in him.
"Manolo?"
He jerked his head toward Enrique, realized he hadn't addressed his friend's question. Manny set his jaw. Stared at the fire. "Yes. I know who betrayed me."
He didn't offer any more explanation. Enrique exchanged a look with the others, gave a slight shake of his head. They knew better than to ask more. Knew that Manny would deal with the betrayal in his own way. In his own time.
"I need to get to Cougar," Manny said. "Can you take me to his camp?"
Cougar was their CIA contact in this war that the United States quietly sanctioned and covertly assisted. Last Manny knew, Cougar was headquartered just the other side of the northern border in Honduras. But that was months ago. And Cougar never stayed in any one place for long.
"Si." Enrique nodded. "I can get you to him. When you are stronger. First you must rest. Unless we find transportation, it's a five-day march."
Wishing for transportation was the equivalent of wishing for peace. It wasn't going to happen. "We leave in the morning," Manny said, and while he could see Enrique wanted to argue, he only nodded.
It was time to call in favors from the CIA. Manny had been Cougar's informant for over a year, feeding him information so the United States could best support the movement against the communist Sandinistas. Now Cougar would repay Manny for his service.
His cover was blown. He could no longer show his face in the city. No longer see his family for fear they would become caught in the crossfire.
So he would do his fighting from the jungle from now on. And for that he would need weapons, explosives, and men.
The CIA agent stood when Manny and Enrique entered the tactical camp just the other side of the border in Honduras five days later. Tall, lean, and as mean as a bull shark, Cougar squinted at Manny through blue eyes as hard as chipped ice, while around them men in U.S. Army camouflage carrying submachine guns and armed to the teeth stood at the ready.
At a nod from Cougar, they relaxed their guard, but only marginally. No man on assignment in this part of the world ever fully relaxed.
Manny estimated Cougar to be in his late thirties. Beneath a camo boonie hat his head was shaved, his eyes hardened, his expression blank.
"Thought you were dead," Cougar finally said, moving a toothpick from one corner of his mouth to the other.
Word traveled fast in the jungle. Manny wasn't the only plant among Poveda's ranks. "There are those who would wish it so."
Cougar grunted. "So it seems. Let's get out of the sun. Tell me what happened."
Manny followed Cougar to a tent stained mud gray and jungle green. Inside, it smelled of must and cigar smoke. Manny sat and told Cougar about his capture, leaving out the part about Lily.
That was for Manny to deal with. For him to know.
For him to regret.
"I need guns. I need men," Manny said point-blank.
The CIA agent reached into a box, withdrew two cigars, offered one to Manny.
Manny shook his head. Waited.
Cougar sliced off the end of a cigar with his bush knife. "No guns. No men."
Manny felt his anger rise but kept it in check. "I risk my life to give you information. This is how you repay me?"
The older man lit the cigar, savored the first puff, then leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Look, Ortega, you know how the game is played. You're a dead man if you stay in Nicaragua. Any man found with you is as good as dead. Poveda's pissed. You duped him. He won't call off his dogs until he finds you. And that makes you a liability to the cause."
It was a truth Manny had been avoiding because he needed to fight, but Manny knew the agent was right. Still, there had to be a way.
"He won't find me. As you said, the word is out that I'm dead."
Cougar shook his head. "Only speculation on their part. Either way, it doesn't matter. The damage is done. You're useless to me now—and no good
"Manolo?"
He jerked his head toward Enrique, realized he hadn't addressed his friend's question. Manny set his jaw. Stared at the fire. "Yes. I know who betrayed me."
He didn't offer any more explanation. Enrique exchanged a look with the others, gave a slight shake of his head. They knew better than to ask more. Knew that Manny would deal with the betrayal in his own way. In his own time.
"I need to get to Cougar," Manny said. "Can you take me to his camp?"
Cougar was their CIA contact in this war that the United States quietly sanctioned and covertly assisted. Last Manny knew, Cougar was headquartered just the other side of the northern border in Honduras. But that was months ago. And Cougar never stayed in any one place for long.
"Si." Enrique nodded. "I can get you to him. When you are stronger. First you must rest. Unless we find transportation, it's a five-day march."
Wishing for transportation was the equivalent of wishing for peace. It wasn't going to happen. "We leave in the morning," Manny said, and while he could see Enrique wanted to argue, he only nodded.
It was time to call in favors from the CIA. Manny had been Cougar's informant for over a year, feeding him information so the United States could best support the movement against the communist Sandinistas. Now Cougar would repay Manny for his service.
His cover was blown. He could no longer show his face in the city. No longer see his family for fear they would become caught in the crossfire.
So he would do his fighting from the jungle from now on. And for that he would need weapons, explosives, and men.
The CIA agent stood when Manny and Enrique entered the tactical camp just the other side of the border in Honduras five days later. Tall, lean, and as mean as a bull shark, Cougar squinted at Manny through blue eyes as hard as chipped ice, while around them men in U.S. Army camouflage carrying submachine guns and armed to the teeth stood at the ready.
At a nod from Cougar, they relaxed their guard, but only marginally. No man on assignment in this part of the world ever fully relaxed.
Manny estimated Cougar to be in his late thirties. Beneath a camo boonie hat his head was shaved, his eyes hardened, his expression blank.
"Thought you were dead," Cougar finally said, moving a toothpick from one corner of his mouth to the other.
Word traveled fast in the jungle. Manny wasn't the only plant among Poveda's ranks. "There are those who would wish it so."
Cougar grunted. "So it seems. Let's get out of the sun. Tell me what happened."
Manny followed Cougar to a tent stained mud gray and jungle green. Inside, it smelled of must and cigar smoke. Manny sat and told Cougar about his capture, leaving out the part about Lily.
That was for Manny to deal with. For him to know.
For him to regret.
"I need guns. I need men," Manny said point-blank.
The CIA agent reached into a box, withdrew two cigars, offered one to Manny.
Manny shook his head. Waited.
Cougar sliced off the end of a cigar with his bush knife. "No guns. No men."
Manny felt his anger rise but kept it in check. "I risk my life to give you information. This is how you repay me?"
The older man lit the cigar, savored the first puff, then leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Look, Ortega, you know how the game is played. You're a dead man if you stay in Nicaragua. Any man found with you is as good as dead. Poveda's pissed. You duped him. He won't call off his dogs until he finds you. And that makes you a liability to the cause."
It was a truth Manny had been avoiding because he needed to fight, but Manny knew the agent was right. Still, there had to be a way.
"He won't find me. As you said, the word is out that I'm dead."
Cougar shook his head. "Only speculation on their part. Either way, it doesn't matter. The damage is done. You're useless to me now—and no good
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