Operation Blue Sapphire

by David B. Gilmore

  When they finished their time on the range, they returned with Sutter inside the armory.

  “Captain, I have the other items you requested,” Sutter told Emma as he opened up a medium-size pasteboard box. “These are the knives you wanted. I made sure they’re all razor sharp,” he added, handing each of them a knife in a leather sheath.

  Emma took the knife out of the sheath, revealing a stiletto dagger with a seven-inch blade. Sutter handed her a piece of paper to test the knife. As he said, both edges of the thin knife were very sharp and easily sliced through the page of paper as Emma quickly turned it into confetti. Impressed, she returned the knife to its sheath and set it on the table. “It is very sharp, and the balance is a lot better than I expected. Good job.”

  “These were made for an Army Special Services unit. We received a couple dozen for evaluation. They’re better than anything else available. With a double hollow grind on the blade, it takes an edge really well and makes it the sharpest knife I’ve ever handled.” It was obvious Sutter knew his craft. “The last item you wanted was handcuffs. I have six pairs, two for each of you. They’re in the box. Give me a minute and then you can get on your way.” Sutter excused himself. When he came back, he was carrying another box. “I have a hundred rounds of ammo for each of you and for the twenty-two. I’ve also put in cleaning kits. I think that should do it. Of course, if you need anything else, I’m at your disposal and always willing to help. Just let me know and I’ll be sure it gets done.”

  Emma looked down at the table and the three .380 Colt pistols. “What about these?”

  “They’re the new standard issue and one has been assigned to each of you. You can take them with you or leave them here,” replied Sutter.

  “We’ll leave them with you, but keep them in case we change our minds and want them later on,” said Emma.

  Sutter didn’t need to, but he insisted on helping them carry the boxes to the car. He was happy that his efforts would be put to use and were appreciated.

  At the car Emma turned to Sutter and thanked him for his great work on such short notice. “John,” she added, “there’s one more thing you can do for me.”

  “What would that be?”

  “Please call me Emma.”

  Sutter hesitated for a moment then with a smile said, “Okay, Emma.”

  Emma laughed, shook his hand, and got into the car with Bunnel and LaCroix. But before they pulled away, she got out of the car and approached Sutter again. “John, you have a worried look on your face.”

  “You’ve come a long way since I first met you. You handle a pistol like you were born with it. I know it’s not my place to ask where you’re going and I’m not. I just have a feeling it’s going to be dangerous, and I want you all to come back safe and in one piece.”

  “The work you did for us will help. Don’t worry, everything’s going to work out for the best,” Emma assured him as she returned to the car and the three drove away.

  They returned to the E Street office shortly before noon and checked in with Colonel Wyman’s secretary. She told them the Colonel would see them in about an hour and they could either wait or go to the cafeteria for lunch. They decided to eat.

  “We’ll be in the building if we’re needed,” Emma told her.

  The cafeteria was buzzing with people: clerks, secretaries, and others like themselves, all working on top secret projects. At the same time, everyone was listening for snippets of gossip, trying to figure out the larger picture of what was really going on with the OSS.

  After getting their food and finding a table, in a quiet voice LaCroix asked Emma, “I understand the little twenty-two and the knives, but the handcuffs? It seems like something in the crime stories at the picture show.”

  “Henri, when we get back to the house tonight, and before we go on our trip, I’m going to make sure you both know how to use them. It’s something I learned in Canada. If you need to subdue someone quickly, it’s the easiest and fastest way. You don’t want to be looking for rope to tie up a bad guy. I asked for two pairs each. We probably won’t even need them, but you never know. They’re small and don’t take up much space. Better to have them than not,” replied Emma.

  Just as she finished her sentence, two young women asked if they could join them at their table. It being lunchtime and very crowded, Emma agreed. For the rest of their lunch, conversation was kept on a trivial, but pleasant, level. No one spoke about anything concerning who they were or where they would soon be going.

