Griffin W.E.B. - The Corps 08 - In Dangers Path

«Jesus, Dick!» Pickering said, but smiled.

«How's your health?» Donovan asked.

«Fine,» Pickering said. «I was pretty tired when I got off the airplane in San Diego, but then I spent four days at home, lifting nothing heavier than a fork.»

«You're ready to go to work?»

«Yes,» Pickering said simply.

«Good. There are things for you to do,» Donovan said. «But before I get into that, let me give you the lay of the land.»

Pickering nodded.

«Am I supposed to be privy to any of this?» Senator Fowler asked. «Legally, no,» Donovan said. «But on the other hand…«

«I'm a United States senator?»

«You were there, Dick, having dinner with the President, when he had—what was it he said? his 'divine revelation'—about naming Pickering OSS Deputy Director for Pacific Operations. I don't think that was a coincidence; he wanted you involved. It's difficult knowing what Roosevelt is really thinking about anything, but maybe he's hoping that if—when—Pickering becomes unhappy with something at the OSS, he'd rather have him talk it over with you before he takes it to him. I think it would be valuable if you heard this.»

He calls Fowler «Dick» and me «Pickering.» Did that just happen? Or is it to remind me that he's the boss?

Fowler nodded.

«Let's clear the air about that,» Pickering said. «I take my orders from you. If I decide that I cannot in good conscience obey my orders, I will tell you why, and resign.»

Donovan looked into Pickering's eyes. «Fair enough,» he said. «Then my orders to you are this: If you find yourself thinking of resignation, talk it over with the Senator before you come to me.»

«Yes, sir,» Pickering said. ' «And I will ask you, Senator, not to share anything with your colleagues.»

«Of course, not,» Fowler said.

«There is an organizational chart at the OSS,» Donovan said. «And like most organizational charts, it's primarily eyewash. The basic setup is this: the Deputy Director, Administration, functions as my chief of staff. If you don't like what you hear from him, come to me.»

Pickering nodded.

«There is a Deputy Director, Operations, and Deputy Directors, European, Western Hemisphere, and now Pacific… you. While you and the other area Deputy Directors are not subordinate to the Deputy Director, Administration, when he speaks, he's almost always speaking for me.»

Pickering nodded again. «Okay,» he said.

«Come by the office tomorrow. I'll introduce you to everybody.»

«Fine. What time?»

«Nine?»

«Fine.»

«How much do you know about the people—the Americans—who are supposed to be in the Gobi Desert?»

«One of Admiral Nimitz's intelligence officers briefed me in Pearl Harbor…«

«Nimitz had you briefed on the Gobi Desert operation?» Donovan asked.

To judge by his eyes

, Pickering decided,

he doesn't like that

.

«Yes, he did,» Pickering replied evenly.

«Did he give any reason for bringing you in on that problem?»

My conversation with Admiral Nimitz was obviously confidential. So what do I do? Break that confidence? Or start off my armistice with Donovan by lying to him ?

If I did that, he would sooner or later find out anxway.

And by now he probably has heard what Nimitz asked Admiral Leahy to do.

«He told me that he had recommended to Admiral Leahy that the OSS be given the responsibility for establishing contact with the people in the Gobi, and that it was his recommendation that I be given responsibility for the operation.»

Donovan looked at Pickering for a long moment without speaking.

The sonofabitch is trying to make up his mind whether I'm lying or telling the truth!

«The Joint Chiefs,» Donovan said finally, «which of course means Admiral Leahy, gave the OSS the mission of establishing contact with these people. Nothing was said about you.»

«Then you didn't know about Admiral Nimitz's recommendation?» Pickering asked, surprised.

«No, but I did know that Nimitz is one of your admirers, and that he knew all about your Philippine operation—and, of course, your appointment to the OSS— so I was a little surprised that your name didn't come up in Phase One.»

«Phase One?» Pickering asked, not understanding.

«Phase One was a little preliminary work in the OSS, pending my return to Washington. My Deputy Director, Administration, had a memo waiting for me recommending that you be given the operation, giving as his reasons your successful Philippine operation and your position as Deputy Director, Pacific.»

«One doesn't ordinarily consider the Gobi Desert to be in the Pacific,» Pickering said.

Donovan didn't respond to the comment.

«My Deputy Director, Operations, sent me a memo stating that should your name come up in connection with the Gobi operation, he wanted to go on record early on as being opposed to it. He offered three reasons: First, the point you just made—one doesn't think of the Gobi as being in the Pacific. Second, it would be unfair to you, inasmuch as you have little knowledge of the OSS. And finally, in his view, applying your knowledge of the Pacific Ocean and of shipping generally could be put to more important use in the OSS than running what will be a commando/parachutist covert operation.»

«You understand, Bill…«

Donovan held up his hand to cut him off.

«Phase Two occurred last night, across the street,» Donovan said, gesturing through the window toward the White House. «Where I was honored to break bread with the Commander in Chief and his Chief of Staff. Shortly before the apple cobbler. Roosevelt looked at me, and said—in words to this effect, 'In addition to other things he might be doing for you, Admiral Leahy thinks that Fleming Pickering should command the operation to get a radio station operating in the Gobi Desert. Do you have any problem with that?» Or, as 1 said, words to that effect.»

«And what did you reply to the Commander in Chief?» Senator Fowler asked, chuckling.

«I said the idea had already been proposed to me by one of my deputy directors, and I was delighted General Pickering's appointment would please Admiral Leahy.»

«Franklin does that so well.» Fowler chuckled. «Makes a suggestion that is impossible to refuse.»

«You didn't say what you had decided to do before the President made his 'suggestion,' « Pickering said.

«No. I guess I didn't,» Donovan said. «Water under the dam anyway, wouldn't you say?»

«Yes, I suppose so,» Pickering said.

«Tell me about your briefing from Admiral Nimitz,» Donovan said.

«His intelligence officer, or at least one of them—«

«Groscher? Captain Groscher?» Donovan interrupted.

«Yeah.»

«Groscher knows as much about the Americans in the Gobi as anybody,» Donovan said. «What did he have to say?»

«Nothing I would suppose that you don't know. Much of it was new to me. There doesn't seem to be any question about whether the weather station is needed, just who will get it up and running.»

«And now we know, don't we?»

«It's none of my business, but I think Nimitz and Leahy are right. Flem has a way of getting things done,» Senator Fowler said.

Pickering had the feeling Donovan could have happily done without Fowler's comment.

«We'll talk about this tomorrow at the office,» he said.

«Okay,» Pickering said.

«The President gave you authority to bring anybody you want along with you, in addition to your people already in Australia. Have you given that any thought?»

«Yes.»

«I'd like to have the Office of Management Analysis,» Donovan said. «Lock, stock, and barrel. Have you considered that?»