~!The accountant's projections for Buenos Aims were well
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thought out. Swanson found himself fascinated by Walter Kendall's sense of
maneuver and countermeasure. The man thought like a sewer rat:
instinctively, probing sources of smell and light; his strength in his
suspicions, in his constantly varying estimates of his adversaries. He was
indeed an animal: predator and evader.
The Germans' prime concerns could be reduced to three: the quality of the
bortz and carbonado diamonds; the quantity of the shipment; and finally the
methods of safe transport to Germany. Unless these factors could be
guaranteed, there would be no delivery of the gyroscopic designs - the
guidance system.
Kendall assumed that the shipment of diamonds would be inspected by a team
of experts - not one man or even two.
A team, then, three to five men, would be employed; the length of time
required might extend to the better part of a week depending upon the
sophistication of the instruments used. This information he had learned
from Koening in New York. During this period simultaneous arrangements
would be agreed to that allowed an aerophysicist to evaluate the gyroscopic
designs brought from Peenemflnde. If the Nazis were as cautious as Kendall
assumed they would be, the designs would be delivered in stages, timed to
the schedule the inspection team considered adequate for its examination of
the diamonds. The gyroscope scientist would no doubt be fed step-blueprints
in isolation, with no chance of photostats or duplication until the diamond
team had completed its work.
Once both sides were satisfied with the deliveries, Kendall anticipated
that an ultimate threat would be imposed that guaranteed safe transport to
the respective destinations. And it was logical that this 'weapon' be
identical for each party; threat of exposure. Betrayal of cause and
country.
Penalties: death.
The same 'weapon' the general held on him, on Walter Kendall.
What else was new?
Did Kendall think it was possible to get the designs and subsequently
sabotage or reclaim the diamond shipment?
No. Not as long as it remained a civilian exchange. The -threat of exposure
was too complete; there was too much proof of contact. Neither crisis could
be denied and names were known. The taint of collaboration could ruin men
and corporation&
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'Authenticated' rumors could be circulated easily.
And if the military moved in, the civilians would move out instantly - the
responsibility of delivery no longer theirs.
Swanson should know this; it was precisely the situation he had engineered.
Swanson knew it.
Where would the diamonds be inspected? Where was the most advantageous
location?
Kendall's reply was succinct: any location that seemed advantageous to one
side would be rejected by the other. He thought the Germans foresaw this
accurately and for that reason suggested Buenos Aires. It was on the spool
of wire. Didn't Swanson listen?
Powerful men in Argentina were unquestionably, if quietly, pro-Axis, but
the government's dependency on Allied economics took precedence. The
neutrality essentially was controlled by the economic factors. Each side,
therefore, had something: the Germans would find a sympathetic environment,
but the Americans were capable of exerting a strong enough influence to
counteract that sympathy - without eliminating it.
Kendall respected the men in Berlin who centered in on Buenos Aires. They
understood the necessity of balancing the psychological elements, the need
to give up, yet still retain spheres of influence. They were good.
Each side would be extremely cautious; the environment demanded it. Timing
would be everything.
Swanson knew how the designs would be gotten out: a string of pursuit
aircraft flying up the coastal bases under diplomatic cover. This cover
would extend to the military. Only he would be aware of the operation; no
one else in the services or, for that matter, in the government would be
apprised. He would make the arrangements and give them to Kendall at the
proper time.
What transport would the Germans arrive at? asked the general.
'They've got a bigger problem. They recognize it so they'll probably make
some kind of airtight demands. They could ask for a hostage, but I don't
think so.'
'Why noff
'Who've we got - that's involved - that's not expendable? Christ I If it
was me, you'd be the first to say, "Shoot the son of a bitch!"' Kendall
again locked his eyes briefly with Swanson's.
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'of course, you wouldn't know what particular safeguards I took; a lot of
uniforms would be dirty as hell.'
Swanson recognized Kendall's threat for what it was. He also knew he could
handle it. It would take some thought, but such consideration could come
later. It would be no insurmountable hurdle to prepare for Kendall's
dispatch. The isolation would come first; then an elaborate dossier....
'Let's concentrate on how they expect to ship out the bortz and carbonado.
There's no point in going after each other,' said Swanson.
'We're beyond that, thenT
'I think we are. i
'Good. Just don't forget it,' said Kendall.
'The diamonds will be brought to Buenos Aires. Have those arrangements been
madeT .
'They're being made. Delivery date in three, three-and-a-half weeks. Unless
there's a fuck-up in the South Atlantic. We don't expect any.'
'The inspection team does its work in Buenos Aires. We send the physicist
... who will it be? SpinelliT
'No. For both our sakes we ruled him out. But you know that. . . .'
'Yes. Who, then?'
