COMBATHenry Kuran answered a nod here and there, a called out greeting from a desk an aisle removed from the one along which he was progressing, finally made the far end of the room. He knocked at the door and pushed his way through before waiting a response.
There were three desks here. He didn’t recognize two of the girls who looked up at his entry. One of them began to say something, but then Betty, whose desk dominated the entry to the inner sanctum, grinned a welcome at him and said, “Hank! How was Peru? We’ve been expecting you.”
“Full of Incas,” he grinned back. “Incas, Russkies and c****s. A poor capitalist conquistador doesn’t have a chance. Is the boss inside?”
“He’s waiting for you, Hank. See you later.”
Hank said, “Um-m-m,” and when the door clicked in response to the butto
