by Larry Bond
“I’m sure it will all come out very agreeably for you, Major,” he said. “Now get yourself ready to go home. A car will take you back to your hotel. I’ll call you once I have the arrangements for your return.”
“I lost my sat phone, sir.”
“We’ll get a new one over to you.”
Zeus saw no point in arguing. He left the room and walked to the stairway, descending slowly.
In the car, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the crumpled note Greig had left.
Cao Dien Army prison
That was where Anna must be. Greig was telling him she couldn’t help. Maybe no one could.
No. One person could. And he owed Zeus.
He definitely owed him.
~ * ~
General Perry sat in the ambassador’s chair for several minutes after Zeus left. He’d been utterly unfair to the young man.
True, he was acting in not only the country’s best interests, but in Zeus’s as well. Yet that was hardly a consolation. There was something about being unfair that bothered Perry on a very basic level. It was a transgression that could not be entirely expunged by the fact that he was simply doing his duty.
And yet he was doing his duty. The U.S. absolutely must not get any more deeply involved in the war.
Greene’s policy was taking them there. Inevitably. Inextricably.
And Zeus was helping. It was a miracle he hadn’t been killed. Given enough time, he surely would be.
Harland Perry couldn’t be responsible for that. More important, he couldn’t be responsible for any more Americans getting killed here. What had happened to Christian was already bad enough.
It was wrong, and it was unjust. The country could not be allowed to drag itself piecemeal into this war. If they weren’t going to fight it right, there was no sense fighting at all. It was the wrong war at the wrong time in the wrong place.
There was only one honorable thing for Harland Perry to do.
The general picked up the phone.
“I need to talk to the White House,” he said. “To the President. It’s urgent, and it’s personal.”
~ * ~
When he reached the hotel, Zeus went up to his room. Unsure whether or not he was being followed—he guessed that Perry might have someone watching—he went and started a shower. Then he took out his shaving kit.
“No damn shaving cream,” he said aloud, just in case the room had been bugged.
He pulled a shirt and his boots back on. The clothes Chaū had gotten him when they got back—Vietnamese army pants and a civilian sweatshirt—were a little loose, but the shoes were nearly two sizes too small now that his feet had swollen up.
He stuffed his toes inside anyway.
Zeus took one of the towels with him, wrapped over his shoulder.
“I wonder if you have any shaving cream,” he asked the desk clerk downstairs.
The man ducked inside the office, and for a moment Zeus worried that he would need to use his backup plan. But the man quickly returned.
“No. Very sorry. No shave. Very, very sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Zeus told him. “I think I know where I can get some.” He took off his towel. “Can I just leave this here?”
Outside, Zeus walked to the street and turned the corner. He was going to go to the next hotel and take a cab there, but saw a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction and raised his hand. The driver immediately stopped.
“I need you to take me to a special place,” Zeus said after getting in. He dropped five American twenty-dollar bills on the front seat. “You won’t get in trouble. But you have to keep your mouth shut. You will tell no one.”
“Where?” said the man, reaching for the money.
~ * ~
The guards knew who Zeus was and what he had done, and that made it all considerably easier. Still, he expected it would be more difficult than it proved to get to see Trung. Instead of being questioned about what he wanted, or even made to wait, he was shown immediately to his office.
“It is an honor to congratulate you personally for your service,” said Trung, bowing his head as Zeus came into his small office. “The Vietnamese people are deeply grateful.”
“You’re welcome,” said Zeus.
“You have heard of our plans?” asked Trung.
“I have accepted your proposal for a counterstrike,” said Trung. “We are gathering our forces now.”
Caught off guard, Zeus could only nod.
“I have decided to lead the battle myself,” said Trung. “We lack only one thing: a tactician to assist in the strategy.”
“You want me to help,” said Zeus.
“It would be most agreeable.”
“I will. On one condition.”
Trung’s face remained emotionless.
“There is a woman, a doctor who treated me a few days ago, when I was brought back to Hanoi from behind the enemy lines. She’s been arrested on false charges of treason. You will release her, and then I will help you.”
Trung said nothing.
“Her name is Anna Anway,” said Zeus. “She’s in Cao Dien Army prison.”
General Trung remained silent, an unmoving stone.
“You’ll also probably have to convince my commander. General Perry has ordered me to return home.”
Zeus looked into Trung’s eyes. The two men locked stares.
“It will be done,” said Trung finally. “Major Chaū will see to your needs.”