  When the three agents had finished eating, they wished the women a good afternoon and returned to Colonel Wyman’s office. As they entered, two men in civilian clothes were walking out with leather satchels. From the looks on their faces, it was obvious they had been given assignments.

  “After our meeting, I hope we look a bit happier than they do,” said LaCroix.

  “Maybe they just found out they need to go get shots later, too.” replied Emma.

  “I hate needles, and I’m not looking forward to later tonight,” Bunnel admitted. “The waiting’s the bad part. Kind of like scheduling a dental appointment you know is going to be bad. It gets into your mind more and more as the time for the needle gets closer. I wish we could have taken care of the shots last night. It’s all I’ve been thinking about since we got back here.”

  A few minutes later Doris Blanchard told them the Colonel was ready to see them. As they entered his office, Colonel Wyman instructed them to have a seat and make themselves comfortable. They could smoke if they wanted, he told them, and they all took advantage of his permission.

  “I take it you had a good night’s sleep, Captain, and that the accommodations were okay,” the Colonel said.

  “You told me I was going to a house, Colonel. It was more like a mansion,” replied Emma.

  “It used to be owned by a senator, and the new owners turned it over to us. There’s a real shortage of housing here. They feel they’re helping the war effort. I thought you would like it, and considering where you’ll be going, it’s the least I could do for all of you,” Wyman told her. Then he continued, “Any problems out at the Club this morning? Everything go as planned and you got what you wanted?”

  “Everything went very well. I have everything from my shopping list. Just one question, sir,” said Emma.

  “And that is?” asked Colonel Wyman, intrigued.

  “Well, sir, Sergeant Sutter informed us the Colt pistols were the new standard issue. We’ve opted for other weapons. I mean, we’ll take the Colts if we have to, but we’d prefer the ones we practiced with today.”

  “You didn’t like the Colts?”

  Before Emma could reply, Bunnel answered for all three of them. “It’s not that, sir. We just want something with a bit more stopping power.”

  LaCroix nodded his head in agreement.

  “I want you all to carry whatever you’re comfortable with so take whatever you want. Does Sergeant Sutter still have them?” asked Colonel Wyman.

  “Yes, sir, he does,” replied Emma. “I told him we might be back for them. Colonel, I know it’s a small detail, and I wasn’t even sure if I needed to bring it up. It’s just that when he said they were the new issue, well, in the Army, if it was new issue, that’s what …”

  Colonel Wyman cut her off with a wave of his hand before she could finish her sentence. “That’s the Army. I’d like to think we’re a bit more flexible and innovative here. If you all are more comfortable with something else, by all means, use it. But thank you for asking, I do appreciate it. Now, what do you say we get down to the details of your little vacation to India.”

  Wyman turned his chair to the credenza behind him. Turning back around, he brought out a leather satchel, similar to the one they had just seen the men carrying leaving his office. He set it on his desk in front of him. “Before we get too far into this mission,” the Colonel addressed the two men. “Emma, Captain Thompson, will be in charge. The three of you will work as a team like before, but she has
the final say.” He looked at LaCroix and Bunnel and asked, “Is that understood?”

  “Yes, sir,” they both replied.

  “With that out of the way, let’s get started. The name of this operation is Operation Blue Sapphire. As we discussed yesterday, your goal is to find out who killed Captain Preston and why. We also need to know if his cover was blown and what these people know about him and about the OSS. Use any means you have to get the information. I’ve given this a lot of thought since yesterday. Right now we don’t have the resources in India to try to make Preston’s killers into double agents. So, when you find them, eliminate them. Is that clear? Eliminate them.”

  Without hesitation all nodded in the affirmative.

  “I can’t emphasize this enough. The British have made it very clear that they do not want the OSS operating in India. So you’re going to have to be very careful in the way you carry out your mission. As far as this office is concerned, once you get to Calcutta, you don’t exist. If you get picked up by the local police, you’ll be on your own and treated like ordinary criminals. The cavalry won’t be charging to your rescue. Understood?”

