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Amadori glanced toward the arches. He saw two people crouched there, a bleeding man and a woman.

"Get your unit back out here," Amadori shouted. "Secure the courtyard!"

The soldier pulled the field radio from his belt and called for reinforcements. As he did, the woman behind the arch aimed at Amadori. The general angrily swung the priest around so he was facing her. The woman held her fire; gunshots from the soldiers quickly drove her back behind the arch. Amadori looked back into the palace to make sure the other woman hadn't come from around the corner.

She had not. She didn't need to.

Darrell McCaskey was lying on his side halfway down the corridor. He was facing Amadori and holding the gun Aideen had kicked into the corridor.

Father Norberto looked in as well. He didn't understand. There was no blood, yet he'd seen the general shoot this man in the back.

Amadori began to turn the priest around. But McCaskey didn't give the general a chance to maneuver Father Norberto between them. And he didn't fire to wound the general. He put two quick shots into Amadori's temple.

The general was dead before he reached the ground.

* * *

FORTY-SEVEN

Tuesday, 12:35 p.m.

Madrid, Spain

"You took one of the bulletproof vests," Aideen said as she ran toward McCaskey.

"Never travel without it," McCaskey said. He winced as she helped him to his feet. "I put it on before I came here. After he shot me-I figured I'd lie low and wait for something like this."

"Glad I didn't just kick out the goggles," Aideen said.

Ferdinand ran past them to the priest. Father Norberto was standing just inside the doorway, staring down at the body of General Amadori. He knelt and began to say a prayer over the dead man.

"Father, he doesn't deserve your blessing," Ferdinand said. "Come. We must go."

Norberto finished praying. Only when he made the sign of the cross over the general did he rise. He looked at Ferdinand. "Where are we going?"

"Away," Ferdinand said. "The soldiers-"

"He's right. Father," Aideen said. "We don't know what they're going to do. But we should be somewhere else when they do it."

McCaskey held onto Aideen's shoulder while he drew several painful breaths. "We've also got to let the boss know what's going on as soon as possible," he said. "Where's the team?"

"They encountered some resistance after the flushout," she said. "They withdrew."

"Can you get to them?"

Aideen nodded. "Can you walk?"

"Yes, but I'm not going with you," McCaskey said. "I can't leave María."

"Darrell, you heard what Amadori said," Aideen declared. "More soldiers are on the way."

"I know," McCaskey said. He smiled faintly. "All the more reason I can't leave her."

"He won't be alone," Father Norberto told her. "I'll stay with him."

Aideen regarded them both through her mask. "There isn't time to argue. I'll get the word out. You three take care."

McCaskey thanked her. As she turned and ran toward the grand staircase, McCaskey hobbled toward the priest.

"I'm sorry about this," he said in English, pointing to Amadori's body. "It was necessary."

Norberto said nothing.

Ferdinand put his gun in his waistband. "I'm going to look for my friend Juan," he said. He regarded McCaskey. "Thank you, sir, for ridding Spain of this would-be caudillo."

McCaskey wasn't exactly sure what Ferdinand had said, but he got the gist of it. "ĄDe Nada!" he said. "You're welcome."

Father Norberto suddenly put his hand around Ferdinand's neck. He squeezed hard.

"Padre?" Ferdinand said, confused.

"Your friend is in there," Norberto said. There were tears in his eyes as he pointed toward the music room. "He's dead."

"Juan dead? Are you certain?"

"I am certain," Norberto said. "I was with him when he died. I was with him when he confessed his sins. He died absolved of them."

Ferdinand shut his eyes.

Norberto squeezed harder. "Everyone has the right to absolution, my son, whether they have slain one or they have slain millions."

The priest released Ferdinand and turned away. He walked toward McCaskey, who had limped past them and was peering cautiously out