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“They never saw it co?”
“It ca every asset they have on the continent Lang says the head of the Africa desk has already offered to resign”
“Will he?”
“She, actually, and no Provided we get those weapons back the CIA is going to wipe this whole fiasco under the rug”
“Why do I have the feeling there isn’t a whole lot of roo anymore?”
“Because there isn’t,” Cabrillo said bitterly “No one wants to hear about how the CIA screwed up It makes the US look incompetent and, more important, unprepared So when there is a problem—”
“Like how the Agency trusted a guy who turns out to work for the rebels trying to overthrow his government”
“Like that They go into CYA mode and nobody pays the piper for the mistake That particular corporate culture is why no one saw 9/11 or Iraq’s initial invasion of Kuwait or the sophistication of India and Pakistan’s nuclear programs, and,” Juan concluded, “part of the reason I left”
“Well, at least we’re going to be in position to set things right this time Uh, Juan?”
The change in tone in Hanley’s voice made Cabrillo look up from his work
“You going to be okay?” Max asked and nodded at the parachute
Of every human emotion Cabrillo detested pity iven him the day Julia Huxley had wheeled hi neatly pinned had enraged him He vowed froain So since losing his leg he had undergone three surgeries and literally thousands of hours of physical therapy so he could run without the slightest trace of a limp He could ski and swim better than when he’d had both limbs and was able to balance himself on the prosthesis with ease
He had a handicap, but he wasn’t handicapped
However, there were still things he couldn’t do as well as when he had both legs and one of those was skydiving Keeping your body arched and stable while falling through space required s that kept a diver steady Juan had made dozens of practice jumps in the past couple of years and nointo a slow rotation that quickly turned into a dangerous spiral
Unable to feel the sensation of wind pressing against his ankle and foot he couldn’t correct the spin without a ju him It was a rare defeat that Juan hated to admit and Max knew it