New York City, January, 2078, Monday…

The UN commission to study the Colombian-Venezuelan problem and make recommendations found heavy going in its first days. Even though the petroleum deposits of heavy crude were the real cause of the bickering, the delegates from both countries got wrapped up in the issues surrounding their religious conflicts. Each team threatened to abandon the discussions, but Peter Cardenas kept them talking. He had long ago learned that doing so was seventy-five per cent of the battle. It was hard to go to war as long as discussions continued.

Every night Cardenas briefed Rayburn, Winters, and sometimes Delgado on what was happening at the UN. What he didn't know was that after he signed off and Winters bid farewell to the two men, Rayburn and Delgado continued the discussion. In one of these late tete-a-tetes Delgado told Rayburn to proceed with his idea to get Sergio Battaglia involved.

The rotund National Security Adviser set up the late afternoon meeting at one of his favorite spots, the campus of Catholic University. He knew its President and several professors there and often cultivated the relationships with them, figuring that was one place he could get a juicy lectureship after he retired from public office.

Thus Peter Rayburn stood waiting in the drizzle in the Metro parking lot by the university. It was not a good day to be out. But afterwards he would have dinner with Father Smith, a person, like himself, who enjoyed fine food and drink. For now he had to wait in the rain.