"Your Strikers were quite brave, going into the mountains the way they did. And the surviving members give me hope. Nations are not monolithic, not even India and Pakistan. When people care enough about one another great things can be accomplished." "Paul Hood and I share your optimism," Plummer said.

"Even at this moment?"

"Especially at this moment." Plummer replied.

Throughout the exchange Plummer had watched the ambassador's dark eyes.

Simathna's mind was elsewhere. Plummer feared that the ambassador was thinking of alerting his government.

The ambassador rose.

"Mr. Plummer, would you excuse me for a few minutes?"

Plummer also stood.

"Mr. Ambassador, one more thing."

"Yes?"

"I don't wish to push you, sir, but I want to make certain I've made the situation clear," Plummer said.

"It is vital that your government take no action until our people in the field have had a chance to extract the Indian operative."

"You have made that quite clear," the ambassador replied.

"There is the very real danger that even a leaked word could turn this into a self-fulfilling nightmare," Plummer added.

"I agree," Simathna assured him. The tall Pakistani smiled slightly and started toward the door.

"Mr. Ambassador, please tell me what you're going to do," Plummer implored. The American was going to feel very foolish if Simathna were going to get an aspirin or visit the lavatory. But Plummer had to know.

"I am going to do something that will require your assistance," Simathna replied.

"Anything," Plummer said.

"What can I do?"

The ambassador opened the door and looked back.

"You must give me something that you just requested of me."

"Of course," Plummer told him.

"Name it." While the PEO waited he replayed the conversation in his mind on fastforward, trying to remember what the hell he had asked the ambassador for.

"I need your trust," Simathna said.

"You have it, sir. That's why I came here," Plummer insisted.

"What I need to know is if we're on the same tactical page."

"We are," Simathna replied.

"However, I have access to footnotes that you do not."

With that, the Pakistani ambassador left his office and quietly shut the door behind him.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN.

The Siachin Glacier Thursday, 10:57 p. m.

Ron Friday's anger kept him from freezing.

The NSA operative was not angry when he started this leg of the mission.