Dan was sitting on his bed in a run down hotel in Colonia, Uruguay, just across Rio de la Plata from Buenos Aires. He was smoking a cigarette and watching the sun set from his window.  Dan never smoked. He scratched his still sprouting two week old beard and tried to remember what had happened, but it had all been so confusing.  Every day brought a sudden change and none of it made sense.  All he wanted was to see his wife and young son and bring them home, but somehow he found himself in a 1970's spy movie.

After he was released Dan had been taken to Washington, D.C. where for two days he had been debriefed by two men from the State Department.  They explained nothing, but on the second day in walked Otto Foy, his lawyer.  And Todd. Todd worked for the U.S. Government, he was a plant with Odessa. A double agent. Foy himself cooperated with the federal authorities whenever he was involved in a case where children were abducted to South America.  He knew Dan would only get into trouble had he flown alone to Tapalque but could not stop him.  Roberta was a CIA agent hot on Odessa's trail.  She and Todd also tried to stop Dan, but it was too late.

Todd explained to Dan that Todd's own involvement was nearly compromised a year ago which is why the American government had to feign his disappearance.  Todd also told Dan that Espi was dead.  She had not planned to fall in love with Dan, but she had, an Odessa rule broken. They did not tolerate excuses or failure. She became too much of a risk and had to be eliminated; there was no point looking for her anymore Todd said.  What Todd did not tell him of course was the Duardo was his son, not Dan's.  He would never tell him that.  Some matter, Foy and Todd agreed, Dan could not know. 

The April 25th Odessa File memo to Todd and his threats that resulted in Dan's release made Todd realize that his effectiveness as a double agent was over. He would never have their full confidence again. Todd knew that he had one more mission however. He gave his older brother papers and a passport with an alias identity and told him to meet him in Colonia, Uruguay in five days time.

Sitting in Colonia now,there was a knock on his hotel door.  A beautiful redhead stood there in stone silence.  It was Roberta. Dan's cigarette fell out of his mouth.  She kissed him and pushed him back into the room.  She explained that when they were in the car that Monday morning two weeks ago she knew they were being followed.  She could not compromise her mission and had to fake her own execution.  She told Dan that now she knew where Duardo was and the next morning they were going to meet Todd outside Buenos Aires. "We are going to need our rest while we can," she said, "get in bed.  And don't throw up on me."

The next day, after a ferry took them across Rio de la Plata, and after a bus ride on winding back roads, they found themselves on the outskirts of Buenos Aires where they met Todd in a secluded building.  He showed Dan a cache of weapons. Todd explained that they were going to be driven to Tapalque and to do exactly as he and Roberta said.

After a long car ride they checked into a hotel ten miles out of Tapalque.  The next morning at sunrise they awoke and Todd threw Dan an M16 military automatic rifle with a long scope.  "You have twenty minutes to learn how to use this," he told his brother.  "Then we go."  Dan was an intellectual with soft smooth hands.  He was writing a doctoral dissertation on the mating habits of blue whales and its effect on migration.  He knew nothing about guns. But it did not matter.  He would be ready for whatever they planned.

They drove to Tapalque and hiked to a small mound overlooking a fenced in open area.  "Now we wait," Roberta said.  After an hour, a man came outside.  He removed his had and threw a cigarette in the dirt and crushed it with his foot.  "He is with us," Todd said, "that is the signal.  Get ready."  Todd and Roberta readied their weapons.  In five minutes, out walked Duardo holding a soccer ball. And behind him, El Guapo.  "A scoundrel," Roberta said.  "A fascist scoundrel.  He orchestrated this.  He took your wife and son."

Dan's blood started to boil.  He hated El Guapo.  And now, seeing him with his son, he wanted to jump on him and cut his throat open with a dull, dirty knife.  "Make sure they are not too close," Todd said to himself.  Duardo was playing and El Guapo leaned against the wall of the building.  "It is clear," Roberta said.  Todd lined him up in the scope of his rifle.  He was about to fire and then looked at his brother.  "Take him," Todd said.  "Now! Take him!" and with that command Dan pulled back on the trigger, and in an instant El Guapo's head exploded and the wall behind him was splattered dark, dripping red.  The other man ran out, scooped up the screaming young boy and ran.

It took three days, first at sea, then through Uruguay and Brazil for Roberta, Todd, Dan and Duardo to reach home. Roberta stayed with Dan and Duardo for a week to help him return to normalcy, and for protection.  A few days later Todd paid a visit.  He explained that Odessa would not be looking for Dan.  One "shipment" lost is not worth the effort or the risk.  But they would be looking for Todd.  For that reason, he had to disappear again.  For his own safety, Dan would not know where his brother was and would not be able to get in touch with him for a very long time.

"You know, she loved you,"  Todd said as he stood up to say goodbye.  Dan did not answer. He could not think about Esperanza without searing pain.  "And the little boy," Todd added, "he looks just like his daddy."  That made Dan smile.

The brothers hugged.  "I love you," Todd say. "I am sorry."

"For what?" Dan asked. "You saved my life."  Todd did not answer.  He glanced at Roberta and turned around.

Todd walked out the door to a waiting car.  He opened the back door and slid in, next to a beautiful dark haired woman whose face was hidden behind dark glasses, and in a moment they were gone.