W.E.B. Griffin - The Corps VII - Behind the Lines

"General Pickering notified Secretary Knox, and asked that the informa-tion be relayed to the OSS."

"I'm sure they will issue new instructions," Macklin said, half thinking aloud, and only at the last second remembering to add, "Sir."

"Why should they do that?" Stecker asked.

"Colonel, the cold facts are that I am not qualified, in terms of training or experience, or physically-I was wounded at Gavutu with the 2nd Parachute Battalion, and am not yet fully recovered-to command such a mission."

"God," Stecker said, loathing in his voice. "I was half prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt. But you haven't changed at all, have you, Macklin?"

"Sir?"

"Do I look familiar to you, Captain?"

"No, Sir. I don't believe I've previously had the privilege of the Colonel's acquaintance."

"The first time we met was at Quantico, Captain. You were at the time engaged in several slimy schemes to keep McCoy from getting a commis-sion."

"Sir, I have no idea-"

"The second time we met was on Gavutu. I commanded 2nd Battalion, Fifth Marines, during the invasion. I went to the aid station to see some of my men, and the battalion surgeon of the 2nd Parachute Battalion pointed out to me the officer his corpsmen had to pry loose from a pier piling. You were a disgrace to The Corps on that occasion, too, Captain Macklin."

"Sir, the only thing I can say is that the Colonel has been grossly misin-formed."

"Shut your lying mouth, Captain," Stecker said, almost conversationally. "Open it again only when I give you specific permission."

He looked at Macklin for a full minute before continuing.

"For a number of reasons that are none of your concern-though they in-clude General Pickering's belief that The Corps has a deep responsibility to do all it can to assist the Marines with General Fertig-the mission will proceed with you as its nominal commander. He has so informed Secretary Knox, and thus the OSS. Actual command of the mission will be vested in Lieutenant McCoy. If I were McCoy, you would not leave the beach in the Philippines alive. Not because of your actions toward him at Quantico, but because a lying coward like you threatens both the lives of the men on this mission and the mission itself. Do I make myself clear, Captain Macklin?"

"Sir, I must protest in the strongest possible terms your characterization of my-"

With a swift, seemingly effortless motion, Stecker leaned down to Mack-lin, grabbed his necktie, and pulled him half out of the chair.

My God, he's going to spit in my face!

As quickly as he had pulled Macklin from his chair, Stecker shoved him back into it.

"You have one chance of coming out of this mission alive, Macklin," he said, his voice and his temper back under control. "And that is to do exactly what McCoy tells you to do, when he tells you to do it. You are two inches away from me ordering McCoy to remove you as a threat to the mission the moment you touch the beach in the Philippines. Do you understand me, Cap-tain Macklin? Answer 'Yes, Sir' or 'No, Sir.' "

"Yes, Sir."

"Sergeant Koffler will now return you to the BOQ. You will stay there, prepared to make yourself available at any time McCoy feels he needs you."

As soon as I get out of here, I'm going to get in touch with the OSS. This is outrageous!

"The proper response to an order, Captain, is 'Aye, aye, Sir.' " "Aye, aye, Sir," Captain Macklin said.

[EIGHT]

Conference Room II

Supreme Headquarters, SWPOA

Brisbane, Australia

1225 Hours 29 November 1942

Just before noon, Lieutenant Chambers D. Lewis III, USN, appeared, unan-nounced, at Water Lily Cottage. When the doorbell rang, Pickering was close to it, so he opened it. It was clear from Lewis's face that he was a little sur-prised that a general officer would open his own door.

"General Pickering?" Lewis asked, and when Pickering nodded, went on, "Admiral Wagam's compliments, Sir. I am the Admiral's aide-de-camp."

"I've been expecting to hear from him."

"Admiral Wagam would be pleased if it were convenient for the General to meet with him at Supreme Headquarters," Lewis said. "General Willoughby has been kind enough to offer accommodations."

"When?"

"Admiral Wagam hopes that it would be convenient for the General now, Sir."

"Why not?" Pickering thought aloud. And then, somewhat annoyed with himself, two thoughts came: First, this was really a summons-if the circum-stances were reversed, he would have personally called Nimitz's admiral, he wouldn't have had Hart call him. And second, he didn't like Willoughby put-ting his two cents in.

He turned and saw Jack Stecker.

"General Willoughby," he explained, "has kindly provided a place for Admiral Wagam and me to meet, and the Admiral sent his aide to fetch me."

"Really?" Stecker replied, both his tone of voice and his face showing that he read the situation exactly as Pickering did.

Pickering turned back to Lewis. "Where exactly are these accommoda-tions, Lieutenant?"

"One of the conference rooms at Supreme Headquarters, Sir."

"Please present my compliments to the Admiral, Lieutenant, and tell him that I'm on my way."

"General, I have a car."

"So do I, Lieutenant," Pickering said. "Jack, is George in the dungeon by now, do you think?"

"Yes, Sir. I would think so."

"Call the dungeon, please, Jack, and ask George to meet me in the lobby."

"Aye, aye, Sir," Stecker said with a smile.

"Right this way, General, if you please," Lieutenant Lewis said to Brigadier General Fleming Pickering, USMC, as he pushed open a door.

Then he raised his hand to block the passage of Second Lieutenant George F. Hart, USMCR, and added, "I believe, Sir, with your permission, that the Admiral would prefer to confer in private."

"Oh, George goes everywhere with me, Lieutenant," Pickering replied. "That way we can both recall who said what to whom in one of these meet-ings."

It was obvious that Lieutenant Lewis did not like that response. This, Pick-ering decided, was fine with him, because he did not like what little he had seen of Lewis. The first moment Pickering saw him, he concluded he was a self-important young man; it was not a surprise to see an Annapolis ring on his finger.

"Yes, Sir, of course," Lieutenant Lewis said.

As Lewis held open the door for him, Pickering remembered that he was per-versely pleased at Lieutenant Lewis's obvious confusion in Water Lily Cot-tage. Who was George, and what was the dungeon?

Lieutenant Lewis then announced him:

"Admiral, Brigadier General Pickering."

Admiral Wagam rose smiling from his chair at the head of the table. He was a tall, handsome, silver-haired officer in a well-fitting, high-collared white uniform.

"General Pickering," he said, putting out his hand. "Thank you for com-ing on such short notice."

"I realize that you're a busy man, Admiral," Pickering replied.

But I don't like this. I don't like you sitting at the head of the table; no one has appointed you chairman of this conference. And I don't like being sum-moned here-no matter how politely your aide phrased it.

"General Willoughby was kind enough to offer us this place for our talk," Wagam said. "He said you have declined the offer of an office at SWPOA?"

"How kind of General Willoughby," Pickering said. "Yes, I did. If I took an office here, I thought it might look as if I were a member of the SWPOA staff." When he saw that Wagam was taken a little aback by the remark, Pick-ering added, with a smile, "I didn't want to wind up on some SWPOA duty roster. Flag officer of the day, or somesuch."

Wagam chuckled.

"Your precise status is the subject of some conversation," Wagam said.

The two men were evaluating each other.

"So I understand," Pickering said.