Top Secret (Clandestine Operations 1)

I didn’t even think before that came out of my mouth.

Maybe what I really should be is a Special Services comedian, entertaining the troops.

The lieutenant and the tech sergeant laughed.

“Maybe I should try that,” the lieutenant said. He put out his hand. “Sir, my name is Stratford”—he pointed at the sergeants one at a time—“and this is Tech Sergeant Mitchell, Staff Sergeant Kramer, and Sergeant Fortin.”

Cronley shook their hands. None of them said a word.

“Sir, we’ve got a system for you,” Stratford said. “I guess you know that?”

Cronley nodded.

“I think you also know what kind of a system,” the lieutenant said. “The one classified Top Secret.”

“I’ve been wondering where you got it,” Cronley said.

“Major McClung . . .” He paused, asking with his eyes if Cronley knew who he meant.

“Iron Lung. Also known as ‘the Whisperer.’”

That got smiles from the two junior sergeants, a look of displeasure from the tech sergeant, and an uncomfortable smile from Lieutenant Stratford.

“Major McClung,” Stratford went on, “had one system in the vault with the crypto machines. There was a sign on it, ‘Not to Be Issued Without Specific Authorization from CO, ASA Europe.’ I guess we now have that authorization. You have the access code, right? Otherwise we’re just spinning our wheels.”

“I have the access code for the SIGABA at Kloster Grünau, if that’s what you mean,” Cronley said.

“Major McClung told us we’re not supposed to say out loud either of the two things you just said out loud,” Technical Sergeant Mitchell said.

“Thank you, Sergeant Mitchell, I’ll keep that in mind,” Cronley said, then turned to Stratford. “What do you mean, without the code we’ll be spi

nning our wheels?”

“Well, we can install those unnamed devices, but they won’t work without the access code. Major McClung didn’t give it to us.”

“Probably because he didn’t have it,” Cronley replied. “How long is it going to take you to get these nameless devices up and running?”

“Not long. The ASA guys here in Munich—the ones who are going to move in here—put up the antennas with the antenna farm they’re going to use. They were not told what they were for and know better than to ask. They ran a buried cable over there.”

He pointed between the headquarters and liaison officer buildings. Cronley saw a coil of heavily insulated cable.

“So all we have to do is run that into wherever you want these installed in your building.”

“Let’s do it.”

“Before we do: Major McClung said he thinks you know how to operate these things, but not how to maintain them. True?”

“True.”

“All of us have Top Secret clearances . . .”

“What about Lindbergh?”

“Lindbergh?”

“Top Secret–Lindbergh.”

“Never heard of it.”