  All nodded again.

  “What Captain Preston was doing was in violation of our agreement with the British, and it probably wasn’t a good thing to be doing to our hosts. However, there are several in the government who are looking past the war and into the future. They don’t see Britain being able to hold onto her colonies after the war. They wanted answers and couldn’t wait. It’s left us with a mess on our hands and you three are going to clean it up.”

  “Do the British have any indication Preston was one of us?” asked Emma.

  “Not that we know of. As far as we know, the British are treating his murder as a random crime. Which brings us to our next order of business, your cover stories.” Wyman opened the leather satchel and began removing its contents. “First, the War Department has decided it needs an engineer. Someone who can tear apart equipment coming back from the field and assess how it’s holding up. Henri, what’s your experience with engines?”

  “I’ve been around them all my life, in boats, cars, and trucks,” replied LaCroix.

  “So you know enough to be able to talk technical if you need to?” asked Colonel Wyman.

  “Of course.”

  “Good. That’s what I thought,” Wyman said as he handed LaCroix his new identity. “You’re going to be Frank Simmons, a mechanical engineer working for the War Department.”

  “Colonel, what about tools?” asked LaCroix.

  “They’re already in India with Sergeant Miller. Actually, Miller has begun tearing apart a jeep motor, just in case our British friends come snooping around.”

  “Very good, sir,” replied LaCroix.

  “Second, the War Department has decided it needs another liaison in the region to coordinate the procurement of supplies between the War Department, the Army, the Air Corps, and the Navy. Calcutta being the supply depot for the theater, it’s the perfect place for such a liaison. Jimmy, you’ll be replacing Captain Preston.” Colonel Wyman handed Bunnel his new identity. “Jimmy, you’re now James Ferguson, liaison for the War Department. Your job is to make sure the supply requests from the different branches are handled promptly and efficiently.”

  “I’ll make sure not to disappoint the Navy, Colonel,” Bunnel said with a grin on his face.

  “Third and finally, this brings us to you, Emma. How much do you know about the L.A. Times?”

  “I’m very familiar with it. My dad and mom read it every morning at breakfast. They have for years,” replied Emma.

  “Good, because you work for them now. You’ve been writing articles under the name Katherine Williams. Here are a few clippings of your stories,” said Colonel Wyman as he handed her several articles from the Times. “The paper has sent you to India to cover the war for them. What you’re going to send back are stories so the readers back home can get a feel for how our boys are doing living in an exotic land such as India. No combat reporting, technical stuff, or suffering. Just up-beat articles on how military personnel are getting along and adjusting to the location. Of course, you won’t actually be sending any articles back, but they’ll be published under your cover name while you’re in India. Just so there won’t be any surprises, we’ll forward copies to you via Vern Miller. Working for the Times should get you access to a number of officers, both British and American. Feel free to exploit your position and keep your ears open. You can learn a lot for us.

  “In the satchel, you’ll each find your new back stories. Where you were born, went to school, who your supervisors are at your various positions. I’ve tried to make it as easy as possible for you. For example, Henri, you attended Louisiana State in Baton Rouge, Emma, USC, Jimmy, the University of Washington. It will be easier for you to remember what you’re already familiar with. Your homework for tonight is to memorize your cover stories. Tomorrow, bring it all back to me, and I’ll have Doris file it away.

  “Now, this brings us to Sergeant Miller. He’ll be your communications man and also your roommate. The house he and Preston rented is big enough for all of you. He will also be able to give you the ins and outs of India. What to eat and not eat or drink, where to eat, that sort of thing. He’s been there awhile and knows the city well. He is also a good scrounger. If you get there and find you need something, ask him and he’ll get it for you. You can trust him. He’s had the standard OSS training, so feel free to include him in anything you plan. He liked Captain Preston a lot and wants to find out what happened to him as much as anybody. In India he goes by the name Vern Yelton.

