«What they have been doing, Frank,» Roosevelt said, without taking his cigarette holder from his mouth, «is gathering their courage to face the lion in his den.»
«Nothing like that at all, Mr. President,» General Marshall said. «An administrative matter.»
«I wonder why I have trouble believing that,» Roosevelt said, smiling broadly.
» 'Administrative' can cover a lot of territory, Mr. President,» Secretary Knox said.
«Good to see you, Fleming,» the President said. «You're all prepared, I gather, for your trip to the mysterious East?»
«And all points in between, sir,» Pickering said.
«General Rickabee I know,» the President said. «It's good to see you, Fritz.»
«Good afternoon, Mr. President.»
«But I don't know this young fellow,» Roosevelt went on.
«Mr. President, may I present Lieutenant George F. Hart?» Pickering said. «He's both my aide-de-camp and my friend.»
Roosevelt offered his hand.
«I recognize the name,» the President said. «You must be an unusual young man. Lieutenant, if all these old fogies are agreed you can be entrusted to hold a magic clearance.»
Hart actually blushed. Leahy and Pickering exchanged looks.
«I'm honored, Mr. President,» Hart said.
A white-jacketed steward passed a tray of drinks, indicating with his head which glass the men were to take. Pickering sipped his and recognized the taste. It was Famous Grouse. He wondered if there was a card file kept somewhere with drink preferences listed on it.
«When we're finished,» Roosevelt said to the steward, «ask the photographer to take a picture of me with Lieutenant Hart. Perhaps his parents would like to have one.»
«Thank you very much, Mr. President,» Hart said.
«I have a soft spot for young Marine officers,» Roosevelt said. «Very possibly because my son Jimmy is one of you.»
«Yes, sir, I know,» Hart said.
«Let me propose a toast,» the President said. «To the success of General Pickering's mission.»
The others raised their glasses and there were murmured «Hear, hears.»
«I feel a good deal better about this,» the President said mischievously, «now that Bill and Fleming have kissed and made up.»
«I'll agree with the 'made up' part, Franklin,» Donovan said, «but I want to go on record as saying we have never kissed.»
Pickering laughed politely. None of the others did.
Roosevelt picked up on this and correctly guessed the reason.
«Bill, when you're wearing your uniform, you're supposed to call me 'Sir,' and 'Mr. President,' and bow three times before backing out of my presence.»
«No disrespect was intended, sir, if I have to say that.»
«What I think it is, Bill, is that you're nervous as the second junior officer present with all these admirals and generals.»
«That may be it, sir.»
«We're going to have to see if we can't get you a star, Bill, so that you'll feel at home.»
There was dutiful laughter.
«Speaking of generals,» Frank Knox said, «is someone going to volunteer to tell me why General Rickabee is joining us?»
«An administrative matter, Mr. Secretary,» Admiral Leahy said. «We were a little pressed for time. The General met us here, and we'll deal with the matter after lunch.»
«What sort of an administrative matter? Important enough to have Pickering bring Fritz here? And look uncomfortable when I asked why?»
«There was a radio from Chungking,» Admiral Leahy said. «Something we all felt should be dealt with before General Pickering left for Hawaii.»
«Now mv curiosity is aroused,» the President said. «I always get very curious when people are reluctant to talk about anything.»
Everyone looked at Admiral Leahy, who took a long moment to collect his thoughts before beginning:
«Mr. President, you are aware that at your direction, and against my recommendation and that of General Marshall, we sent a magic device, together with the personnel to op—«
«Hold it a second, Admiral,» the President interrupted. «I just had another one of my inspirations. Correct me if I'm wrong, Frank, but didn't you have Fleming commissioned because you knew he would report back to you what you should know, rather than what people wanted you to hear?»
«That's correct, Mr. President,» the Secretary of the Navy said.
«You have the floor, General Pickering,» the President said, tempering the order with one of his famous smiles. «Proceed.»
«What we know for sure, Mr. President,» Pickering began, «is that someone ran off at the mouth about the magic machine going to Chungking.»
«Has magic been compromised?» Roosevelt asked, now deadly serious. «Is this what everyone has been working up the courage to tell me?»
«We don't believe, based on the facts available—« Admiral Leahy said.
«Admiral,» the President interrupted impatiently, «General Pickering has the floor.»
«Sorry, sir,» Leahy said, flushing.
«What we do know for sure, Mr. President, is that when Colonel Banning got to Chungking, they knew he was coming and why.»
«Banning took a magic machine to Chungking?»
«Two machines, sir.»
«Who is 'they' as in 'they knew he was coming'?»
«The signal officer and his deputy, sir.»
«And they don't have magic clearances? Then how in the hell did they find out?»
«We don't know that yet, sir.»
«How many people knew what was happening?»
«It's a very short list, sir,» Pickering said. «Aside from the people in this room, only those people in JCS who were involved.»
«Your people were involved, Fleming,» Donovan said.
«Plus, of course, two people at OSS, besides Colonel Donovan and me,» Pickering said icily. «And I don't think any of my people even know anyone in Chungking—certainly not these signal officers.»
«What about the cryptographers in Chungking?» Donovan asked.
«So far as I know, they know
no one
in Chungking,» Pickering said.
«Okay,» Donovan said. «That narrows it down to people in my shop and people at the JCS.»
«Admiral, we can't have things like this,» the President said. «It has to be nipped in the bud.»
«I agree, sir,» Admiral Leahy said.
«I'll leave getting to the bottom of this to you. As well as ensuring that it—or the circumstances that permitted it—never happens again.»
«Yes, Mr. President,» Admiral Leahy said.
«And I want Bill Donovan and Fleming Pickering involved. Fleming, you might not be able to get away today. I want you here until this is resolved.»
«Yes, Mr. President,» Pickering said.
«I think General Rickabee should be involved, too,» Navy Secretary Knox said. «He's very good about finding snakes under rocks.»
It was obvious that neither Admiral Leahy nor General Marshall liked the suggestion. Neither protested, but both looked at the President for his decision.