“I can understand that,” Stone said, “having owned a number of airplanes that ate away at my bottom line.”

“Here’s what Lance has offered us: he will buy Strategic Air Services from us, then charter the airplane back to us when we have a need for it, at a rate that’s just about the operating costs of the aircraft.”

“I can see how that offer might be hard to refuse,” Stone said.

“By the way, you sold your airplane to Strategic Air Services, so he gets that, too.”

“Okay by me,” Stone said. “But tell me more about this extraction he wants you to do.”

“Here’s what we do: Lance hires Strategic Services to fly to Iraq and ferry a large cargo of matériel back from there—part of our armed services withdrawal from that country. On the way back, we stop at an airport in Europe, to be determined, and pick up the extractee, along with some of Lance’s people, so when we land in the States, it looks like an ordinary cargo flight for the military. We’re paid for the empty Atlantic crossing, the trip back with the cargo, and for the extraction. The profit is considerable. What do you think?”

“I think we’ll want the Agency to indemnify us for any legal problems associated with any part of the mission and from any damage to the airplane while conducting it, since our insurance may not cover government contract use. If he’ll agree to that, then you’re right, it sounds straightforward.”

“Then, as our counsel, you’re not opposed?”

“No; but Mike, I don’t have to tell you how complicated something like this can get, so you want a description of the mission in writing, if Lance will sit still for that, which I doubt.”

“I doubt it, too, but I’ll try.”

“One other thing: if I know Lance, the successful completion of this mission will bring other requests for other missions for Lance, and they’re likely to get more complicated and dangerous as you go along. Don’t let yourself get sucked into something you don’t want to do.”

“That’s a good point, Stone, and I’ll keep it in mind, and I’ll see that you get to read any contract Lance proposes.”

“Mike, there’s something else you should know.”

“What’s that?”

“At our meeting today, Lance gave me a full account of how and why you happened to leave Britain.”

Mike was silent.

“You understand, he knows your whole backstory.”

“That’s troubling,” Mike said. “How do you suppose he came by that knowledge?”

“He’s the operations director for the largest intelligence organization in the world,” Stone said. “He has sources.”

“Yes, Stone, I suppose he does.”

“I think he told me all this in the knowledge that I would tell you.”

“Yes.”

“Down the road somewhere, Lance is fully capable of using this information to pressure you into accepting some mission you might not want. If you’re concerned about that, then you should refuse the offer you’re not supposed to refuse and decline any further business from him.”