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“That alone has to be worth all the trouble,” Joe said

Kurt nodded and told Joe the memories he’d finally recalled “Some of it’s still fuzzy,” he added, “but Calista was definitely there They had Sienna They had her husband and her children, whichback in the States”

“You mean”

“Ithe children hostage, what are they forcing him to do?”

“You didn’t hear it fro the saet the chance to explain himself in person”

Kurt considered that progress He sat up and pulled the pulsethea nurse She shut off the chirping, checked Kurt’s vitals, and called a report into the nursing station

As she left, new visitors arrived: Hale from the CIA with his ever-present partner, Col Lee

“You’re lucky to be in a hospital,” Hale said, “and not in a North Korean prison camp”

“Or one of ours, for that matter,” Col Lee added “You two almost caused a second Korean War”

“Technically,” Joe said, “the first one never actually ended There was no peace treaty, only a cease-fire So it would really be a continuation of the first war”

“You think this is funny?” Col Lee asked

“No,” Joe said “But I think the fact that Kurt and I discovered a threat to South Korean security in the for”

Hale gave Col Lee a look that said He has a point

“You’re both very lucky,” Col Lee said “Lucky you didn’t end up dead or in a North Korean gulag Lucky that Ki these are all i two dozen of his men were killed in the skirmish Lucky that calmer heads prevailed It’s taken three days for the sides to calm down But tensions are almost back to normal”

Kurt was glad to hear that “Maybe ent too far,” he said “We’ll definitely be more careful next time”