Two guys. I’m in this, too.”

“Only peripherally. You’re the chaperone, remember?” When Davila didn’t say anything, he added, “I wasn’t dissing you. Remember, I’m hearing this for the first time myself.”

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