"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Let me pass, Marjorie, please," Liza said.

"That's an admission you don't don't have your act together," Marjorie accused. "You still love him." have your act together," Marjorie accused. "You still love him."

"I didn't say I don't love the sonofabitch," Liza said. "I said I wasn't going to go through the pain of losing a husband again, or, worse, put Allan through something like that. I gave him the choice, the Army, or Allan and me, and it wasn't Allan and me."

Marjorie didn't reply.

"I don't want to be a camp follower, Marjorie. And there's no reason we have to be. You heard about the money he got from his father's estate?"

"Not in much detail," Marjorie said. "I overheard Craig Lowell tell my father that his sister and brother-in-law had tried to cheat him."

"They did. And didn't get away with it. Jack came out of that with two million three hundred twenty thousand dollars. And change."

"I had no idea it was that much," Marjorie said.

"It would have been more, if he had been willing to stick her the way she tried to stick him. But he's an officer and a gentleman, and he wanted 'to be fair.' "

"That's hardly a character flaw," Marjorie said.

"With that kind of money, and with what I've got, we could have really built a life for ourselves. I'd have done anything he wanted, the whole 'whither thou goest' routine, as long as it wasn't someplace the Army could find him and send him off somewhere to get killed."

"My father spent his entire life in the Army, and he's alive," Marjorie said.

"And all her life, your mother worried herself sick that he would be," Liza said. "I've been down that road. You're about to start down it yourself. I don't have that kind of strength. Not an opinion. A fact. I waited for Allan to come back, I prayed-my God, how I prayed-that he would come back. And he did. In a casket. And I damned near died. I'm not going to go through that again, because I know I couldn't handle it again."

They looked at each other a moment.

"We're on opposite sides on this one, Marjorie," Liza said. "I hope the same thing doesn't happen to you. I'll pray that it doesn't happen to you, but thank you just the same, I'll pass on being your matron of honor."

"You don't have to talk to him," Marjorie said. "All you have to do is be there for me. You're the best friend I've ever had."

Liza looked at her and raised her empty glass.

"You want another one of these?"

"I'm not half through with this one," Marjorie said.

"But you don't mind if I do, right?" Liza said, and went to the counter to fix herself another drink.

"Not so long as you don't get plastered and give Allan one with gin in it," Marjorie said, and then, very softly. "Please, Liza?"

Liza didn't reply until she had made herself a fresh drink and walked up to Marjorie.

"It would be understood that I wouldn't try to talk to the sonofabitch, right? And that nobody tries 'to fix things'?"

"Deal," Marjorie said.

"Okay, then. Tell me all the giddy details."

[ TWO ].

Flight Planning Base Operations Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina 0730 21 December 1964 "You check the weather, Lieutenant?" Major Pappy Hodges said when he walked up to Jack, who was laying out an IFR course to return to Fort Rucker.

"Yes, sir."

"And?"

"Couldn't be any better, sir," Jack said.

"What is that you're doing, Lieutenant?"

"Preparing an IFR flight plan for your approval, sir."

"Usually, when I'm going from here to Rucker, I head catty-cornered across South Carolina until I find Aiken or North Augusta, or maybe Bamberg for a piss and fuel stop, then cut across Georgia to Fort Benning, and then fly down the river until I start recognizing the local area around Rucker. Do you think you could do that without flying us into the ground?"

"Yes, sir, I think I can handle that."

"Doing it that way will be quicker than going IFR, so file a VFR to Bamberg," Hodges ordered. "You can change it en route, if we're closer to North Augusta."

"Yes, sir."

"If I didn't mention this before, Lieutenant Portet, you have successfully completed your check ride in cross-country flight using instrument flight rules."

"Thank you, sir."

"And since you came back from the boonies, you have also successfully completed your check ride in landing on unimproved strips."

"Thank you, sir."

"You see anything interesting out there?"

Jack hesitated.

"You can tell me, Lieutenant," Hodges said. "As I am now, goddamn it, possessed of a Top Secret/Earnest security clearance."

"Father's training a dozen or so guys, black guys, out there to go to the Congo. A couple of them speak pretty good Swahili."

"Felter's fucking him, too, after what he went through, to get him involved over there again so soon."

"I don't think he minds," Jack said. "He seemed happy doing what he was doing. And Jesus, did I get a lesson in leadership."

"Meaning what?"

"All these guys are Green Berets, tough and smart, and here comes a honky airplane driver."

"That must have been interesting," Pappy said, smiling.

"By the time Father was through with them, he had them believing I was John Wayne, and the best thing that happened to them this year. Christ, it was masterful!"

