was gone, the Vice-President pressed the red switch down at the end of the intercom. "Yeah," a laconic voice answered.

are

"There two Interior policemen in the Palace," the Eagle snapped authoritatively. "I brought them from the air- port-a Lieutenant Jofre and a Sargeant Garcia." He paused, glanced at Esteban and the dazed girl, and then went on in the same tone. "They must speak to no-one, and they must not leave the Palace alive. Their bodies can be added to those at the airport. And watch out for Garcia, he appears to be a pretty highly trained killer.”

"I'll be careful." There was almost a sneer in the laconic voice. The light above the red switch went off. Consuela had moved off to lean against a dark, wood panel where it met a built-in bookcase.

"He won't do. I tell you," Consuela said angrily. Esteban looked at her closely for the first time. Small lines were gathered at the corners of her eyes. She was older than he remembered, Jaime Romo's daughter, whom Esteban had had such a crush upon when he was thirteen and she was at university with Irena.

a woman

"Let's put it to him,' Francisco's voice was calm and equable, despite the murders he had just ordered. "I'm afraid that I've some bad news for you, Esteban." Irena's brother fear- fully watched the Vice-Presi- dent's drumming fingers. "Your sister is dead. Shot. An assassin's bullet."

Esteban's mascara-ed eyes opened wide in astonishment, but there was no trace of remorse or sorrow in his face. Desperately, he wondered when

he could get back into his own clothes again. This was extremely embarrassing, particularly with Consuela eyeing him in such a strange, scornful manner.

"It's come at a most inopportune time for us,'

""

""

Salluca's soft tones went on. "The assassin was almost cer- tainly one of Figueroa's men, but we can't prove it. Without Irena, there will surely be a showdown between Figueroa and the Army, and, either way, the true Revolution loses. He paused again, pouring himself a glass of iced water from the decanter on the desk. "Irene Varga is. .was. .the only person who held this whole thing together. We need Irena now.' He looked directly at Esteban for the first time. "When we have finished coaching you, you will be Irene Varga. You will hold the Junta together.'

·

""

The shock on Esteban's face was plain to see and quite unfeigned. Consuela laughed, pushing herself away from the wall, to walk behind Salluca's chair. "What's the matter, chico?" her small nostrils flared. "Don't you want go on playing girl for a while longer? Just think, you can be the First Lady of the land."

to

Salluca's voice cut sharply across Consuela's sneer. "It's not like that at all." He looked with distinct annoyance at Con- suela, who angrily flicked her long black hair over her shoulders. He again stared at Esteban, a pleading tone in his voice. "You've already passed as a woman well enough to fool three Interior policemen, trained to uncover fakes. You fooled them so well, they even tried to rape you.'

""

Esteban tried to cross his legs, but the soft sound of nylon on nylon flustered him and he blushed at Consuela's bemused smile. Isabel sat behind him, her glazed eyes hooded. She was clearly stunned and uncompre- hending.

"I know you're not politi- cal," said the Vice-President. "But just think of the chance you'll have. You'll even have the opportunity," there was an edge to his voice, to save the life of your companion here. If you

27

don't cooperate with us, I can tell you for sure that both you and she will be tried and likely executed for the murders com- mitted at the airport. As well, his tone was now harsh, his eyes had become slitted and the 'Eagle' look had returned, "I doubt very much that you'd like be interrogated by Ernesto Figueroa. His torturers would love to get their hands on the killers of three of their kind."

to

Esteban shuddered and the amusement left Consuela's face entirely. She tried to show no expression, though Esteban clearly felt the sympathy em- anating from her. He looked towards her, but she dropped her eyes. There wasn't a sound in the room, though Salluca soon began drumming on the blotter again. "Well," he said harshly. "Will you cooperate?"

Esteban cleared his throat. He spoke low and hoarsely as Isabel had told him to do, so that the others barely heard him. "I-I'll have t-to think about it,” he whispered.

Consuela winced. They'd have to work mostly on the voice, she thought idly, and then stopped. She looked hard at Esteban. She had taken his answer to mean yes, and she was sure Salluca had too. Her lip curled. Well, if he was a real man, he wouldn't be in this predicament. Let him find his own way out, out, she thought.

THE

III

REBIRTH IRENE VARGA

OF

Isabel awoke with a blind- ing headache. The dark room was quite unfamiliar to her, as were the grey flannel pyjamas in which she was dressed. As her feet reached the carpeted floors, sharp, sharp, stabbing pains pierced her head and eyes.