"That's not going to happen. But-if I can figure some way to get the C-45 into the country-we'll probably have to take pictures of it."
"Don't bust your ass trying to get that C-45 into the country," Tony said. "One trip like the last one is enough for me, thank you. And what is this picture-taking bullshit all about, anyway?"
"The idea, I think, is that if we have photographs of the ship actually supplying a submarine, then when we take it out-either with another sub, or with bombers, whatever-and the Portuguese or the Spanish start screaming, they can show them the pictures, and say, 'Yeah, we sank it. This is why, fuck you.' "
"Let me get this straight. What you're saying is that all we, our team, has to do is find the new ship, take pictures of it supplying a submarine, and Ashton and his team will do everything else."
"They will use our radio to communicate with the sub." Clete said. "But yeah, until something else comes up, and it probably will, that's about it. What I'm supposed to do is try to tilt Argentina-influence the people who will run Argentina after the coup-toward the United States. Or at least keep them from tilting the other way. If I don't do something stupid, I don't think that will get me in serious trouble. I don't intend to blow up the Casa Rosada, Tony." (The Casa Rosada-"The Pink House," so-called because of its color-is Argentina's seat of government.)
"That's all?" Tony asked in disbelief.
"That's it."
"What's my relationship to Commander Whatsisname?"
"None. He knows who you are, of course. But I am still in command of our team."
"Ettinger and the Chief, too?"
Christ, I didn't think to ask Graham about the Chief. The Chief is assigned to the Office of the Naval Attach‚, and Delojo's liable to assume he belongs to him. And Graham didn't say anything. And Graham avoided the question when I asked him about my relationship with Delojo. Damn!
"Until I hear otherwise, the Chief is part of our team. We need him to run the radio station. Ettinger can't run it by himself."
"Where do you get your orders? From Delojo? Doesn't a commander out-rank a major?"
Absolutely. Is that why Graham avoided my question, because I should have understood that? But he didn't answer the question. So fuck him, until it's spelled out, I do not take my orders from Delojo.
"That doesn't apply here," Clete said. "I get my orders from Graham."
"Jesus, you had me worried there for a minute."
"Don't rub it in his face, but if he starts something you don't like, tell me, and I'll stop it. I don't think it will happen. When he gets here, I'll make sure he understands that you, Ettinger, and the Chief work for me."
"Good."
"How are they, by the way? I went looking for Dave, but he wasn't home."
"He's
at the radio station. They're fine. I go out there every couple of days-when I'm not inventorying the PX, or some other bullshit-and bring them cigarettes, stuff from the PX, et cetera, and their mail."
"They stay out there?"
"The Chief does. Ettinger spends most of his time in Buenos Aires. The estancia is a good place for us to meet."
"I'm driving out there first thing in the morning. I'll come out to the station to see you and Ettinger and the Chief, but I don't want either you or Ettinger to come to the house. They're having another funeral service for my father, for the people on the estancia. And a lot of people will be out there that I don't want to see you and start wondering."
"Right. These people that are going to be out there? G.O.U.?"
"You know about the G.O.U.?"
Tony nodded.
"Yeah, Leibermann told me. They're about to overthrow the government."
"Who told you?"
"Milt Leibermann. They call him the Legal Attach‚, but what he really is is the FBI guy. And he knows who we really work for. And he wants to talk to you, too, just as soon as possible."