Чужак в чужой стране

           Bloch,SpecialServiceSquadronCheerio,MarylandEnclaveBarracks."

           "Nowtellmewhatyouaredoingwhereyouare,andwhy."

           "Sir,that’srathercomplicated.I-"

           "Thenunravelitforme.Speakup,Major."

           "Yes,sir.Icameherepursuanttoorders.Yousee-"

           "Idon’tsee."

           "Well,sir,aboutanhourandahalfagoaflyingsquadwassentheretomakeseveralarrests.Theydidn’treportinwhentheyshouldhaveandwhenwecouldn’traisethembyradio,Iwassentwiththereservesquadtofindthemandrenderassistanceasneeded."

           "Whoseorders?"

           "Uh,theCommandant’s,sir."

           "Anddidyoufindthem?"

           "No,sir.Notatraceofthem."

           DouglaslookedatHarshaw."Counsellor,didyouseeanythingofanothersquad,earlier?"

           "It’snopartofmydutiestokeeptrackofyourservants,Mr.Secretary.Perhapstheygotthewrongaddress.Orsimplygotlost."

           "Thatishardlyananswertomyquestion."

           "Youarecorrect,sir.Iamnotbeinginterrogated.NorwillIbe,otherthanbydueprocess.Iamactingformyclient;Iamnotnursemaidtotheseuniformed,uh,persons.ButIsuggest,fromwhatIhaveseenofthem,thattheymightnotbeabletofindapiginabathtub."

           "Mmm?possibly.Major,roundupyourmenandreturn.I’llconfirmthatviachannels."

           "Yes,sir!"Themajorsaluted.

           "Justamoment!"Harshawsaidsharply."Thesemenbrokeintomyhouse.Idemandtoseetheirwarrant."

           "Oh.Major,showhimyoursearchwarrant."

           MajorBlochturnedbrickred.