"What did they do?" Pistarini asked.

"His grandfather was a lawyer," Lowell said, "who was known for saying unkind things about Communists. And then Guevara knew that Enrico had flown a Cuban Air Force fighter to Florida, saying that as a Catholic he was obliged to fight Castro."

"And what does he think of the decision to keep Guevara alive?"

"He's every bit as enthusiastic about it as you and Father," Lowell said.

Rangio laughed. "I look forward to meeting him," he said. "When the airplane is delivered, and that should be shortly, there will be other people concerned with this aboard. A master sergeant named Thomas, who will be going to the Congo with Father; an officer who was raised in the Congo, and is helping train Father's people; and another officer who will be coordinating things at Fort Bragg. I'd like them to learn as much as they can about Guevara-what you have on him, where he was raised, that sort of thing."

" 'Know your enemy,' eh?" Pistarini said. "Work out the details between you, Willi."

"Yes, sir."

"And now, gentlemen," Pistarini said, "I think we should have a brandy and call it a night. It's been a very busy day."

IX.

[ ONE ].

Circulo Militar Plaza San Martin Buenos Aires, Argentina 0915 4 January 1965 Lieutenant Colonel Craig W. Lowell came into the sitting room of the suite in a tropical worsted uniform. It bore the silver-leaf oak leaves of his rank on its epaulets: four rows of four-wide colored ribbons, plus one on top of these. The single ribbon was that of the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second-highest award for gallantry in action. The other ribbons represented other decorations, United States and foreign, including the Purple Heart medal with two oak-leaf clusters, indicating he had three times been wounded in combat, and what he thought of as his "I was there" ribbons, attesting that he had served in the European Theatre of Operations, the Army of Occupation in Germany, Korea, and the Republic of Vietnam.

Immediately below the ribbons were the wings of the parachutist, and immediately above them the silver wings with a wreathed star indicating he was a Master Army Aviator. Above these was the only device he thought meant a damn, a wreathed blue oblong box with a musket inside, the Combat Infantry Badge. His had a star within the wreath, indicating the second award.

Over the other breast pocket were devices indicating and representing the Distinguished Unit Citations of the United States and the Republic of Korea, and pinned to the blouse pocket beneath was the badge attesting that he had served on the General Staff of the U.S. Army. His lapels carried the insignia of the General Staff Corps.

Major George Washington Lunsford was similarly uniformed. He had fewer ribbons, the one on top of the others the Silver Star, with clusters indicating he had won the third-highest decoration three times. He, too, had won the Combat Infantry Badge, but only once. His parachutist's wings, however, had a wreath and a star, indicating he was a Master Parachutist. His lapels carried the crossed rifles of infantry, and there was no GSC badge, but that pocket of his uniform carried the parachutists wings of the Vietnamese, the Australians, and the Germans.

He held a leather-brimmed uniform cap in one hand, and a green beret in the other.

"If I may be permitted to say so, mi coronel, mi coronel, you look like death warmed over in a splendidly tailored uniform," Lunsford said. you look like death warmed over in a splendidly tailored uniform," Lunsford said.

"I was doing all right until Pistarini said 'Let's have a brandy and call it a day,' or words to that effect," Lowell said. "What he obviously meant was let's have a bottle of brandy, each."

"What was that all about?" Lunsford asked.

"I think by then he understood that Peron was really on his way back to Spain, and he could really relax."

"If Peron had come back, Pistarini would have been in trouble?"

"And so would we," Lowell said. "Peron hates all things American, or North American, as I learned to say last night. We would have gotten zero help with him running things."

"My memory is a little fuzzy, but we did come out of the place smelling like a rose, didn't we?"

"Yeah, I think we did," Lowell said. "I don't think that was the booze talking. And Rangio has contacts in Chile, Bolivia, the other places, that we can't come close to."

"And you think he's on board?"

"I think (a) he's on board, and (b) will do what Pistarini tells him to do."

