W. IV: Honor Bound 05 - The Honor of Spies

Nervo did not respond, and the look of near contempt remained.

"That was one of el Coronel Frade's innovations when he had the Husares de Pueyrredon," Rawson said. "He called it his Immediate Reaction Force."

When there was no response to that either, Rawson said, "Jorge Frade even got airplanes for his regiment. Piper Cubs. Cletus flew me into Buenos Aires in one of them during Operation Blue, and I was able to prevent two regiments from inadvertently engaging each other as they marched on the Casa Rosada."

Nervo was still silent.

"General, if you have something on your mind, please say it."

"You're sure, Senor Presidente?"

"Consider it an order, General!"

"When I joined the Gendarmeria, I was advised by a man I respected that I was never going to get anywhere in the Gendarmeria unless I learned to keep my mouth shut and never tell any of my superiors anything they didn't want to hear, or, more importantly, that they were wrong.

"I followed that advice, and it worked. Here I am, inspector general of the Gendarmeria Nacional. I don't have to worry about getting promoted anymore. What I have to worry about now is keeping stupid bastards like Schmidt from starting a civil war that will destroy Argentina. And, of course, from keeping General Obregon from sending me swimming with my hands tied behind me. . . ."

"If you have something to say to me, Inspector General, say it!" Rawson said angrily.

"Well, I'm just a simple policeman, Senor Presidente, but I see several things wrong with you sending the Husares charging down the highway in trucks to Mendoza to roadblock Schmidt and the 10th Mountain Troops."

"Is that so?"

"For one thing, the Husares wouldn't know where to find the Mountain Troops. The last word I had from my people who are following them is that they plan to halt for the night near General Alvear.

"That means in the morning they can do one of two things. They can turn right in San Rafael and take Highway 146 to San Luis, and then Highway 7 to Mendoza."

"I know the area," General Rawson said thoughtfully.

"Or," Nervo went on, "they can turn left at San Rafael and then about twenty kilometers down 146 get on the secondary roads to Mendoza. They're not paved and some of them are in bad shape, but it's only two-thirds--maybe half as far--going that way.

"We don't know which route Schmidt will take. So you won't know where to order the Husares to set up their roadblock. And you can't split the Husares and put half on one route and half on the other. How big is Frade's--el Coronel Frade's--Immediate Reaction Force? A troop? What's that, maybe fifty guys on horses?"

"About sixty-two, I think," Lauffer said.

"Okay. You split that many in half, you have thirty-one guys on horseback, armed with nothing heavier than Thompson submachine guns and Mauser carbines. On Schmidt's trucks are two hundred, give or take, men armed with everything up to .30- and .50-caliber machine guns, mortars, and God only knows what else.

"The Husares won't stand a chance against the Mountain Troops. All they'll be is a footnote in the history books: 'The first battle in the Argentine Civil War of 1943-53 was between the 10th Mountain Regiment and the Husares de Pueyrredon, who were wiped out near General Alvear.' "

He paused, then asked, "You want me to go on, Senor Presidente?"

"Please do so, Inspector General."

" 'When word reached Buenos Aires that the 10th Mountain Regiment troops--who were now calling themselves the National Socialist 10th Mountain Regiment--had executed Don Cletus Frade, prominent estanciero and son of the former commander of the Husares de Pueyrredon, for treason, troops of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment rushed from Campo de Mayo to the Casa Rosada to protect el Presidente Rawson, who was known to be a close friend of Don Cletus. They were met by the 2nd Regiment of Grenadiers--now the National Socialist Grenadiers--who wanted to execute Rawson. A battle ensued in the vicinity of the Retiro Railway Station.' "

He paused, met Rawson's eyes, and went on: "It won't matter who wins that battle, Senor Presidente. The civil war will have begun."

There was silence for a full sixty seconds.

Finally, Rawson said, "If you have any suggestions as to how your scenario might be averted, Inspector General, I'd like to hear them."

Nervo nodded. "You prepare three orders, Senor Presidente. The first one orders Schmidt to immediately return to San Martin de los Andes. El Coronel Wattersly and I personally hand this order to el Coronel Schmidt--"

"How are you going to do that? You're here, and he's . . . where exactly?"

"El Coronel Martin has ordered SAA to hold an SAA Lodestar for us, Senor Presidente. We would fly to Mendoza, find out where Schmidt is, and drive there."

Rawson nodded. "And if Colonel Schmidt chooses to ignore the order?"

"Then we hand him the second order, which relieves him of command of the 10th Mountain and orders him to consider himself under arrest pending court-martial for disobedience of a lawful order. The same order appoints Edmundo to assume command of the 10th Mountain, which he then orders to return to San Martin de los Andes."

"And if Schmidt refuses to acknowledge the second order?" Rawson asked.

"Then I will kill him," Nervo said.

"Whereupon el Coronel Schmidt's loyal--loyal to him--officers will kill you. Kill you and Wattersly. Have you considered that?"

"That possibility has run through my mind," Nervo said.

"You said three orders," Rawson said.

"The third order is to el Coronel Peron. It is for him to report to you immediately in person here in Buenos Aires."

"Two questions there, Inspector General," the president replied. "First, how would you get this order to Coronel Peron? And what makes you think he would obey it?"

"My deputy, Subinspector General Nolasco, will be on the Lodestar, Senor Presidente. After it drops Edmundo and me off in Mendoza, it will take him to San Martin de los Andes, where Peron will already be under surveillance. He will give the order to Peron and then offer to fly him to Buenos Aires in the Lodestar, which will leave for Buenos Aires just as soon as Nolasco concludes the business--unspecified--he has in San Martin. If Peron gives him any trouble, or makes any effort to contact Schmidt, he will be arrested."

"And then what?"

"That's as far as I got, Senor Presidente," Nervo said.

"Anyone else have anything to say?" Rawson asked.

"Senor Presidente . . . ," Wattersly began.

"Hold it a second, Edmundo. Let's follow the practice of asking the junior officers first. Bobby? What have you got to say?"

" Mi general, I'm your aide-de-camp, a capitan . . ."

"Who is in this mess up to his nostrils. Tell me what you think of the inspector general's proposal."

"The only thing I was thinking, sir, was two things. The first was that if we had the Piper Cubs you say the Husares de Pueyrredon has sent to Mendoza, they would be useful to find el Coronel Schmidt."

"Good idea!" Rawson said. "And?"

"If the president would give me permission to accompany Inspector General Nervo and el Coronel Wattersly when they go to meet el Coronel Schmidt, I think it would lend weight to their position. If I was there, your aide-de-camp, el Coronel Schmidt . . ."

"If I sent you with these two, Bobby, what would happen would be that all three of you would be shot to death," Rawson said. He turned to Martin. "Okay, Martin, what have you got to say?"

For fifteen seconds Martin almost visibly formed his reply.

"I was thinking--I realize this might be construed the wrong way; that I'm trying not to go out there--I would be of more use staying here in Buenos Aires with you, Senor Presidente. If things go bad when Edmundo and Santiago meet Schmidt, or with el Coronel Peron when Subinspector General Nolasco goes to San Martin to deal with him, I think it would be useful for you, sir, to have at your side at least one man whose loyalty to you is known."