As his chauffeur drove him across the city in a limousine, General Arturo Palma raised his head from the report he had been reading and wondered for perhaps the thousandth time what had become of Blanski and the de Vincenzo woman. He knew that he should have killed both of them earlier when he had the chance. That way he would at least know now where they were.

Palma hadn't heard from Antonia since she had fled Lima. She represented a danger, particularly when out of his sight, for if word of his tenuous connection to the Shining Path ever surfaced it would ruin his political career.

His plan to use the Shining Path to further his ambitions was a good one, and Antonia had proved to be the perfect link.

He must keep his eyes open now to spot another likely contact among the prisoners he captured.

The limousine halted at a traffic light. A foolish waste of his time, the general thought. He made a mental note to arrange for a police escort in future to save himself from these bothersome delays.

As he stared uninterestedly out the window, he noticed a man fifty yards away raise an object to shoulder height and aim in his direction.

Realization hit Palma with a wave of shock.

His hand fumbled for the door handle just as the rocket was launched.

The limousine and Arturo Palma exploded in a fireball of scorched metal and charred flesh.