“I need to call home and report in,” I said.

I picked up the telephone receiver and dialed uneasily.

“Where in the living hell are you?” The voice said through clenched teeth.

“I’m…out of Spain.”

“I know that much!”

“I have a lead on Chaban.”

“Didn’t I tell you to suspend that operation?”

“He’s back in Paris.”

“I don’t give a rat’s right testicle where he is. I told you to stay with Blanco and let me know if I needed to worry.”

“You don’t.”

“Yeah, he’s dead. I figured that out for myself. But you, I worry about…do you have it tied up for me, then?”

“I may never find Chaban again.”

“God damn it! Listen to me, boy. I need a full report on Blanco. Get your skinny ass back to Spain from wherever you are. I mean today, not tomorrow, or I’ll have you back digging toilets in East Africa faster than you can say, ‘President Kennedy, I love the Peace Corps!’”

The line went dead.

The Hollow Man Excerpt 7

​The Hollow Man   |     The Hollow Man Series, International Espionage​

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