“That was back in the mid-eighties, when it was still fun,” he continued. “We still had the Soviets to chase. We still had Bill Casey around—I know you journalists all hated him but you were wrong about that, he was actually a peach—and PNINFINITE had not yet become totally obsessed with trying to stay afloat.”

“Sorry, but what’s PNINFINITE?”

“That was the organization’s cryptonym for itself, until a few weeks ago. Before that, we called ourselves PNWORLD. Our code names demonstrated our hubris. We were convinced we were all-powerful. Now we’re not so sure. They’ve just changed the crypt to NWBOLTON. Isn’t that pathetic? From PNINFINITE to NWBOLTON in the blink of an eye.”

Why was he telling me this? I didn’t understand. I had been with Cohen for fifteen minutes and he was already divulging CIA cryptonyms. I repeated the three names to myself, in hopes of committing them to memory.

“You can write them down,” he said with a wink. “I don’t care. All that stuff is a joke.”

Despite his offer, I kept my pen in my pocket. It was too early. I was still trying to figure him out. He looked like a hippie, he loved Bill Casey, and he seemed willing to tell me almost anything.

“That’s why I want to be a journalist,” he said softly, as if this was his real secret. “My current place of employment is in ruins. I have tried in my own modest ways to change it from within, but it is im-possible. The problem is mediocrity and stupidity, shielded by secrecy. Most of my colleagues are dumb as posts. In Rome I was the only member of the station who could read or speak Italian. The COS and the DCOS didn’t read Italian newspapers, had never been to an Italian’s house for dinner, could not describe any period in Italian history with confidence. I wish they were exceptions, but they’re typical of the organization. These people are piston heads, really. There is no point trying to reform LA. The best solution is to blow it up. Or just quit.”

“What’s LA?”

“Liars Anonymous. That’s my private code name for the organization. Makes it easier talking on the phone.”

“And you really want to abolish it?”