He was also aware of General "Scotty" McNab's well-earned reputation for unorthodoxy, and of his legendary temper. And there was, General Winters knew, an Air Force officer, a colonel, named Jacob Torine. Why Torine would be flying a civilian Bombardier/Learjet 45XR Winters had no idea, except that Torine had spent much of his career as an Air Commando, and Air Commandos were about as well known for unorthodoxy as were members of the Army's Special Forces.
Wise major generals, Air Force or Army, make every effort not to unreasonably antagonize lieutenant generals of their own or any other service.
General Winters instructed Major Dennis to grant Lear Five-Zero-Seven-Five permission to land, but with the caveat that it be ordered to hold on the taxiway, where two Security Forces Humvees armed with.50 caliber machine guns should meet it prepared to take it under fire in case the sleek and glistening white civilian jet should turn out to be some sort of flying Trojan horse.
"I'll be right there, Major," General Winters said.
On the way to Base Operations in his Air Force blue Dodge Caravan, General Winters managed to get General McNab on his cellular phone.
"General McNab," he said, "we have just learned that a civilian Learjet is about to land at Pope, piloted by someone who says he is Colonel Jacob Torine, USAF, and that you can verify he has permission to land. I am on my way to the field."
General McNab's reply was succinct: "Well, I guess I better do the same. Thank you, Oscar. See you there." The Bombardier/Learjet 45XR had been sitting on the taxiway near the threshold of the active runway for about ten minutes when both Lieutenant General McNab and Major General Winters personally appeared there.
General McNab led the way, standing up in the front seat of an Army Humvee. He was a small, muscular, ruddy-faced man sporting a flowing red mustache. He was wearing a desert camouflage uniform, aviator sunglasses, and a green beret. General Winters followed in his Caravan. He was wearing a class A uniform.
When the Humvee stopped thirty feet from the Lear, General McNab jumped nimbly to the ground and walked up to the Lear, where he, hands on hips, looked up at the cockpit with all the arrogant confidence of General George S. Patton. A very large and muscular captain, similarly uniformed, got out of the Humvee and took up a position immediately behind General McNab.
Major General Winters and Major Dennis got out of the Caravan and walked up beside Lieutenant General McNab and the Green Beret captain.
The Lear's door unfolded, and Colonel Torine and Major Castillo, each wearing a suit and tie, deplaned. Both saluted crisply, which reassured Major Dennis, who reasoned if they weren't military they would not have done so.
"Good morning, sir," Torine and Castillo said, almost in concert.
General Winters returned the salute crisply. General McNab returned it with a casual gesture in the direction of his head.
"I must confess, Oscar," General McNab said, "that these two are well known to me, and that the really ugly one is indeed Colonel Jake Torine."
McNab looked at Torine, and said, "I knew they wouldn't let an old man like you fly big airplanes much longer." He looked at Castillo. "And Major Castillo, daring to show his face at my door again."
General McNab turned to General Winters.
"Whenever I think that Captain Walsh is the worst aide-de-camp I have ever had, Oscar, I think of Major Castillo in that role and realize I am wrong. Castillo earned that appellation in perpetuity."
Captain Walsh smiled, and shook his head.
"As to why there is no record of their aircraft being granted permission to land here, I have no idea. I was notified by CentCom that they were coming. I am forced to conclude that either CentCom or the Air Force fucked things up again, as both are lamentably famous for doing."
"I'll look into it, General," Winters said.
"If I may offer advice without giving offense, Oscar, let sleeping dogs lie."
"No offense taken, General."
"Would it be possible for you to drag that airplane somewhere where it will be more convenient for them to get back in it after we've had some breakfast?"
"Certainly, sir. Colonel, do you need fuel?"
"No, sir. We're all right," Torine said.
"Castillo, once again demonstrating his remarkable ability to arrive at the wrong time, did so by arriving here just as Walsh and I finished our wake-up five-mile trot around Smoke Bomb Hill," General McNab said. "I require sustenance immediately after my morning five-miler. Otherwise, my wife accuses, I become ill-mannered."
"I understand, General," Winters said.
Fernando appeared at the Lear's door.
"Can I get off now without being blown away?" he asked.
"Aha," McNab said. "Unless I err, the owner of the airplane. You may not believe this, Oscar, but he was once a fairly competent captain of armor."
"How are you, General?" Fernando asked.
"Very well, Fernando, for an old man, with all these terrible responsibilities heavily weighing upon my overburdened shoulders. Could you use some sustenance?"
"Yes, sir, I could."
"I'll have it towed to Base Ops," General Winters said.
"Thank you, sir," Torine said.
"Thank you, Oscar," General McNab said, and gestured to Castillo, Torine, and Lopez that they should get into the Humvee. There was still a small line waiting to be fed at what the Army now called the "dining facility"-formerly "mess hall"-of the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment when McNab's Humvee pulled up outside. Everyone in the Humvee piled out and went to the end of the line.
One of the principles of leadership Castillo had learned while he had been Second Lieutenant Castillo, aide-de-camp to Brigadier General McNab, was that the quality of food served was one of the most important factors in troop morale, and that a very good way to ensure that high-quality food was served at all times was for senior officers to drop in unannounced at a randomly selected mess hall and eat what was being served to the privates.
General McNab took out his wallet and paid for breakfast for everybody but his driver, an unmarried sergeant living in barracks who was not drawing a rations and quarters allowance, and they went through the line watched by a visibly nervous mess sergeant, who was aware both of McNab's legendary temper and that it was often triggered when food did not measure up to his expectations.
The food-and there was a wide array of choices- was good. McNab waited until they were through, poured himself another cup of coffee, and then handed Castillo a sheet of Teletype paper.
"If you have trouble with the big words, Charley, I will be happy to explain them to you," he said.
Castillo took the message and read it.
TOP SECRET-PRESIDENTIAL
COPIES TO:
1. CONFIRMING VERBAL ORDERS OF THE PRESIDENT TO THE UNDERSIGNED 26 JULY 2005 AND TELECON BETWEEN GEN NAYLOR AND LT GEN MCNAB 2305 26 JULY 2005. 2. BY DIRECTION OF THE PRESIDENT: * (A) COMMANDING GENERAL XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS/SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND WILL IMMEDIATELY MAKE AVAILABLE SUCH PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY C. G. CASTILLO, CHIEF, OFFICE OF ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. * (B) ANY INABILITY TO PROVIDE SUCH PERSONNEL OR EQUIPMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REPORTED TO CINC CENTCOM EYES ONLY GEN NAYLOR BY THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS MEANS, PREFERABLY SECURE TELEPHONE.