'Man named Lyons. Eugene Lyons. I'll get you a file on him. You'll sweat
bullets when you read it, but if there's anyone better than Spinelli, it's
him. We wouldn't take any chances. He's in New York now.'
Swanson made a note. 'What about the German transport? Any ideas?'
'A couple. Neutral cargo plane north to Recife in Brazil, across east to
Palmas or someplace in Guinea on the African coast. Then straight up to
Lisbon and out. That's the fastest routing. But they may not want to chance
the air corridors.'
'You sound military.'
'When I do a job, it's thorough.'
'What else?'
'I think they'll probably settle for a submarine. Maybe two, for diversion
purposes. it's slower but the safest.'
'Subs can't enter Argentine ports. Our southern patrols would blow them out
of the water. If they put in, they're impounded. We're not going to change
those rules.'
132
'You may have to.'
'Impossible. There has to be another way.'
'You may have to find it. Don't forget those clean ulfforms.9
Swanson looked away. 'What about RhinemarmT
'What about him? He's on his way back. With his kind of money, even Hitler
can't freeze him out.'
'I don't trust him.'
'You'd be a goddamned fool if you did. But the worst he can do is
hold out
for market concessions - or money - from both sides. So what? He'll
deliver. Why wouldn't heT
'I'm sure he'll deliver; that's the one thing I'm positive about. ... Which
brings me to the main point of this meeting. I want a man in Buenos Aires.
At the embassy.'
Kendall absorbed Swanson's statement before replying. He reached for the
ashtray and put it on the arm of his chair. 'One of your men or one of
ours? We need someone; we figured you'd have us supply him.'
'You figured wrong. I've picked him.'
'That could be dangerous. I tell you this with no charge ... since I
already said it.'
'If we move in, the civilian contingent moves outT A question.
'It makes sense. . . .'
'Only if the man I send knows about the diamonds. You're to make sure he
doesn't.' A statement. 'Make very sure, Kendall. Your life depends on it.'
The accountant watched Swanson closely. 'What's the point?'
'There are six thousand miles between Buenos Aires and the Meridian
Aircraft plants. I want that trip made without any mishaps. I want those
designs brought back by a professional.'
'You're taking a chance on dirtying up the uniforms, aren't you, generalT
'No. The man will be told that Rhinemann made a deal for the designs out of
Peenemilnde. We'll say Rhinemann brought in the German underground. For
escape routings.'
'Full of holes! Since when does the underground work for a price? Why would
they go three thousand miles out of their way? or work with Rhinemann?'
'Because they need him and he needs them. Rhinemann was exiled as a Jew; it
was a mistake. He rivaled Krupp. There are many in German industry still
loyal to him; and he maintains offices in Berne.... Our crisis in
gyroscopics is no secret, we
133
know that. Rhinemann would use that knowledge; make deals in Berne.'
'Why even bring in the underground?'
'I have my own reasons. They're not your concern.' Swanson spoke curtly,
clipping his words. It crossed his mind - fleetingly - that he was getting
overtired again. He had to watch that; his strength was hollow when he was
tired. And now he had to be convincing. He had to make Kendall obey without
question. The important thing was to get Spaulding within reach of Erich
Rhinemann. Rhinemann was the target.
The brigadier watched the filthy man in front of him. It sickened him to
think that such a human slug was so necessary to the moment. Or was it, he
wondered, that he was reduced to using such a man? Using him and then
ordering his execution. It made their worlds closer.
'All right, Mr. Kendall, I'll spell it out. . . . The man I've picked for
Buenos Aires is one of the best Intelligence agents we've got. He'll bring
those designs back. But I don't want to take the slightest chance that he
could learn of the diamond transfer. Rhinemann operating alone is suspect;
the inclusion of the German underground puts it above suspicion.'
Swanson had done his homework; everyone spoke of the French and Balkan
undergrounds, but the German underground had worked harder and more
effectively, with greater sacrifice, than all the others combined. The
former man in Lisbon would know that. It would make the Buenos Aires
assignment palatable and legitimate.
'Wait a minute.... Jesus Christ! Wait a minute.' Kendall's disagreeable
expression abruptly changed. It was as if suddenly - with reluctant
enthusiasm - he had found merit in something Swanson said. 'That could be
a good device.'
:What do you mean, device?'
Just that. You say you're going to use it for this agent. The underground's
above suspicion and all that shit.... O.K., let's go further. You just
spelled out the guarantee we have to give.'
'What guarantee?'
'That the shipment of Koening diamonds can get out of Buenos Aires. It's
going to be the ball-breaker.... Let me ask you a couple of questions. And
give me straight answers.'
The sewer rat, thought Swanson, looking at the excited, disheveled
figure-man. 'Go ahead.'
