Gil de Partera nodded, looking at Alicia with ambivalence. “You’ll work with Vargas, one of my men.”

For a moment Alicia hesitated. She searched Leandro’s eyes, but her superior decided to stare into his coffee cup.

“With all due respect, sir,” she said, “I always work alone.”

“You’ll work with Vargas. There’s no room for discussion on this point.”

“Of course,” agreed Leandro, oblivious to Alicia’s blazing eyes. “When can we start?”

“Yesterday.”

At a sign from the director, one of his officials came over and handed him a bulky envelope. Gil de Partera set it on the table and stood up, not trying to conceal his haste to be anywhere else but that dining hall. “All the details are in the dossier. Keep me informed.” He shook Leandro’s hand and, with barely a glance at Alicia, stood up to leave.

They watched him recede through the large dining hall with his men in tow, and then sat down again. For a few minutes neither of them said a word, Alicia gazing into space and Leandro meticulously slicing a croissant, spreading butter and strawberry jam on it and then eating it slowly, his eyes shut.

“Thanks for the support,” said Alicia.

“Come on. I hear Vargas is a talented man. You’ll like him. And you might learn something.”

“Lucky me. Who is he?”

“A veteran in the Force. He used to be a heavyweight. He’s been moved to the reserve for a while, apparently due to a difference of opinion with the head office. Something happened, they say.”

“A pariah? Am I so worthless that I don’t even deserve a top-class chaperone?”

“He has class, no doubt about that. The trouble is that his loyalty and faith in the regime have been questioned more than once.”

“Surely they’re not expecting me to convert him.”

“All they expect is that we don’t make any noise, and we make them look good.”

“Fabulous.”

“It could be worse,” said Leandro, putting an end to it.

“Does ‘worse’ mean this business of inviting his ‘old friend,’ that Hendaya guy?”

“Among other things.”

“Who is Hendaya?”

Leandro looked away. “Best if you don’t have to find out.”

A long silence ensued, during which Leandro took the opportunity to pour himself another cup of coffee. He had the irritating habit of holding the saucer with one hand under his chin and taking small sips. On days like this, almost all his habits, which Alicia knew so well, seemed irritating to her.

Noticing her expression, he gave her a benevolent, paternal smile. “If looks could kill.”

“Why didn’t you tell the director that I resigned two weeks ago, and I’m no longer in the service?”

Leandro set the cup down on the table and wiped his lips with his napkin. “I didn’t want to embarrass you, Alicia. May I remind you that we’re not a chess club. One can’t just join or leave the service by filling in a form. We’ve had this conversation a few times already, and to be honest, I’m hurt by your attitude. Because I know you better than you know yourself, and because I think so highly of you, I allowed you two weeks’ holiday so you could rest and think about your future. I understand that you’re tired. So am I. I understand that you sometimes don’t like what we do. Neither do I. But it’s our job and our duty. You knew that when you joined.”