"Just so long as you don't start believing it," Pappy said. Then he added, thoughtfully, "There's a very few guys-a very few- around who are natural leaders. Father's one of them."

"Yeah," Jack said, and took a chance. "You learn anything interesting? "

"You're not supposed to ask questions, Lieutenant, you know that."

"Sorry, sir."

"Felter's going to Germany, but he'll be back in time for your wedding," Pappy said. "And as soon as I can do it, I'm to get you checked out in the L-23. Then you and I are going to go out to Wichita, Kansas, and pick one up from the factory. We'll ferry it back to Rucker, where it will be equipped with the navigation equipment-and maybe auxiliary fuel tanks-necessary for a flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and subsequent service in what Felter calls 'the Southern Cone of South America.' "

"Buenos Aires? What the hell is that all about?"

"You're not supposed to ask questions, Pappy, you know that," Pappy said, in a perfect mimicry of Felter's New York accent.

Jack smiled at him.

"Craig Lowell's probably involved in this somehow," Pappy said. "He's going to Germany with Felter." He paused, then, making it clear the subject of the their conversation had changed, asked, "I don't suppose you have any Beaver time, do you, Jack?"

"I've got about eight hours in one," Jack replied. "DeHavilland really tried to sell them in Africa; they loaned us one for two weeks, even paid for the fuel. They're great little airplanes, but the distances in the Congo didn't make them practical for us."

"That's next on your agenda," Pappy said. "When we get to Rucker, I'll give you an hour or so in ours, then arrange for someone to give you a check ride in the morning. Then from the Beaver to the Otter, and then the L-23."

"Yes, sir."

"Let's get this show on the road, Lieutenant," Pappy said.

"Yes, sir."

As he climbed out of Pope, Jack turned and looked in the backseat and saw that Pappy was already asleep with his head resting on the pillow he had brought with him.

[ THREE ].

SECRET SECRETCentral Intelligence Agency Langley, VirginiaFROM : Assistant Director For Administration Assistant Director For AdministrationFROM: 20 December 1964 2305 GMT 20 December 1964 2305 GMTSUBJECT : Guevara, Ernesto (Memorandum #4.) Guevara, Ernesto (Memorandum #4.) TO: Mr. Sanford T. Felter Mr. Sanford T. Felter Counselor To The President Room 637, The Executive Office Building Washington, D.C.By CourierIn compliance with Presidential Memorandum to The Director, Subject: "Ernesto 'Che' Guevara," dated 14 December 1964, the following information is furnished:1. (Reliability Scale Five) (From CIA, Algiers, Algeria) SUBJECT met 1600-1825 GMT 19 December 1964 with Ben Bella, Chief of State of the Algerian Government at the Presidential Palace. No official announcement of the meeting was made.2. (Reliability Scale Five). SUBJECT at 1905 GMT 19 December 1964 returned to residence of Cuban Ambassador. There have been many visitors to the residence, identities are being developed.

Howard W. O'Connor HOWARD W. O'CONNORSECRET [ FOUR ].

The Southern Star, Ozark, Alabama, 23 December 1964: Ozark, Alabama, 23 December 1964: MISS MARJORIE BELLMON MARRIESBy Joe AdamsFort Rucker Dec 23- Miss Marjorie W. Bellmon, of Fort Rucker, was united in marriage this afternoon to First Lieutenant Jacques E. Portet, in an Episcopal Ceremony at Chapel Number One at Fort Rucker.The bride, a graduate of Southern Methodist University, is the daughter of Major General and Mrs. Robert F. Bellmon. General Bellmon is the Commanding General of Fort Rucker and the Army Aviation Center. Prior to her marriage, she was employed by the First National Bank of Ozark. marriage, she was employed by the First National Bank of Ozark.Lieutenant Portet, a graduate of the Free University of Brussels (Belgium) , is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Portet of Ocean Reef, Florida. He is stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C.The bride was attended by Mrs. Allan Wood, of Ozark, as her matron of honor, and the groom's sister, Jeanine Portet, served as flower girl. Miss Bellmon was given in marriage by her father. Mr. Portet served as his son's best man. Mrs. John D. Roberts, of Ozark, sang "I Love You Truly" during the ceremony. The organist was Mrs. Nancy Higham, of Ozark.The newly united couple left the chapel beneath an arc of sabers, following military tradition. The saber bearers were commanded by Captain John S. Oliver of Fort Rucker.A reception followed at the Fort Rucker Officers' Open Mess. Following a wedding trip to Florida, the couple will reside in Fort Bragg, N.C.