  “I’ve given you all civilian assignments, so you can wear civilian clothing. Remember, your covers are designed to deceive the British, as well as the ones you’re hunting. Does anyone have any questions?”

  “Sir, what about our weapons?” asked Emma. “If we’re going as civilians, our hosts are going to be suspicious if we show up with an assortment of guns and knives.”

  “You say an assortment? What exactly are we talking about?” asked Colonel Wyman.

  “The silenced twenty-two, three daggers, each of us has a side arm with ammunition, and several pairs of handcuffs,” replied Emma.

  Raising an eyebrow, Colonel Wyman asked, “Handcuffs?”

  “Yes, sir.” Emma replied without going into further detail.

  Colonel Wyman glanced across his desk at each of them calmly awaiting his reply. Before answering, he thought, Bunnel and LaCroix look like they should be working in my firm on Wall Street, in the office waiting to close a deal. And Emma, her hair’s done, her nails are manicured, and she’s poised like she’ll be going to a country club later today to meet her husband, not sitting here discussing the weapons she’ll soon be needing. What in the world have I helped to create? But he didn’t say any of that aloud. Instead, all he said was, “I’ll take care of the weapons. They’ll be put on a priority flight to India. Miller will pick them up and have them waiting for you. He’ll also know when you are arriving and will pick you up in Calcutta. Any more questions?”

  “Our flights. When do we leave, and how do we get there?” asked LaCroix.

  “If none of you have any adverse reactions to your shots, you’ll be picked up at zero three hundred hours Wednesday morning at your house in Arlington and taken to the airfield. You’ll fly to Miami and board another flight for Brazil. From Brazil you’ll go to the West Coast of Africa, then on to Cairo in Egypt. There you’ll have a day to rest up before the final leg to India. It’s going to be a lot of travel, so make good use of the day off in Egypt and relax a bit. I have all your clearances and itineraries in the satchel. You’ve been given top priority. It may raise a few eyebrows, but go with it. They won’t bump you off any flights.”

  Colonel Wyman then opened it up for discussion. He had made it clear to them what their assignments would be and their cover stories. When the conversation concluded, Bunnel and LaCroix excused themselves and retrieved the weapons from t
he car. When they returned, Wyman gave them money to purchase appropriate clothing for the trip and any incidentals they would need. “Report back to me in the morning, say at eleven-hundred hours. By that time we’ll know how you’re all feeling and if everything is on schedule. I’ve given you all new identifications and passports. Tomorrow when you leave you’ll give me all of your true identifications. I don’t want anything on you that will link you to this office. Is that clear? If there’s anything else you need out at the Country Club, get it today or in the morning. When you leave here tomorrow, you won’t have access to enter either there or here again.”

  They all nodded, confirming his request.

  “See Doris on your way out, she has the doctor’s name and directions to his office. I’ll have him call and tell him you’re on your way.”

  “Very well, Colonel. We’ll see you in the morning,” said Emma.

  The next morning, after a short wait, they were again admitted to Colonel Wyman’s E Street office. He seemed both pleased and troubled to see them. After they were seated, he began the conversation. “Well, how is everyone feeling today? Anyone have an adverse reaction to the immunizations?”

  “No, Colonel, we’re all fine,” replied Bunnel.

  “And you’re all fit to travel later tonight?”

  “Tonight?” asked Emma.

  “That’s one of the things we have to go over today. This mission is important, and the time has been moved up. Your plane leaves at midnight. I know it changes things, but that way you won’t be spending the night in Miami. Instead, you’ll go on to Brazil. Besides, there’s a light colonel who isn’t too happy about being bumped off the flight. It’ll be best if the three of you are out of Miami as quickly as possible. The less friction we have with the Army, the better, and a lot fewer answers to provide,” explained Colonel Wyman. “I hope the change doesn’t pose any problems.”

  “No, Colonel, it doesn’t. We’re all packing light. If we need more clothes, we can get them in India. We’ll be ready,” Emma assured him.