134
'This underground. They've gotten a lot of people out of Germany, very
important people. I mean everybody knows that.'
'They've- it's- been very effective.'
'Does it have any hooks into the German navy?'
'I imagine so. Allied Central Intelligence would know specifically. . . .
'
'But you don't want to go to them. Or do you?'
'Out of the question.'
'But is it possibleT
'WhatT
'The German navy, goddamn it! The submarine fleet!' Kendall was leaning
forward, his eyes now boring into Swanson's.
'I would think so. I'm not ... not primarily an Intelligence man. The
German underground has an extensive network. I assume it has contacts in
the naval command.'
'Then it is possible.'
'Yes, anything's possible.' Swanson lowered his voice, turning away from
his own words. 'This is possible.'
Kendall leaned back in the chair and crushed out his cigarette. He grinned
his unattractive grin and wagged his forefinger at Swanson. 'Then there's
your story. Clean as a goddamned whistle and way above any goddamned
suspicion .... While we're buying those designs, it just so happens that a
German submarine is floating around, ready to surface and bring out one -
even two, if you like - very important defectors. Courtesy of the under-
ground. What better reason for a submarine to surface in hostile waters?
Protected from patrols. . . . Only nobody gets off. Instead, some fresh
cargo gets put on board.'
Swanson tried to assimilate Kendall's rapidly delivered maneuvers. 'There'd
be complications .....
'Wrong! It's isolated. One has nothing to do with the other! It's just
talk, anyway.'
Brigadier General Alan Swanson knew when he had met a man more capable in
the field than himself. 'It's possible. Radio blackout; Allied Central
instructions.'
Kendall rose from his chair; he spoke softly. 'Details. I'll work them out.
. . . And you'll pay me. Christ, will you pay.'
135
13
DECEMBER 27,1943 THE AZORES
The island of Terceira in the Azores, 837 miles due west of Lisbon, was a
familiar stop to the trans-Atlantic pilots flying the southern route to the
United States mainland. As they descended there was always the comfortable
feeling that they would encounter minor traffic to be serviced by efficient
ground crews who allowed them to be rapidly airborne again. Lajes Field was
good duty; those assigned there recognized that and performed well.
Which was why the major in command of the B-17 cargo and personnel carrier
which had a Captain David Spaulding as its single passenger couldn't
understand the delay. It had begun at descent altitude, fourteen thousand
feet. The Lajes tower had interrupted its approach instructions and ordered
the pilot to enter a holding pattern. The major had objected; there was no
necessity from his point of view. The field was clear. The Lajes tower
radioman agreed with the major b
ut said he was only repeating telephone
instructions from American headquarters in Ponta Delgada on the adjacent
island of Sdo Miguel. Az-Am-HQ gave the orders; apparently it was expecting
someone to meet the plane and that someone hadn't arrived. The tower would
keep the major posted and, incidentally, was the major carrying some kind
of priority cargo? Just curiosity.
Certainly not. There was no cargo; only a military attach6 named Spaulding
from the Lisbon embassy. One of those god-
136
damned diplomatic teaparty boys. The trip was a routine return flight to
Norfolk, and why the hell couldn't he land?
The tower would keep the major posted.
The B-17 landed at 1300 hours precisely, its holding pattern lasting
twenty-seven minutes.
David got up from the removable seat, held to the deck by clamps, and
stretched. The pilot, an aggressive major who looked roughly thirteen years
old to Spaulding, emerged from the enclosed cockpit and told him a jeep was
outside - or would be outside shortly - to drive the captain off the base.
- 'I'd like to maintain a decent schedule,' said the young pilot, addressing
his outranked elder humorlessly. 'I realize you diplomatic people have a lot
of friends in these social posts, but we've got a long lap to fly. Bear it
in mind, please.'
'I'll try to keep the polo match down to three chukkers,' replied David
wearily.
6Yeah, you do that.' The major turned and walked to the rear of the cabin,
where an air force sergeant had sprung open the cargo hatch used for the
aircraft's exit. Spaulding followed, wondering who would meet him outside.
'My name's Ballantyne, captain,' said the middle-aged civilian behind the
wheel of the jeep, extending his hand to Spaulding. 'I'm with
Azores-American. Hop in; we'll only be a few minutes. We're driving to the
provost's house, a few hundred yards beyond the fence.'
David noticed that the guards at the gate did not bother to stop
Ballantyne, they just waved him through. The civilian turned right on the
road paralleling the field and accelerated. In less time than it took to
adequately light a cigarette, the jeep entered the driveway of a one-story
Spanish hacienda and proceeded past the house to what could only be
described as an out-of-place gazebo.
Robert Ludlum - Rhineman Exchange.txt Page 16