Chapter 48

48
ANDREWS AFB

The arrival at Andrews was uneventful. The Grumman landed, then taxied to a deserted apron. Jesus and Juan were excitedly alternating windows in hopes of seeing everything. A small group was gathered to meet them. As the jet's engines fell silent, the spectators approached the plane. The dull synchronization of their collective movement suggested that all of them had done this before.

Once the stairs were extended, the pilot stood smiling at the doorway, motioning for Juan and Jesus to descend. At the base of the stairs stood six Air Force police at attention in dress uniforms some replete with carbines and the last two with the flags of the United States and Brazil A little further distant stood a small delegation of all sorts of people. Mr. Santos followed the pair down, whispering to Jesus "This is how they greet You if they don't want you to feel slighted, but if they are afraid to have anything to do with You."

Jesus and Juan, recalling the manners they learned on Paraneho, immediately began to introduce themselves to the airmen who stood in rank. The remaining dignitaries found themselves with unexpected time to waste during this process since they stood further down the line. The young men from Brazil were both speaking Portuguese, interspersed with great friendly smiles. Everyone noticed with some alarm that all present were hearing Jesus in English. They heard the Portuguese, but they understood in English. Their faces reflected the fact that they found themselves ankle deep in a paradox of a supernatural nature.

Mr. Victor Santos thought to himself with a smug internal chuckle, "So what did you expect?"

As introductions proceeded, Jesus and Juan met respectively the Brazilian Ambassador to the United States who happened to be the nephew of Interior Minister Rimmer. The Ambassador smiled as he stood near the Brazilian flag. "President Falau sends his compliments. He regrets that the press of affairs in the government prevented him from meeting You while You were in Brazil."

General Ratcliff and his aide, who basically attended out of curiosity, stood stolidly next to the Brazilian. Amazingly, the General was able to exactly duplicate the condescending head to toe glare of Interior Minister Rimmer. Juan and Jesus looked at each other, then shrugged.

Aside from the General and the Ambassador there remained a mousy little man in a cheap suit named Stein who was the Assistant Under Secretary of State for South American Affairs, and a paranoiac right wing Senator from Montana without enough sense to avoid running the political risk of being photographed with Jesus. The Senator was apparently in the company of General Ratcliff, hot on the trail of subversive elements which were a threat to national security. This particular Senator was a man Tom Hanneman could occasionally send on missions.

Since the formal nature of the affair had deteriorated rapidly under the onslaught of Jesus' innocent ascendancy and the disarming boyishness of Juan, the whole group found itself abandoned to casual conversation. Mr. Stein gave Jesus and Juan their US passports -- it turned out, passports with exquisite drawings of their likenesses. The fake passports they had held in reserve actually had photographs of other men in them. Jesus and Juan had never known or understood the difference.

Victor Santos managed to move the Brazilian Ambassador off a little ways, out of earshot of the rest of the group. He told him a joke as a prelude to the political hardball which was his ultimate intention. Both men laughed good naturedly which had a relaxing effect on the remainder of the group.

The Ambassador pointed at the jet, "Nice airplane."

"Just something we had handy. We had to leave in a hurry, but it worked out fine." Santos bantered back. Producing a cassette from his pocket, he added, "This might interest President Falau. It's a copy of the recording we made while he was talking to Ortiz about raiding Government House. We didn't release it with the rest of the footage to El Globo as a personal favor to the President. Ask him to try to remember that."

The Ambassador blustered a little, but then said, "I think he will remember. There are a number of unfortunate affairs best left behind you in Brazil. President Falau is determined to make all of them right. He asked me to give you his personal assurances."

"Thank you, Ambassador. Please give our compliments to the President." Santos walked over the waiting limo. Speaking generally to all present, he said, "Thank you all for the warm welcome to the United States. We must be leaving now." Turning to Jesus and Juan, he held the car door open for them to enter.

Once clear of the Air Base, Victor Santos began his good byes. "I'm going to go back to work. I've made arrangements for You to stay in the penthouse at the Watergate. It's very nice -- not too fancy. Jesus, this has to be Your show, not mine. That's the way that Senor Robeles wanted things to turn out."

"I'll be close at hand, and I'll certainly keep an eye on You. You must remember that these people are just like Rimmer, Ortiz and Falau only sneakier and more civilized. I'll be there if You need me. Believe me, I'll be there."

"You will probably screw up a few times before You get the drift of everything in the United States, but You'll survive it. Don't worry about the bills, I take care of all of that. Don't sign anything. Tell 'em to send it to me. Do what You want to do."



"Mr. Santos, what do people think I am going to do?" asked Jesus.

"I think they are waiting for You to surprise them. You will know what to do, if anything, when the time comes. Take some time to come to understand the world a little better. Then You will know what to do, what to say. I'm sure of it." Santos answered.

The trio passed through bustling Washington for a time in silence. The young men seemed not to feel any trepidation about the challenges ahead for them. Santos saw them as modern Candides, certain that they were in the best of all possible worlds. Worlds which were, for them, filled with wonder and excitement.

The Secret Service was waiting at the curb in front of the great curving mass of the Watergate. Hesitating in the limo, Jesus spoke to His attorney, "Thank you very much for your help. Lawyers must be the most wonderful and trusted people in the world! Everyone must love and respect them."

Juan added, "Yes, I've read that President Haskill used to be a lawyer. That is probably why everyone likes him so much."

The two of them stepped out of the car, but Juan leaned his face into the open window for a last comment, "Say hello to Beatrice for us!"

The Secret Service hustled them into the hotel as Victor Santos sped off in the limo, shaking his head. He had a few matters to sort out in Brazil. But not many. The sight of the helicopter pilot was still strongly in his mind. Priorities had changed.