Agent Counter-Agent Read Free

"If you'd been there, you certainly would have taken it seriously. I used my knife because I had to stop the man, not because I love killing."
    The Secret Service chief just raised his eyebrows and gave me a patronizing smile. "No criticism of your judgment was intended, Mr. Carter. I'm just trying to point out that the intelligence services receive such notes regularly. We just can't afford to take them all seriously."
    The Venezuelan cleared his throat. "That is true. But this one seems different to me. And where there is any possibility of an attempt on the life of my President, I cannot take any chances. I intend to double my guards at the Palacio de Miraflores during the conference. And since your Vice-President may also be in danger, I strongly suggest you take extra precautions, too."
    "I've just spoken with the Vice-President," the CIA chief spoke up. "He isn't concerned at all. I've told him that all four agencies will have men there, anyway, and he feels that is sufficient."
    Hawk looked back at the Secret Service man, who was pressing his clasped hands against his mouth. In spite of his cynical remarks, he was obviously aware that he had the primary responsibility for the life and personal welfare of the Vice-President.
    "What do you think?" Hawk asked him.
    He regarded Hawk seriously. "Well, I have to admit, it is the lives of the principals to the conference we're talking about here, at least potentially. I'll put extra men on the Caracas trip to match Venezuelan security."
    "Good," Hawk said, chewing the cigar. He ran a hand through his gray hair, then took the cigar out of his mouth. "As for AXE, we would not ordinarily have an agent at this land of meeting. But since AXE was specifically mentioned in the note, I'm sending my top man — Nick Carter — to the conference." He waved a hand toward me. "The Vice-President thinks it would be a good idea if I accompanied him, so I'll go, too."
    The CIA chief looked from me to Hawk. "We'll arrange for security clearance for both."
    The man from the NSA shook his head slowly. "I still think you re off on a wild goose chase," he said sardonically.
    "It may be that," Hawk admitted. "And of course there is a third possibility." He paused, enjoying the suspense. "A trap," he continued, sticking the cold cigar back into his mouth. "The note says that it is particularly AXE that will be humiliated. And that the whole thing is an open challenge to AXE. Maybe somebody wants N3 or me over there for some ulterior motive."
    "Then why go?" the NSA man argued. "I would think this is one you'd be happy to sit out."
    Hawk chewed the cigar. "Except that that's not the way I operate," he said. "I don't like the idea of hiding my head in the sand and hoping a threat will go away or that someone else will take care of everything for us."
    "We welcome your presence, señor Hawk," said the Venezuelan.
    The CIA man turned his intelligent, serious eyes on me. "I hope your trip turns out to be uneventful," he said.
    I grinned at him. "Believe it or not, I hope so, too."

Two
    It was Holy Week in Caracas, and the whole city had turned out for the festival. There were bullfights, parades with colorful floats and everyone dressed in bright regional costumes, concerts and exhibits, and dancing in the public squares. Caracas was letting its hair down for a good time. And yet it wasn't the bright, zany carnival mood that stayed with me as I settled into my room at Hotel El Conde just six days before the conference. It was the cold, spooky feeling of the stiff wind whistling through the narrow cobblestone streets of the old part of the city. I couldn't shake the eerie feeling that the city was trying to tell me something that the festivities concealed from the casual observer. Something evil.
    Hawk had taken an earlier flight and was already in the city. He'd thought it was best for us to go separately and stay at different hotels.
    I was to contact Hawk at a small restaurant near the American