He released her hand and moved until his face was only a few inches from hers. “With half the world watching the African nations, waiting and wondering when they are going to get their circus act together and remove the last bastion of white supremacy, who should appear like a messiah from the wilderness, offering a proverb for every occasion, but none other than your friendly international drug smuggler Hiram Lusana. Like a revelation in the night, he unloads his thriving operation and takes up the cause of the poor foul-smelling black rabble of South Africa.

“Reinforced now by gullible black opinion and touted by a world press hungry for a personality, any personality, handsome Hiram suddenly finds his smiling face on the covers of no fewer than fourteen magazines with a combined circulation of over sixty million. Thus the sun shines down from heaven and Hiram Lusana is adored by Bible beaters everywhere for his devout piety; foreign state departments vie for his presence at parties; he demands and receives fabulous fees on the lecture circuit; and suckers like you, Ms. Collins, from the entertainment world, kiss his ass and scratch for a percentage of the box-office limelight.”

Anger flared in Felicia’s lovely features. “You’re being deliberately offensive.”

“Nakedly honest, perhaps.” Daggat paused and enjoyed Felicia’s uneasiness for a moment. “And what do you think will happen if Lusana should win his war and the white racist government in South Africa surrenders? Will he, like Cincinnatus, renounce his generalship and return to the plow? Not likely. There is little doubt in my mind that he’ll proclaim himself president and launch a virtual dictatorship. Then, with the enormous resources of Africa’s most advanced country in his pocket, he’ll shift the grand crusade into reverse and either by force or by subterfuge gobble up the weaker black nations.”

“You’re blind,” she said harshly. “Hiram guides his life by high morals. I find it unthinkable that he would ever consider selling out his ideals for personal gain.”

Felicia did not see the caution in Daggat’s eyes. “I can prove it, Ms. Collins, and all it will cost you-financially, that is-if you lose is one Yankee dollar.”

“You’re fishing in a barren lake, Congressman. You obviously do not know the general.”

Operation Wild Rose I 85

“Bet me.”

She thought a moment and then looked up. “You’re on.”

Daggat bowed gallantly and escorted her to where Lusana was talking tactics with an officer of the Mozambique Army. Lusana broke off his conversation at their approach and greeted them. “Ah, my two fellow Americans. I see you’ve met.”

“May I talk with you and Ms. Collins alone for a moment, General?” asked Daggat.

“Why, yes, of course.”

Lusana excused himself from the Army officer and led the way into a small study comfortably furnished in an Afro-modern motif.

“Very nice,” said Daggat.