BODY COUNT

A sharpshooting Washington p.r. man does a little moonlighting as an assassin. It's okay. The President gave him permission. Author Hunt (Guadalajara, Murder in State, etc.) knows all about that stuff. The killing is for a good cause, of course. Driven to distraction by the druglords, the President sends his gofers to Ranger-turned-flack Tom Burke's suburban Virginia farm to see whether he'll take out three of the worst international dealers for the good of his country. Burke drives a hard bargain. He wants his stock-manipulator brother transferred to a nicer prison, and he wants the President's personal assurance that the job is on the level. With that top-level assurance secretly on tape, Burke says goodbye to his pretty, equestrian neighbor and flies to New Mexico to Get Tough at a supersecret training camp. The fitness course ends in a bloody shootout, and a thoughtful Burke travels to Mexico to take both ears and nose from Druglord #1. After a smooch break with the neighbor in Virginia, it's off to Switzerland for Druglord #2. Druglord #3, a Sapphic Syrian beauty, is a little trickier. Not only is she extremely attractive, but she's also rather nice as druglords go. To get close to her, Burke has to, you know, Get Close. But why isn't there better support from Headquarters? Are they thinking of backing out of the deal? For the James Bond generation. Lots of steaks and wine.