"Which hat, boss?" Father asked, holding up the green beret and the service cap.

"The brimmed one," Lowell said.

"Did you forget yours?"

"No. It's in my briefcase, and when we accept Pistarini's kind offer-let's hope he remembers it-to join him for the cocktail hour at the Edificio Libertador, I'm going to wear it. But brimmed caps for the embassy, I think."

Lunsford opened his briefcase and stuffed the green beret in it.

"You don't wear yours much, do you?" he asked.

"It makes me a little uncomfortable," Lowell said. "I got fathered into Special Forces. I've made only seven parachute jumps, I never went through Mackall, and I really don't know how to bite the head off a chicken."

Father smiled. "One of them was a HALO,2I understand?"

"My first first was a HALO," Lowell said. "Red Hanrahan did that to me. I thought I was going to watch a HALO, and the next thing I know, two of his thugs grabbed my arms and dragged me off the open ramp of a C-130 at 30,000 feet." was a HALO," Lowell said. "Red Hanrahan did that to me. I thought I was going to watch a HALO, and the next thing I know, two of his thugs grabbed my arms and dragged me off the open ramp of a C-130 at 30,000 feet."

Father laughed.

"That was Hanrahan's way of announcing that the army had decided that since Special Forces had really gotten started in Greece, and people who had served there-you knew Hanrahan was our colonel there, Felter's and mine?-"

Lunsford nodded.

"-so anybody who was there could consider himself a Green Beret."

"I thought it got started in Korea?"

"Not by that name," Lowell said. "Bull Simon came back from Korea and started it at Bragg."

"Just for the record, mi coronel, mi coronel, I think you're as entitled to the beret as anybody I ever met," Lunsford said. I think you're as entitled to the beret as anybody I ever met," Lunsford said.

Lowell looked at him for a moment.

"Thank you," he said simply.

"My name is Lowell, Corporal," Lowell said to the Marine guard in the lobby of the American Embassy. "This is Major Lunsford. We'd like to see Colonel Harris, the army attache, please."

"Sir, Colonel McGrory left word that if you showed up here, I was to send you to his office."

"You've relayed Colonel McGrory's message, Corporal. Now please call Colonel Harris and tell him that I'd like to see him," Lowell snapped, and was immediately sorry. "Corporal, the truth is I'm just a little hungover. I didn't mean to snap at you."

The Marine corporal didn't reply, but he picked up his telephone, dialed a number, and told whoever answered, "U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Lowell and one other officer to see Colonel Harris."

Master Sergeant Douglas Wilson came into the foyer less than two minutes later. He saluted.

"Good morning, sir. We've been expecting you. Sir, the defense attache, Colonel McGrory, wants to see you right away."

"Sergeant, I'll see Colonel McGrory when I've completed my business with Colonel Harris."

"Yes, sir. Right this way, please, gentlemen?"

The moment they were out of sight, the Marine Corporal called the office of the defense attache.

"Office of the defense attache, Master Sergeant Ulrich speaking, sir."

"Corporal Young at Post One, Sergeant. That Army colonel your colonel was looking for just came in the building. With a major."

"I'll come get him."

"Sergeant, he told me to call Colonel Harris's office, and Colonel Harris sent his sergeant to fetch him."

"Okay. Colonel McGrory's on the can. The minute he comes out, I'll tell him. Thank you."

The Marine corporal broke the connection and dialed another number.

"Mr. Stephens, this is Corporal Young at Post One. That Army officer you were asking about just came into the building. He's on his way to Colonel Harris's office."

Lowell, with Lunsford on his heels, marched into Colonel Harris's office, came to attention, and saluted.

"Sir, Lieutenant Colonel Lowell and Major Lunsford. Thank you for seeing us."

Harris returned the salute.

"Colonel, did my sergeant major tell you that Colonel McGrory has expressed a strong desire that you report to him immediately, whenever you came into the embassy?"

