"Yeah," Jack Portet and Johnny Oliver said at the same time.

"If his wife was here," Stephens said, "that would make things a lot better. He could have his own apartment, and drive a private car."

"Where are Zammoro and de la Santiago going to live?" Oliver asked.

"Embassy policy is that two bachelor officers share an apartment, " Stephens replied. "The housing officer has the authority to grant waivers to that rule."

The waiter delivered two-inch-thick New York strip steaks, a lettuce and tomato and onion salad, and a huge mound of what looked like very thick potato chips.

"The steak is called bife de chorizo," bife de chorizo," Stephens said. "The spuds are Stephens said. "The spuds are papas a la provenzal. papas a la provenzal. Enjoy." Enjoy."

He signaled to the waiter to bring another bottle of wine.

"So what I have to do is see if Colonel Felter will send Otmanio's wife down here," Oliver said.

"What you have to do is decide whether you're going to tell Felter, or Lowell, which I suppose is really the same thing, that Zammoro and Rangio are old pals."

"Colonel Lowell said that if I was properly humble, you would let me use your radio link to your friends in Virginia," Oliver said.

"You want to call Felter?" Stephens asked, and when Oliver nodded, added: "And what are you going to tell him?"

"I'm going to think about that while I'm eating, and while we're on the way to wherever your radio link is."

[ FIVE ].

Office of the USIS Administrative Officer for Housing and Medical Services United States Embassy Sarmiento 663 Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina 1505 3 February 1965 "White House Secure," a male voice said, the clarity surprising Johnny Oliver.

"Two-two-seven, please."

"Two-two-seven, Mr. Finton."

"John Oliver, Finton. Is the boss there?"

"Hold one."

"Felter."

"Oliver, sir."

"I know."

"Sir, I've been talking to Colonel Lowell's friend from Virginia. "

"The CIA station chief? Stephens?"

The CIA station chief was sitting behind his desk, smiling. He had made it plain from the beginning that he intended to listen to the conversation. Oliver didn't like it, but it was Stephens's radio link to the White House secure switchboard, and there was nothing that could be done about it.

"Yes, sir."

"And?"

"It would make things easier for Otmanio if his wife was here. Otherwise, he's going to have to live with the Marine Guards, and can't have a private automobile."

There was a fifteen-second pause before Felter replied.

"No problem with that," Felter said. "As soon as I can get DA to cut orders, she'll be on a plane. What about Rangio? Any contact with him?"

"We were supposed to land at Ezeiza. We were diverted to the military field at Campo de Mayo. Rangio was there. It turns out he and Zammoro are old, and apparently close, friends."

"Shit," the CIA station chief said bitterly. Oliver wondered if Felter could hear him.

The pause this time was longer.

"That got by me somehow," Felter said. "Well, what do you want to do?"

Oliver didn't expect the question. He expected a decision, orders, not a request for his opinion.

"That association could be very valuable, sir," he said.

"That occurred to me. I asked what you want to do?"

"I would like to use his connection, sir."

"Why do you think he didn't tell us?"

"De la Santiago thinks he was afraid if you knew you wouldn't have sent him down here."

"De la Santiago's right. The question was, what do you think?"

"I agree with de la Santiago, sir."

"Then the question becomes, is he down there as a team player or because it'll give him a clear shot at Guevara?"

"I'd vote for team player, sir."

Jesus, that was my mouth on full automatic! I didn't consider that response, I just made it.

There was another pause before Felter replied.

"Your call, Oliver," Felter said. "Anything else?"

"Diplomatic status for him and de la Santiago."

"The State Department tells me the Argentines won't do it."

"Zammoro's relationship with Rangio may change that, sir."

"You understand that if I insist that State ask for diplomatic status for them after they've said the Argentines won't give it, and they're proved right, they will make sure the President sees the egg on my face?"

"Yes, sir."

"You want to ask Rangio first?"

"I'll ask Zammoro to ask him. See what happens then."

"Let me know what happens then," Felter said. "Anything else?"

"No, sir."

"The sooner you're back here, the better, I guess you know," Felter said.

"Has something come up, sir?"

"You and Jack are the newlyweds," Felter said, chuckled, and hung up.

"White House Secure," a male voice said. "Are you clear?"

"Clear," Oliver said, and put the handset in its cradle.

"You had to tell him, huh?" Stephens asked.

"Army officers are like Boy Scouts," Oliver said. "We're not supposed to lie, cheat, or steal."

"I think that's West Point cadets," Stephens said.

"Actually, it's Norwich," Jack said. "We had the honor code before Hudson High."

"Whatever," Stephens said. "If you really believe that, maybe you're in the wrong line of work. Lying, stealing, cheating, and worse, are part of this territory."

"What about 'all's fair in love and war'?" Jack asked.

"Maybe there's hope for you, at least, Lieutenant," Stephens said. "So what did the legendary Colonel Felter have to say?"

"You couldn't hear?"

"Call it confirmation of what I hope I heard," Stephens said.

"He's going to send Otmanio's wife down here," Oliver said. "And I was right, he didn't know Zammoro and Rangio are old buddies. He left the decision up to me."

"We lucked out," Stephens said. "I don't think you really understand how valuable that connection can be."

"He said he was honorable, not stupid," Jack said.

Stephens looked at Jack. One eyebrow went up, but he didn't respond.

"I suppose the next step is to talk to Zammoro," Oliver said.

"Rangio gave me a number to call."

"Your next step is to make your manners to Colonel Harris," Stephens said.

"Okay," Oliver said. "Then Zammoro. I suppose you want to sit in on that, too?"

"Oh, no. By now Rangio has already warned Zammoro to stay away from me."

"Rangio knows who you are . . . what you do?"

"Oh, sure. I often wonder who we think we're fooling with these cover jobs."

[ SIX ].

Apartment 10-B Malabia 2350 Palermo (U.S. Embassy Transient Quarters) Buenos Aires, Argentina 1715 3 February 1965 "That was quick," Johnny Oliver said to WOJG Zammoro when he walked into the apartment.

"Colonel Rangio promised to deliver me 'within an hour,' " Zammoro replied. "He is a man of his word."

"We're going to have to talk about your friend Colonel Rangio, " Oliver said.

"Yes, sir," Zammoro said, as if he had expected this. He looked at Jack Portet. "With respect, sir, may we talk alone?"

"No, I want Lieutenant Portet in on this," Oliver said. "I told de la Santiago and Otmanio to go to the movies."

"Yes, sir," Zammoro said.

"Your credibility, Mr. Zammoro, and thus your usefulness to this mission, has been called into doubt," Oliver said. "The one way you might, repeat might, might, regain some credibility is, from this moment, give me the truth, all the truth, and nothing but the truth." regain some credibility is, from this moment, give me the truth, all the truth, and nothing but the truth."

"Yes, sir."

"When and where did you meet Colonel Rangio?"

"In Argentina, sir, in 1952. I was sent to the Infantry School there. He was an instructor. And then I met him again in Cuba, in 1957."

"What was Rangio doing in Cuba?"

"He was ostensibly the commercial attache of the Argentinean embassy."

"And actually?"

"He had been sent to Cuba by SIDE, sir."

"And you were, then?"