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desk, then took a seat across from him. “You’re certain you don’t want a drink?” Tejada asked.
    Snowden shook his head and twitched his lips in a half-smile. “Your people almost drank me under the table at lunch. I’m good.”
    â€œI have never understood that expression.”
    â€œThat’s because you Spaniards never get drunk enough to fall out of the chair—and I chalk that up to the fact that you start feeding your kids Madeira at birth.”
    â€œThen I’m sure a cigar is out of the question.”
    â€œYou’re killing me, my friend.”
    Tejada smiled. “An excellent meeting today, yes?”
    â€œI agree,” Snowden said with a nod.
    â€œAnything further we need to discuss about the acquisition?”
    â€œI’ll know more after I’ve had a chance to go over the documents, but for now, no.”
    â€œGood. Then I want to turn to the other matter.” Tejada glanced at Snowden to read his reaction before continuing. This was the important part. There could be no mistakes. “You’ll have the agreement to me by the deadline.”
    â€œYes,” Snowden replied. “That’s the plan.”
    â€œOf course it’s the plan,” Tejada said calmly. “The question is whether you can carry it out.”
    â€œIf I have the funds, then yes, absolutely.” Snowden shifted in the chair. “My concern is—”
    â€œIf your concern is whether there will be enough money, no worries, my friend. Projected reserves will be in place.”
    â€œSo they aren’t now?”
    Tejada chuckled, a sound he seldom made unless he was truly amused. “Would you keep that kind of money in an accessible account before you needed it?”
    â€œNo, of course not,” Snowden admitted.
    Tejada folded his hands lazily on his lap. “This kind of concern is what I appreciate about you,” he said. “But on a different note, I see that your Congress is approaching another vote on the debt limit.”
    â€œYes.” Snowden appreciated the change of subject. “They’re at it again,” he said with a short laugh. “They’re telling us the federal government will run out of money in a few months, which we’ve heard before.”
    â€œI have an opinion about that,” Tejada said.
    Snowden sat back in the chair. “Love to hear it.”
    â€œI think the International Monetary Fund needs to apply pressure to the economies of several different countries that hold large amounts of US debt. Experts at IMF think a gesture from the US Congress that indicates a firm resolve not to continue borrowing would help exert that pressure.” This was the matter that interested him most about Snowden’s visit.
    â€œSo why don’t they?”
    â€œThe director of IMF doesn’t want to approach the US Treasury secretary directly on the matter with an overt request.”
    â€œThey don’t want a paper trail.”
    â€œCorrect.”
    Snowden smirked again. “And you know all of this through your nephew.”
    â€œHe keeps me informed.”
    Tejada steepled his fingers under his chin and focused his gaze on Snowden, reading his reaction once more. If Lord Abaddon’s plan was to work, this piece of the strategy had to go precisely as planned.
    â€œThe problem with not raising the debt limit,” Snowden said, “is that some of the bills will go unpaid—at least in the short term.” He seemed to warm to the subject. “The government can’t pay all of its obligations without borrowing, and if the debt isn’t raised, something will go without funding.”
    â€œIn the short term?”
    â€œYes,” Snowden replied. “After the first thirty days the cash flow from revenue would even out and the government could meet its basic obligations, including debt service. But even then, large portions of the budget would be