In Colombia, the drug-financed guerrillas trying to seize the country and destroy democracy include M-19, which Castro has clearly backed. Robert Merkel, a former U.S. attorney handling drug indictments in Florida, doesn't think for a minute that Castro's much publicized trials of high officials engaged in the drug trade mean he has broken off with the Medellin drug cartel. "If the cartel succeeds in blackmailing the Colombian authorities into negotiations, the cartel will be in control and Fidel can exploit his past relationships with them," he told the Journal's David Asman recently. The struggle against the drug lords in Colombia will be a near thing. This week, the government arrested Jose Abello Silva, said to be the fourth-ranking cartel leader. He will probably be extradited to the U.S. for trial under an extradition treaty President Virgilia Barco has revived. Later, another high-ranking trafficker, Leonidas Vargas, was arrested and 1,000 pounds of dynamite seized. Mr. Barco has refused U.S. troops or advisers but has accepted U.S. military aid. President Bush has agreed to meet within 90 days with Mr. Barco, President Alan Garcia of Peru and President Jaime Paz Zamora of Bolivia to discuss the drug problem. It might not be a bad idea to do that sooner, rather than later. After the Panama fiasco, they will need some reassurance. Certainly, the Colombian press is much in need of that.

Who will probably be extradited to the United States?

Dr. Alex Cross is a psychiatrist and police lieutenant who lives in Detroit with his wife , Maria , their children , Damon and Janelle , and his grandmother , Nana Mama . Upon learning that Maria is pregnant with their third child , Cross considers accepting a job as an FBI profiler , but fears Maria's reaction , as it 'd require them to relocate to Washington , D.C. Meanwhile , a man called Picasso attends to an illegal underground Mixed Martial Arts fighting ring , where he flirts with businesswoman Fan Yau . After brutally beating his opponent , Picasso is invited to Fan Yau's house , where he sedates her while they 're having sex , tortures and kills her . Police Captain Richard Brookwell calls Cross and his partner , Tommy Kane , to the crime scene . On the way there , Cross tells Kane about Maria's pregnancy and the the FBI's offer , and Kane reveals that he is secretly dating their colleague , Monica Ashe . Cross deduces that Picasso is a professional assassin , and finds a sketch made behind by Picasso , revealing that his next target is businessman Erich Nunemarcher . Cross , Kane and Ashe go to Nunemarcher's office , but Nunemarcher ignores their claims . Picasso manages to enter the building , but is prevented from killing Nunemarcher by Cross , and escapes after being shot by Kane . Cross analyzes a drop of Picasso's blood and learns that he is a psychotic former member of the Special Forces and that his real target is billionaire CEO Leon Mercier . Cross informs Mercier that Picasso might be trying to kill him .

Who does Cross talk with during this story?

Charlie Y. Reader is a 35-year-old theatrical agent in New York , living a seemingly idyllic life as a bachelor . Numerous women ( among them Poppy , Helen , and Jessica come and go , cleaning and cooking for him . Charlie 's best friend since kindergarten , Joe McCall , who has a wife named Ethel and children in Indianapolis , comes to New York for a stay at Charlie 's apartment , claiming that the excitement is gone from his 11-year marriage and that he wants to leave his wife . Joe envies and is amazed by Charlie 's parade of girlfriends , while Charlie professes admiration for Joe 's married life and family . At an audition , Charlie meets singer-actress Julie Gillis . She has her life planned to a tight schedule , determined to marry and retire from performing to a life of child-rearing by 22 . Although at first she wards off Charlie 's advances , she comes to see him as the ideal man for her plans . Julie demands that Charlie stop seeing other women . Charlie balks , but he begins to fall in love with her . Joe starts keeping company with Sylvia Crewes , a sophisticated classical musician and a typically neglected lover of Charlie 's . Sylvia is approaching 33 and desires marriage as much as the younger Julie does . One day , annoyed by Julie and possibly jealous of Joe 's attentions , Charlie blurts out a proposal of marriage to Sylvia . She is thrilled , only to discover the morning after their engagement party that he has proposed to Julie as well . Joe confesses his love to Sylvia and asks her to marry him .
Charlie professes his admiration for whose family life?