Danger over - for now!

Was the disposal of Dr Richard Alvarez and his partner Jay an unqualified success?

Norm had arranged for a fake ‘action log’ detailing our group’s movements to be leaked from the ‘Factory’ at locale 299 to the Chinese listening station situated in Bajada del Agrio, Neuquén Province. From there the information was passed to the National Directorate of Intelligence (Peru) and on to their agent Richard Alvarez. He had taken the bait, believing that Giannina would be unprotected and vulnerable at Salon Canning, no doubt to be disappeared.

Meanwhile, Lord Cameron together with Javier Milei and Diana Mondino had arranged for bar staff at Canning to be replaced by Argentine agents, and it was they who had removed Jay’s body via the kitchens into an awaiting van. Whilst our existence in Buenos Aires was clearly known, the identity of assassins remained obscure. Finally, you will be delighted to know that the Clarin headline came directly from a ‘Jaime Vínculo’ who purported to be a spokesperson for Milonga Parakultural.

The carrier drops us in Santa Fé for our return to Palacio Haedo via Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear. Thirty minutes later we are gathered in the roof garden, Norm straight from the shower and still drying his hair, Raul with two bottles of Chandon Brut, Xiomara spread out on a lounger and Giannina reunited with Ghost.

Dawn light creeps across the river Plata casting a morning shadow of General San Martin’s monument in the plaza below. The air is fresh. A flight of parakeets lands to squabble in the palms, drowning out the sweet song of the rufus-bellied thrush that sits habitually in an Acacia tree on the terrace.

‘What now?’ asks Giannina, who seems to have been soothed by Ghost’s attention. ‘Am I to go back to Hotel Duhau?’

Xiomara scowls. ‘Your MOD authorisation continues until M decides otherwise. For me, you stay a part of the team!’

‘Oh, and I will see if we can get a 00 canine code for Ghost,’ she adds. ‘Who knows, he too might need a licence to kill!’