He smiled at Banning. «Colonel Banning, I presume? Welcome to the mysterious East.»
How the hell does he know my name?
«Yes, sir,» Banning said, and saluted.
The General returned the salute by touching the brim of his cap with his swagger stick. «Well, come on in,» the General said, and turned to the lieutenant colonel. «Ask General Newley to come in chop chop, will you, please?»
«Yes, sir.»
«Sir, I had hoped to see the General alone,» Banning said.
«I have no secrets from General Newley, Colonel, something you should understand from Step One. He's my deputy.»
«Yes, sir.»
He motioned with the swagger stick for Banning to follow him into his office. Inside, he walked behind his desk and sat down. On the ornately carved desk was a nameplate adorned with his name—Frederick T. Dempsey—inlaid in some sort of shell above a painted fire-breathing dragon. On either side of his name were the tw6 silver stars of a major general.
He did not offer Banning a chair. Banning assumed the position of Parade Rest.
«Those were your men I passed in the main lateral?» General Dempsey asked.
«Yes, sir.»
«I couldn't help but notice the civilians are wearing beards. They're probably not civilians, are they, but CIC agents? What's that all about?»
Before Banning could reply, another officer entered the office. He was dressed like General Dempsey, except that he had only one silver star on each collar point and epaulet. He took a very good look at Banning.
«Colonel Banning, obviously,» he said. «Right?»
«Yes, sir.»
And this one knows my name, too! How come? Did General Pickering send them a heads-up? He's pretty casual about classified matters, but I can't believe he would do that.
«I'm General Newley, Colonel. Welcome to USMMCHI.» He pronounced the acronym, «U.S. Double M Chi.»
«Thank you, sir,» Banning said, and shook General Newley's offered hand. Then he turned to General Dempsey. «General, may I show you my orders?»
«You can if you like,» General Dempsey said. «But we already know what they are.
«Thank you, sir,» Banning said. He took a sealed envelope from his tunic pocket, tore it open, removed a sheet of paper, and handed it to General Dempsey.
TOP SECRET
The Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Pentagon
Washington, D.C.
19 March 1943
SUBJECT: Letter Orders
TO: Lieut. Col. E.J. Banning, USMC
Capt K.R. McCoy, USMCR
Second Lt R.F. Easterbrook, USMCR
Master Gunner H.W. Rutterman, USMCR
Gunnery Sergeant E.W. Zimmerman, USMC
1. You will proceed at the earliest possible time by air transportation to Headquarters, U.S. Military Mission to China (USMMCHI), Chungking, China, or such other places as may be deemed necessary in connection with your mission. Priority AAAAAA is assigned.
2. While enroute you will serve as guards of certain classified material which will be entrusted to you at your port of aerial departure.
3. On arrival at USMMCHI, Lt, Col. Banning will explain the nature of his mission to Commanding General, USMMCHI, and Signal Officer, USMMCHI, and ONLY such other senior officers who he, in his sole discretion, believes have the Need To Know in order to facilitate the carrying out of his mission.
4. On arrival at U8MMCHI, Lt. Col. Banning will detach, at such time and under such circumstances as he deems appropriate, Captain McCoy and Gunnery Sergeant Zimmerman so they may undertake the execution of their mission as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
FOR THE JOINT CHIEFS OP STAFF:
Charles M. Adamson
Major General, USA
Secretary, JCS
TOP SECRET
General Dempsey read the orders.
«As I said, we were expecting you, Colonel. But I was under the impression that the devices would be guarded by CIC agents. Are they on separate orders? Don't tell me those two bearded characters I just saw are Marines?»
He knows about the magic devices. Jesus H. Christ!
«I'm not sure I know how to answer the General's question, sir,» Banning said.
«Actually, Colonel, there were two questions. The first was 'where are the CIC agents I expected to be guarding the magic devices?' and the second was 'are those two bearded characters Marines?' «
«I know nothing about CIC agents, sir.»
«Then you guarded the magic devices?»
Banning did not reply.
«Something wrong with your hearing, Colonel?» General Dempsey asked, a touch of unpleasantness in his voice.
«Sir, may I speak to the General alone?»
«I thought we'd already been down that path,» General Dempsey said. «To answer
your
question, Colonel, when we have finished our business here, yes, I will have a word with you in private if you insist. Now to
my
question… Let's get down to basics. Do you have the magic devices?»
«Sir, as I'm sure the General understands, I am not at liberty to discuss anything of that nature with anyone who does not hold the proper security clearance.»
«Frankly, Colonel, I am rapidly moving from appreciation of your concern for security to annoyance. Your own orders direct you to inform me of the nature of your mission. I already know the nature of your mission. You are to serve, as a member of my cryptographic staff, as officer-in-charge of the magic devices.»
«Then the General possesses a magic clearance? I was not so informed.»
«I'm sure there are many things about which you are not informed, Colonel. Do I have a magic clearance? No. I expect one momentarily. I would have thought you would have brought that with you.»
«No, sir.»
«Do you, sir?» Banning asked General Newley.
«Not at this moment, Colonel.»
«Sir, under these circumstances, I would be in violation of my orders to discuss magic in the presence of General Newley,» Banning said.
«Now, listen to me, Colonel, and listen carefully, for I have had just about enough of your word-bandying. I am the person who decides who in this headquarters is cleared for magic. And when I ask you a question about magic, you will answer it. Is that clear enough for you, Colonel?»
«Sir, I respectfully protest you are ordering me to disobey my previous orders.»
«I don't give a good goddamn about your previous orders, Colonel. Get that though your head. You are now attached to the Signal Section of Headquarters USMMCHI You take your orders from me. Got that?»
«Yes, sir.»
«Now, for the last goddamned time, do you have the magic machines?»
«Yes, sir.»
«How long will it take you to set them up?»
«Once I have a secure area, sir, I can be up and running in about eight hours.»
«You will set them up in my crypto area.»
«Yes, sir.»
«Now, who are those two bearded characters I saw in the main lateral?»