Hood scanned the dossier. “He did. Hwan studied in Moscow and then in London. Why?”

“Nearly seventy-five percent of the people who are recruited for intelligence service jobs studied abroad,” Herbert told him. “Other cultures and colloquial languages are familiar to them. If Colonel Hwan studied in London, he probably speaks English.”

“How does that help us?” Hood asked.

“We can talk to him,” Herbert informed Hood. “What time is it in North Korea?”

“Just after ten P.M.,” Hood said.

“Spies collect information during the day and disseminate it at night,” Herbert said. “Hwan probably gets up early to read intelligence reports that came in during the night.”

“Why does that matter?” Hood asked.

“He’ll probably be at home now, sleeping,” Herbert said. “Can you get me that number?”

“I’m sure Matt can dig it from a computer system somewhere,” Hood said. “Why?”

“Because sometimes a classic, low-tech approach is the best one,” Herbert replied.

“I’m not following you,” Hood admitted.

“How did I behave when you called me just now?” Herbert asked.

“You were cranky. Disoriented,” Hood said.

“Exactly,” Herbert said. “It’s the old POW gambit. You drag a guy from his cell or cot during the middle of the night. His guard is down. His head is fuzzy. You don’t even have to beat him. You hammer him with questions. A man who is scared and tired will respond to force. His mouth will engage before his brain can prevent it.”

“So you call Colonel Hwan and wake him up,” Hood said. “He’s not a prisoner of war. He’s probably not going to be very scared in his own home. What makes you think he’ll tell you anything?”

“Because I’m a professional, too,” Herbert replied.

TWENTY-SEVEN - The Celebes Sea Friday, 11:09 P.M.

TWENTY-SEVEN

The Celebes Sea Friday, 11:09 P.M.

Lowell Coffey was belowdecks in the captain’s cabin. The attorney was lying on the small bed with his arms at his side and his eyes shut. Though it was black outside, the shade was pulled over the porthole. Coffey did not want to open his eyes and see the swaying of the stars. It was bad enough that he had to feel the constant movement of the corvette, hear the waves brushing the hull. He had come down here a half hour before, after Jelbart and Loh had both decided to remain at the site. There was no point of going to Darwin or Singapore until they had some idea where their next stop would be. They could not do that until they located the vessel that had deposited the empty concrete block. It bothered him that the naval might of two nations had to wait for some slippery civilian ship to turn up on someone’s radar. He felt as useful as Scylla and Charybdis after Odysseus had sailed through the Strait of Messina.

There was a rap at the narrow metal door.