"Yes, sir, he did," Lowell replied, still at attention. "I have no business with Colonel McGrory, but I'll see him when I'm finished here."

"Colonel, Colonel McGrory's request is really in the nature of an order."

"Sir, may I show you my orders?" Lowell said. "They specifically state that both Major Lunsford and myself remain-"

Colonel H. Robert McGrory, USAF, visibly agitated, stormed into the room.

"Colonel Lowell," Colonel Harris said, "Colonel H. Robert McGrory, the defense attache."

"Do you know how to obey orders, Colonel?" McGrory inquired.

"Yes, sir, I think I do."

"Then, it might be fairly said, you have willfully disobeyed my orders?"

"Sir, with respect, you are not in a position to issue orders to me or Major Lunsford."

"Goddamn your impertinence!" McGrory flared. "I am the senior military officer attached to the U.S. Embassy and-" he stopped in midsentence, having seen Mr. J. F. Stephens, the administrative officer for housing and medical services of the United States Information Service standing in Harris's open door.

"Mr. Stephens," McGrory said. "If you're here to see Colonel Harris, give me just a minute, and these officers and I will be out of here."

"Actually, Colonel," Stephens said softly. "I'm here to see Colonel Lowell. Could you give me a minute, please?"

"Yes, of course," McGrory said. "Colonel Lowell, you understand that you are to report to me immediately after Mr. Stephens concludes his business with you?"

"Yes, sir," Lowell said.

McGrory left. Stephens closed the door.

"I called the Circulo Militar, and they told me you were coming here," Stephens said. He took a folded sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to Lowell.

SECRETCentral Intelligence Agency Langley, VirginiaFROM: Assistant Director For Administration Assistant Director For AdministrationFROM: 3 January 1965 2115 GMT 3 January 1965 2115 GMTSUBJECT : Guevara, Ernesto (Memorandum #17.) Guevara, Ernesto (Memorandum #17.) 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, Brazzaville, Congo (Brazzaville) SUBJECT arrived Brazzaville 0835 GMT 2 January 1965 aboard UTA Flight 4505. He was met at airfield by Prime Minister Pascal LISSOUBA and taken to Cuban Embassy.2. (Reliability Scale Five) (From CIA, Brazzaville) SUBJECT met with President Alphonse MASSEMBA-DEBAT and LISSOUBA at Presidential Residence at 1245 GMT 2 January 1965 for lunch.3. (Reliability Scale Three) (From CIA source) At luncheon MASSEMBA-DEBAT and LISSOUBA asked for Cuban military aid and expressed willingness to cooperate with liberation movement. SUBJECT promised to furnish instructors for guerrilla operations, weapons, and money.

Howard W. O'Connor HOWARD W. O'CONNOR SECRET.

Lowell read it and handed it to Lunsford.

"Colonel, I'm sorry," he said to Harris, "but I happen to know you don't have the right clearance for that."

"I understand," Harris said.

"Will there be a reply, Colonel?" Stephens asked.

"Not a reply, but I sure would like access to your hot line, Mr. Stephens."

"None of my business, of course, but could your message have something to do with Colonel McGrory?"

"Indeed it does," Lowell said.

"Same address as before?" Mr. Stephens asked.

"Right," Lowell said. "Colonel, could I have a sheet of paper?" Stephens gestured with his hand that that would not be necessary. He walked to Harris's desk and held his hand over one of the telephones on it.

"Okay, Dick?"

"Help yourself," Colonel Harris said. "Would you like me to step outside for a moment?"

"Up to Colonel Lowell," Stephens said as he picked up the telephone.

"Is that what I think it is?" Lowell asked.

"This is Stephens," the mousy little man said. "Put me through to the farm, please."

There was a slight pause.

"Put me through to the White House switchboard," Stephens said. He handed the phone to Lowell. "I presume you know the extension?"