Chacho the Author 327"So what do you want from me?"
He asked me if I remembered the names of three
people. I said, "Yes, I do. I went to school with all of them;
we were best buddies, real cut-ups."
"Charles, did you know they are in top positions in the
Peruvian government?"
"Yes, of course I know."
"Very well then, now you know this is what makes
you so valuable to us."
"But you're talking about my high school days; it's
been more than eleven years since we've seen each
other."
"You're lying."
"What do you mean?"
"You were seen together at a party in March of this
year."
"Hey, yes, you're right; I'd forgotten about that. I did
see them for a few hours that night, two years ago. But I
never remember men at an orgy.
"Excuse me, sir, how did you know about this-even
about the party?"
"Don't forget I'm the top man of this operation. I want
you to realize that if there were another person in this
world who could do the job, I wouldn't be here per
sonally."
I understood perfectly what he was saying. This was a
one in a million chance. Three of my closest high school
buddies and classmates were at that moment extremely
influential and powerful in the government of a country
where this Harold Barton was representing a lot of
American enterprise and investments.
He explained very carefully that he wasn't trying to
recruit me as a regular. To prove it, he said there would
be no training period.
Reluctantly, I asked what my mission would be.
"Very simple. Just go to Peru, visit, socialize, party,