Now the Skipper had his instructions from higher headquarters through Matrix, and he had the Odd Couple bring Pullini over to him. Following the established procedures, Brannigan had Pullini pushed down to a kneeling position while he stood to his direct front. This put the professional criminal at a psychological disadvantage. Frank Gomez was behind the gang leader to act as the interpreter.
"All right," Brannigan began, "your story has been verified, and we know you were taken from a penitentiary in Argentina and performed construction work for the Falangists. An investigation of the battlefield in the Selva Verde Mountains has also revealed you were poorly armed with old rifles and forced to attack our positions."
"You see, jefe," Pullini said. "I have been most truthful with you."
"And I have been authorized to tell you that for providing me with inside information on the layout of Fort Franco, you will not only be allowed to keep the money you had in your packs, but will be given an additional twenty-five thousand American dollars."
"Oh, thank you, jefer Pullini cried happily. "Such generosity reflects what great people you norteamericanos are."
"And," Brannigan continued, "you and your men will be taken to an undisclosed place where you will be able to live any lifestyle that suits you; whether it be criminal or law-abiding."
"We wish to go to America, jefe!" Pullini said hopefully.
"ForgetBrannigan barked.
"Then to Colombia," Pullini said. "That would please us very much."
"I was told you would go to an undisclosed location that will suit you fine," Brannigan said. "That's all you're being offered."
Pullini frowned. "In that case, we will tell you nothing of Fuerte Franco."
"Now hear this," Brannigan said coldly. "I am going to make this offer to you one more time. One more fucking time, understand? Not twice more. Once more."
Pullini took the hint, realizing that the alternative was a summary execution out there in the wilds of the Gran Chaco. "Jefe, if you have some paper and a pencil, I will draw you a sketch map of the place and describe every bunker."
.
FUERTE FRANCO
2000 HOURS LOCAL
MORALE was high in the now depleted but unbowed Ejercito Falangista. The units gathered in their individual bunkers to discuss not if reinforcements and supplies would arrive, but when. They had been rationing the beer but now began freely passing the valued brew out with no limits. Even if they ran out, it would only be a matter of days before a hundred or so replacement cases would come in via helicopter.
At this time in the evening it had become a custom to turn on their radios to listen to the powerful Voc de las Americas radio station that broadcast news, sports and lots of music. The men in the fortress guzzled their beer while tapping their toes and singing to the old tango and conga music that most preferred over the modern rock y mll. A break came in the entertainment for a news bulletin. The announcer's voice was tense with excitement.
"El noticario mas reciente--breaking news! The governments of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile have announced dozens of arrests of rebel officers of their armed forces. More apprehensions are scheduled and will continue for the next day or two. These dissidents were members of the Falangist movement who had been conducting armed insurrection in the Gran Chaco of Bolivia. The officers who remained back in their home countries organized a grand scheme to funnel personnel, ammunition, supplies and other necessities for the waging of war to the field headquarters of a colonel of the Spanish Foreign Legion. This man, Coronel Jose Maria de Castillo y Plato, proclaimed himself a self-styled generalissimo who advanced a mad scheme to conquer all of South America and put the entire continent under his fascist dictatorship."
Mouths opened in stunned surprise in all the bunkers, and the Falangists looked at each other in alarm. Their revolution was coming unraveled.
The broadcast continued with even more disturbing news. "Some of those officers arrested include Comandante Manuel Valdez of the Bolivian Air Force Intelligence Service, Coronel Guillermo Kraus of the Chilean Air Force, Capitan de Fragata Carlos Maggiore of Argentine Naval Intelligence .
The list went on, and the Falangists recognized comrades in the movement who would now be in military prisons going through intense interrogation to give up all they knew. Now stark fear swept through the bunkers with the realization there was no place they could go. But an additional message following the reading of names brought relief and hope to them.
"The affected governments have announced that an amnesty will be offered to those rebels who turn themselves in within the next seventy-two hours. They will be expected to reveal all names and information demanded of them. In return, though they will be summarily dismissed from their country's armed forces, they will face no prison time or other judicial punishment."
22 JANUARY
0400 HOURS LOCAL
SARGENTO-MAYOR Gustavo Kreiling was the chief of the night guard. Just before the sentries were posted that evening, another special formation was announced by the generalisimo. Castillo loudly and angrily attacked the news broadcast as nothing but lies. He described it as a poor attempt to lower the morale and determination of the Falangist fighters. "But we are made of sterner stuff!" he bellowed. "Now our anger and thirst for revenge is tripled! When our new men and arms arrive, this continent will be knee deep in the blood of communists and socialists!" The men seemed heartened and encouraged all over again, and the event was closed with wild cheering.
But secretly, each man was wondering how the hell the three nations obtained the names of men they knew were actual agents and operatives for the movement. Castillo had made no mention of that.
Now Kreiling checked his watch. He walked over to where the chief of the relief on duty sat drinking a cup of coffee. The sargento-mayoi touched his shoulder. "It is time."
The man got up and went out to bring in his sentries from their posts. Kreiling went to the sleeping guards, shaking each awake. He picked out a half dozen. "You men go to the bunkers and wake the others. Remember! No chingaderds officers, eh? Tell the guys it is time."
As the chosen men filed out, another special detail came in with the two helicopter pilots, Subalterno Ernesto Pizzaro and Suboficial Manuel Obregon. The two airmen were sleepy and confused. "Que pasa--what's going on?" Pizzaro asked.
"There is a special mission laid on," Kreiling explained. "Both helicopters will be involved."
"I don't know anything about a special mission," Pizzaro insisted. "We haven't been briefed about it."
"Look, kid," Kreiling said. "You do exactly as you are told--exactamente--and you won't get hurt! Understood?"
Both pilots nodded their heads in affirmative manners.
Over at the officers' bunker a half-dozen men rushed down the entrances and began grabbing weapons while, at that same moment, a quartet invaded the quarters of Suboficial Punzarron, Sargento-Mayor Chaubere and Sargento Muller. In both places the inhabitants were told to say quiet and remain inside. If any of them so much as showed their heads in a firing slit, they would be blasted by submachine gun fire.
"Oigan!" came a call from among the officers. "I am Comandante Tippelskirch. I wish to go with you. I know you are seeking amnesty."