“This man you are hunting,” he continued, “does he even exist? Why have we not found him? And if he does, let us suppose that he does, can you believe, in truth, they intend to let him be killed? One of their own? By you? Their mistake was to send a man who does not know when to stop, who continues to act even when the theatre is dark. If you kill this man and go back to Lisbon, you think they will say thank you? You think they will give you a medal? I will tell you what will happen. You will be found in the Tagus with your throat cut. And let me assure you there will be no inquiry to discover the fate of Corporal Calley. A man without family, without friends. So this is my advice to you. Disappear. Forget the army. Forget the war. Disappear. Become someone else.”

Calley unbuttoned his coat. “You finished?” he said.

“Oh yes,” said Medina. “I have finished.”

“That’s good,” said Calley, “because I’m going to tell you now what I know. What I know. First off, this man we are hunting. I have seen him. Remember? We have been to his house. We have been to his sister’s house. He exists. Of course he fucking exists. Second, you and me are soldiers in the field and we will do what we have been ordered to do. And I’m not talking about that streak of shit Don Ignacio. I piss on him. No one cares about him. I’m talking about someone you can’t even fucking imagine. A man who cannot show himself because his face would blaze like the sun. A man whose word cannot be gainsaid. And though I will not hear his voice again, and I am sorry for that, very sorry, he has placed his trust in me and I will not fail him. So we will do the job, you and me, and we will go to Lisbon and you will tell them what you saw. That is what you are going to do.”

“No,” said Medina, “No es asi. I will find a boat with you but nothing more. The rest is for you, Señor Andrews. Alone.”

Calley reached inside his coat, unslung the carbine, cocked it. All smoothly done. “It’s like I said, I know what you are going to do. Now put on your boots and pick up your coat.”