“Then let’s make sure he doesn’t hear about it until after we pull it off, and Mrs. Whatsername and the kids are in Argentina. Then we’ll tell him and maybe he won’t be so furious.”
“My God!” Ashton said.
“How do we get to Vienna?” Schultz asked.
“On the train,” Cronley said.
“Is it too far to drive? I’d like to have wheels in Vienna.”
“It’s not far, Lieutenant Schultz,” Gehlen said. “It’s about a six-hour drive. The problem is—”
“Why don’t you try calling me ‘Chief,’ General? I’m more comfortable with that.”
“Cer
tainly. Chief, the problem is crossing the borders. Austria has been divided among the Allies. The American Zone of Austria abuts the American Zone of Germany. Permission, even for Americans, is required to move across that border. And then, like Berlin, Vienna is an island within the Russian Zone of Austria. Permission is required to cross the Russian Zone.”
“Permission from who?” El Jefe asked. “The Russians?”
“Freddy?” Cronley said.
“I don’t know if this applies here,” Hessinger said, “but if someone from the Twenty-third CIC wants to go to Vienna, I would cut travel orders. Major Wallace went there a couple of weeks ago. I cut travel orders for him, and then took them to Munich Military Post, who stamped them approved. You need that to get on the train. That would work for Captain Cronley, but Oberst Mannberg and Ostrowski?”
“Because they’re not American, you mean?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Not a problem,” Schultz said.
“Not a problem?” Cronley parroted.
“I have goodies in my briefcase, in addition to the start-up money,” Schultz said. He went into his briefcase and rummaged through it. He came up with a plastic-covered identity card and handed it to Cronley.
On one side was Schultz’s photo. Above it were the letters DCI. Below it was the number 77, printed in red. On the other side was the legend:
Office of the President of the United States
Directorate of Central Intelligence
Washington, D.C.
The Bearer of This Identity Document
Oscar J. Schultz
Is acting with the authority of the President of the United States as an officer of the Directorate of Central Intelligence. Any questions regarding him or his activities should be addressed to the undersigned only.
Sidney W. Souers
Sidney W. Souers, Rear Admiral
Director, U.S. Directorate of Central Intelligence
“After we put Colonel Mannberg’s—and the English-Polack’s—pictures on one of these, do you think this Munich Military Post is going to ask them if they’re American?” El Jefe asked.
“Very impressive,” Cronley said. “Do I get one of these?”
He handed the card to Gehlen.