But when the financial markets opened Monday morning, the Mirror’s stock plummeted. Trading had to be halted, as Sellinger and the investment bankers struggled for some way to replace the $500 million in equity and shore up the company’s crumbling balance sheet. After frantic discussions through that night and into the morning with the paper’s top management, union representatives and investment bankers, a plan for a leveraged buyout was drafted. The Mirror’s employees would purchase the newspaper, using money borrowed from banks. The banks agreed to lend the money on the promise that Mirror employees would accept sharp cuts in their salaries until the paper was profitable again. George Dirk was part of the negotiating committee. Because of his reputation at the paper as a malcontent, he was beloved by the unions. His recommendation to accept the deal was decisive in making it happen.

I called Tom Rubino just once, and we met for lunch at a restaurant in McLean. I wasn’t sure what I wanted from him; perhaps it was just a chance to say good-bye in person, or maybe I was hoping he would thank me again for my role in Navarre’s escape. But Rubino was still angry with me. The flap I provoked had gotten him into serious trouble, just as he had predicted. The inspector general’s office was conducting an investigation, as was the House Intelligence Committee. Miraculously, nothing had leaked. But Rubino said his career at the agency was probably over. Despite the success in getting Roger Navarre out of China, any hopes he might have had of moving up from division chief to deputy director for operations had been destroyed.

I asked what had become of Navarre, now that he had a new identity in the United States. “He’s working for us,” Rubino said. “On BW countermeasures.” I knew what that meant. The unthinkable would continue to be thought, but for our side now. Rubino was eager to end our lunch. It was an embarrassment.

“I should have known better,” he said as we parted. “You were a reporter. I was a fool to think it would work.”