The Army Flier, Army Flier, Fort Rucker, Ala., 23 December 1964: Fort Rucker, Ala., 23 December 1964: COMMANDING GENERAL'S DAUGHTER MARRIESBY PFC Charles E. WhaleyFort Rucker 23 Dec- Miss Marjorie Waterford Bellmon, daughter of Fort Rucker Commanding General and Mrs. Robert F. Bellmon was married this afternoon at Chapel #1 in a ceremony conducted by Chaplain (Col.) H. Dennis Smythe to First Lieutenant J. E. Portet, Inf.Major General Bellmon gave the bride in marriage, and her brother, Second Lieutenant Robert F. Bellmon, Armor (USMA '64), served as an usher. Miss Bellmon was attended by Mrs. Allan Wood as her matron of honor. '64), served as an usher. Miss Bellmon was attended by Mrs. Allan Wood as her matron of honor.Captain Jean-Philippe Portet, who "flew the Hump" in the China-Burma -India Theater as a Captain, US Army Air Corps, during World War II, and is now Chief Pilot of Air Simba, the state airline of the former Belgian Congo, served as Lieutenant Portet's best man.Major General Bellmon (USMA '39) is the son of the late Major General and Mrs. Herbert Bellmon, USA, and Mrs. Bellmon is the daughter of the late Major General and Mrs. Porterman K. Waterford, USA. Her brother, Brig Gen Porterman K. Waterford IV (USMA '42), is Commandant of Cadets at the US Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.First Lieutenant Portet, who is an Army Aviator and Parachutist, is qualified in multiengine aircraft, and holds a Special Instrument Rating. He has also completed Special Forces ("Green Beret") training. He is assigned as an Aviation Officer on the staff of the Commanding General, at the John F. Kennedy Center for Special Warfare, Fort Bragg, N.C.Following the nuptial ceremony, 1st Lt and Mrs. Portet exited the chapel beneath an arc of swords. The honor platoon of officers was commanded by Captain John S. Oliver, Armor, until recently aide-de -camp to Major General Bellmon.A reception was held at the Fort Rucker Officers' Open Mess, following which First Lieutenant and Mrs. Portet departed for a wedding trip to Florida. They will reside at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Mrs. Liza Wood did not speak to Captain John S. Oliver during the wedding rehearsal, nor the wedding dinner, nor during the wedding itself, and she did not attend the reception.

[ FIVE ].

Room 1105 Ocean Breeze Motel Panama City, Florida 0845 24 December 1964 Mrs. Jacques Emile Portet leaned over her husband, who was asleep on his back, took his nipple between her fingers, and pinched it.

"Mon Dieu!" he yelped, and sat up. "What the hell was that all about?" he yelped, and sat up. "What the hell was that all about?"

"Oh, I like like it when you talk French!" she said. "Good morning, husband. Sleep well?" it when you talk French!" she said. "Good morning, husband. Sleep well?"

"Oh, yeah. And you obviously have something against that?"

"No, not at all," Marjorie said. "But now that we are married, and that marriage has been duly-and I must say well-consummated . . ."

"Thank you very much. Be sure to tell your friends."

"We have to talk, and the way you looked, you were going to sleep until noon."

"Talk about what?"

"What happens now."

"I think the plan was to get up, have breakfast, and take off for Ocean Reef."

"I mean, after Ocean Reef."

"We go back to Rucker. I have to be there January second- but, as we discussed, wife, we could go back in time for New Year's Eve at the club, if that is your desire."

"Then?"

"Then Pappy and I go out to Wichita and pick up an L-23 at the Beechcraft plant, which I will then fly back to Rucker. I will then stand around the SCATSA hangar and watch them do whatever they're going to do with the L-23. And when they've finished doing whatever they're going to do with the L-23, I will take it to Bragg, while my bride drives the family Jaguar up there."

" ' Family Family Jaguar'? Didn't I hear you say, before God and a chapel full of people, that you were about to endow me with Jaguar'? Didn't I hear you say, before God and a chapel full of people, that you were about to endow me with all all your worldly goods?" your worldly goods?"

"I wasn't thinking about my Jaguar when I made that promise, " he said. He paused. "But if you want the Jag, baby, it's yours. Wedding present. And if driving it up there bothers you, honey, I could deliver the L-23 up there, catch a commercial flight back to Rucker, and we could drive up there together, in your your Jaguar." Jaguar."

"You do understand I was pulling your leg?"

"I don't know. I don't have much experience dealing with a wife."

"So far, you're doing very well," she said. "And now that I've had a chance to think about it, I sort of like the sound of 'family Jaguar.' " Jaguar.' "

"Whatever I have is yours, baby," Jack said.

She lowered her face to his and kissed him, at first very tenderly.

Five minutes later, lying with her face against his chest, she asked: "What's that all about?"

"What's what all about?"