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here and arrival in the States to prevent just such looted contraband from leaving the country.”
    “ There is no evidence that an ancient treasure has surfaced anywhere in the world,” Callaghan argued. “Military Intelligence, the CIA, the FBI have all kept eyes and ears open ever since the Iraqis repeated your allegation through diplomatic channels last summer.”
    Captain Brooks leaned toward her on the couch. “So, whose version do you think is most credible, Miz Madigan? A band of roving Arabs or the U.S. Army, the consensus of the entire Federal Government?”
    “ Let’s not get into that,” Andrea said. “My office is in Watergate Towers--that’s an every day reminder. Who I believe is not the point. My job is to determine and report facts. We, NNC, hired a private contractor to locate the Bedouin tribe last fall without success. Our guide, Amman Habakee seems to have disappeared. I understand both the army and Iraqis have also confronted Bedouin tribes roaming across those borders to no avail. Experts on those nomadic people claim that no one will find them again if they don’t want to be found. Or they have been found and admitted nothing. My only recourse is to validate their story or proof of your denial.”
    “ Which we are attempting to help you do,” Callaghan said.
    Andrea raised her eyebrows, holding his gaze. “Then give me the original personnel list for Bravo Company or at least the Second Platoon. Let me worry about tracking them down for interviews.” Andrea felt her stomach churn at the thought of trying to separate a few grains of wheat from 350, even 70 flecks of chaff.
    “ We’re prohibited from doing that”, Brooks said, “under the Armed Forces Secrecy Act.”
    “ You can surely tell me how to contact Lieutenant Mitchell.”
    Brooks glanced at his binder again, turning several pages.
    “ Lieutenant Mitchell was killed during a house-to-house sortie in Fallujah.”
    “ Can you give me the names of Mitchell’s squad leaders?”
    Brooks fanned through the pages of his binder. “I’ll have to look into that. Call me in a couple of days.”
    Andrea wondered if that was a warning that the soldiers in question would be alerted to provide her with the same innocuous facts as these two clams. It was getting close to midnight, she was tired, and her bad leg was asleep. General Callaghan leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the contentious reporter as his subordinate parried her thrusts.
    Andrea took a different tack: “How do you explain the Arabs description of the Airborne insignia patch?”
    Brooks smiled for the first time since their meeting began. “Easily. One of our units came upon their caravan searching for Saddam among them.”
    “ They claimed they were engaged by enough soldiers to make up an entire platoon.”
    “ Can you imagine a tribal chief concocting a story in which they were bested by half a dozen infidels?” Brooks asked.
    “ General, you accompanied Bravo Company on that search and destroy Black Dawn mission--which platoon or squad did you travel with?”
    “ After we set up HQ at Hawija Arban,” Brooks answered, “we took the first platoon east toward Tikrit.
    Andrea’s next query was also directed at Callaghan. “Did you go to Tikrit or remain in Hawija Arban during Black Dawn?”
    Brooks glanced at Callaghan before answering. “The capture or elimination of Saddam
    Hussein was one of the primary objectives of the entire war,” Brooks explained. “Tikrit is
    where he was raised, his tribal homestead.”
    “ But you missed him.”
    “ He probably hadn’t gone down in his hidey-hole yet,” Brooks said.
    Andrea looked at Callaghan. “So where were you?”
    “ Hawija Arban most of the time. Major Geoff flew me to Tikrit to inspect various patrols.”
    “ Did you visit Mitchell’s platoon?”
    “ One of his squads, I recall. I did not run into Lieutenant Mitchell himself, however.”
    Brooks placed the binder on the cushion beside him