Alex assumed that this assignment was a subtle reference on Mulcahey’s part to Alex’s covert use of a dope mule. Kind of a deliberate shoulder tap there on the part of the Troupe jefe. To Alex’s deep relief, Mulcahey almost never took any notice of Alex, favorable or unfavorable. He’d never called Alex in for one of those head-to-head encounter sessions that seemed to leave the other Troupers so bent out of shape. But every once in a while there would be these ambiguous little jabs. Intended, Alex figured, to intimidate him, to assure him that Mulcahey did have an eye on him, so he wouldn’t try anything really stupid. When you came right down to it, this tactic worked pretty well.