“Yes, sir,” Miller said. “And, sir, he ordered me not to divulge that.”
“Did Major Castillo tell you what he was doing for the president in Angola?”
“Yes, sir. He said that he had been sent to look into the missing 727 aircraft.”
Jesus Christ, this is unreal. Every intelligence agency under the moon is looking for that aircraft and Miller is telling me the president personally sent a major to find it?
It is so unreal that I’m starting to believe it.
Colonel Grasher pressed the button on his intercom.
“Omar, would you see if General Potter can give me five minutes?”
“Yes, sir. Right away, sir. Colonel, I have . . . uh . . . a message about Major Miller.”
“Bring it in,” Grasher ordered.
“Yes, sir.”
Master Sergeant Perez appeared almost immediately, walked to Colonel Grasher’s desk, and laid a sheet of radioteletype paper on it. Master Sergeant Perez avoided looking at Major Miller as he walked out of the office.
Colonel Grasher picked up the message and read it.
SECRET
PRIORITY
1005 8 JUNE 2005
FROM COMMANDING GENERAL DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WASH DC
TO COMMANDING GENERAL US CENTRAL COMMAND MACDILL AF BASE FLA
ATTN: SPECIAL ACTIVITIES SECTION, J-5
SUBJECT MILLER, H RICHARD, JR, MAJ, SPF, RELIEF OF1. THE DIRECTOR CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY HAS SUMMARILY RELIEVED SUBJECT OFFICER FOR CAUSE, REVOKED SUBJECT OFFICER’S SECURITY CLEARANCES, AND ORDERED THAT HE BE RETURNED TO US ARMY CONTROL.
2. IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, COMMANDING GENERAL, DIA, HAS RELIEVED SUBJECT OFFICER AS ASSISTANT MILITARY ATTACHÉ US EMBASSY, LUANDA, ANGOLA, REVOKED ANY SECURITY CLEARANCES SUBJECT OFFICER MAY HAVE BEEN GRANTED BY DIA AND ORDERED THAT SUBJECT OFFICER BE RETURNED TO HIS UNIT OF ORIGIN, SPECIAL ACTIVITIES SECTION, J-5, US CENTRAL COMMAND. SUBJECT OFFICER’ S TRAVEL ROUTING AND ETA WILL BE FURNISHED WHEN AVAILABLE.
3. IT IS THE UNDERSTANDING OF THIS HQ THAT THE ALLEGATIONS MADE AGAINST SUBJECT OFFICER INVOLVE A SECURITY BREACH OF THE MOST SERIOUS NATURE; INSUBORDINATION; EXCEEDING HIS LAWFUL
AUTHORITY; AND CONDUCT UNBECOMING AN OFFICER AND GENTLEMAN. THE REPORT OF AN INVESTIGATION WHICH WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU WHEN AVAILABLE.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL, DIA
ROBERT B. STAMMLE
COL, MI
CHIEF, DEFENSE ATTACHÉ SYSTEM
DIRECTORATE FOR HUMAN INTELLIGENCE
DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
SECRET
Grasher laid the message on his desk and looked at Miller.