"Look," Burkow pressed, "I'm starting to get pissed off. Your team is one of the best strike forces in the world. Don't sit on them. Let them loose. They'll collect their own intel as they proceed."

"No," Hood said emphatically. "That isn't good enough. I'm going to give María the extra hour."

"Why?" Burkow demanded. "Listen, if you're afraid to give the order to waste that son-of a-bitch general-"

"Afraid?" Hood snapped. "That bastard sat back and let one of my people die. I can eat what's on the plate. Gladly."

"Then what's the problem?"

"The problem is we've been so damned target focused we haven't worked out an exit strategy for Striker."

"You don't need María for that," Burkow said. "They go out the same way they go in."

"I don't mean we need an exit strategy from the palace," Hood said. "I'm talking about culpability. Who's going to take the heat for this, Steve? Did the President work that out with the king?"

"I don't know. I wasn't in on the conversation."

"Are we supposed to disavow Striker if they're caught?" Hood asked. "Say they're mercenaries or some kind of rogue operation and then let them twist in the wind?"

"Sometimes that has to happen," Burkow said.

"Sometimes it does," Hood agreed. "But not when there's an alternative. And the alternative we have here is to let a Spaniard be involved somewhere. A patriot. Someone Striker is there to support, even if that's just smoke-and-mirrors for public consumption."

Burkow said nothing.

"So I'm going to wait until noon to see if we get anything from María," Hood said. "Even her whereabouts in the palace will do. If Striker can scoop her up on the way to Amadori, then no-I won't have any problem giving the order to waste the son-of-a-bitch."

There was a long moment of thick silence. Burkow finally broke it.

"I can tell the President it'll happen at noon?" he asked.

"Yes," said Hood.

"Fine," Burkow said coldly. "We'll talk then."

The National Security chief hung up. Hood looked up at Rodgers. The general was smiling.

"I'm proud of you, Paul," Rodgers said. "Real proud."

"Thanks, Mike." Hood closed down the computer file and rubbed his eyes. "But God, I'm tired. Tired of all of this."

"Close your eyes," Rodgers said. "I'll take the watch."

"Not till this is over," Hood said. "But you can do me a favor."

"Sure."

Hood picked up the phone. "I'll get on top of Bob Herbert and Stephen Viens, tell them I want that woman found and pinpointed. Meantime, see if there's anything else Darrell can do. An hour's not much time, but maybe somebody once bugged the palace. See if he can scare up any enemies of the king."

"Will do."

"And make sure he briefs Striker about what we're waiting on."