‘Thanks…’ Shaw took it, broke the seal, and took out a message blank covered with numbers in five-figure groups. Swinging himself out of bed on to the thick pile of the carpet, he slipped a dressing-gown on and sat at a bureau to start breaking down the cypher. The message, which took him some time to decypher, read:
APPRECIATE ALL EFFORTS AND PERSONALLY MOST HEARTILY SUPPORT CANCELLATION TEST PENDING ARREST MOEHNE HOWEVER CAN GET NO APPROVAL THIS VIEW ACCOUNT RECENT INFORMATION RELIABLE SOURCE EX RUSSIA PERIOD RUSSIAN MISSILE PROGRAM WELL ADVANCED AND INTENTIONS DOUBTFUL COULD BE HOSTILE IN VIEW PEKING PRESSURE THEREFORE HIGHEST AUTHORITY INSISTS TEST BE HELD AS PLANNED PERIOD VIEW REMAINS THAT IT IS URGENT WE MAKE TEST PERIOD RUSSIA ACCOUNT PRESTIGE AND SECURITY REASONS PERIOD CHILEAN ARGENTINE GOVERNMENTS BEING REQUESTED ARREST DISARM MOEHNE IF IN THEIR RESPECTIVE WATERS PERIOD IF THIS NOT DONE BY DEADLINE NOON TOMORROW THURSDAY US GOVERNMENT WILL SEND BOMBER FORCE TO DESTROY NOTWITHSTANDING COMPLICATIONS AFTERWARDS ENDS
‘But what,’ Shaw said bitterly to Etherington a little later, ‘about world reactions? Don’t they take that into account, for heaven’s sake? You can’t just dismiss that by talking about — what was it—“notwithstanding complications afterwards.” And there’s another thing they, and we too, could do with the Moehne intact — there’s any amount of technical know-how aboard of her, which could be invaluable to the backroom boys. All they have to do is to postpone the test until Chile or the Argentine arrests the flaming ship!’
‘And that,’ Etherington said with a smile, ‘is exactly what Washington’s asked both the governments to do, isn’t it — arrest the ship? As it happens, I’ve got an idea they may refuse. There’s quite a number of potential revolutionaries in both countries who are liable to become pretty vocal if their governments do any what they call kow-towing to Washington — and they don’t want that sort of embarrassment cropping up. So — suppose they do refuse. What then?’
‘Why, the bombers — that’s what the message says—’
‘Yes, the bombers! But is there any other way of handling it, my dear chap? If Chile and the Argentine both refuse, and go on refusing—and that would be only logical — what’s the result?’
Shaw shrugged. ‘No test, I suppose.’
‘Exactly — on your line of reasoning, of waiting indefinitely for an arrest. It’d just go on and on and on… and I think we’ve all got to agree that that test is of overriding importance if Russia really is up to something.’
Shaw gave it up. He said, ‘I suppose so. But better to send ships in and take her intact if it goes on too long, rather than blow her up.’
Etherington nodded. ‘I dare say,’ he said pacifically. ‘That is, if we can assume, which in fact we can’t, that Fleck won’t smash up the works rather than be taken intact. And I don’t like the phrase “goes on too long…” I don’t believe it can be allowed to do that, whatever the international complications afterwards — as your friend Pullman says. Any delay could be a bad thing now. Meanwhile it’s much better the American people should be happily unaware of what’s going on behind the scenes. If this thing was spun out, the Press would dig it up somehow, and you can bet on that. No good the whole nation getting ulcers and increased blood pressure… it’s people like you and I who’re paid to have that while the rest dream their sweet dreams that all’s well with the world!’
Chapter Twenty-Five
The following day Shaw, after a restless night, was again woken early when a hand grasped his shoulder and shook it urgently. ‘Wake up, old man. Come on!’ Etherington’s usually urbane voice was insistent. ‘News!’
‘What’s that?’ Shaw came wide awake. He sat up, rubbing at his eyes. ‘What time is it?’
‘Six-thirty. We’ve just heard from our Embassy in Washington. The U.S Government’s made its request to Chile and the Argentine and—’
‘And it’s been turned down?’
Etherington nodded. ‘Flat, even though it’s hours yet to the deadline. Rejected out of hand by both countries.’
Shaw stared at him, his face set. ‘Why? Look, doesn’t this mean that one or other of the governments are solidly behind Fleck?’
‘Not necessarily, though there could be some tacit agreement that he can remain.’ Etherington lowered himself into a chair, looking tired. He went on, ‘Chile at any rate is normally friendly enough, as we all know. I doubt if they’d have refused on their own, but there could have been pressures. In any case, I’d say from what you’ve told me of Fleck’s own statement — that he was mobile when necessary — that he may have shifted back by now into the — er — somewhat safer waters of the Argentine. After your escape, you see. If that is the case, Chile doesn’t come into this anyhow.’
‘No, but I thought you said the Argentine Government wouldn’t be concerned in this either?’
‘The Argentine Government as such was what I said.’ The diplomat frowned. ‘You know — there’s another point to be considered, old man. It’s puerile, but it’s overriding, and it’s this: The South American governments don’t take very kindly to what they consider outside interference, not these days, even though all concerned in this business are members of the Organization of American States, for what that’s worth. You’ll remember I talked about potential revolutionaries yesterday — well, that’s something the governments always have on their minds, you know.’ He frowned. ‘The Argentine’s a very tricky proposition, one way and another, and Washington certainly won’t have told either them or Chile the whole story, or even half of it. Which, my dear chap, is an extremely important point.’
Shaw nodded. ‘You’re dead right there, they won’t have come clean. It’ll just look to the South Americans like an unreasonable and bellicose threat to their precious sovereignty — is that it?’
‘Just about.’ Etherington sighed. ‘It’s very much the kind of reaction I’d have expected, as I think you know. There could even be a certain amount of buck-passing going on between the two of them. It’s all rather confused… especially with Fleck liable to dart about between one and the other.’
‘It doesn’t help very much, though, does it,’ Shaw said savagely, running a hand through his hair. ‘So what now?’
Etherington shrugged. ‘I think we just wait and see—’
‘Yes, but damn it all… there’s not much time left now for shilly-shallying. Someone’s got to get weaving on this, and fast at that—’
‘Quite, quite… but it’s no good rushing fences—’
‘Rushing fences!’ Shaw lifted his arms in despair. ‘God give me strength!’
Etherington said diplomatically, ‘That was badly put, I know. But we must simmer down and leave it to Washington now. My guess is, they’ll hang on just a little longer for form’s sake and hope the Chileans and Argentinians’ll change their minds before anybody is pushed into something lethal. They may try a little persuasion in the meantime.’
‘And after that?’ Shaw stared at him in growing concern and frustration. ‘Because you don’t believe they will change their minds, do you?’
‘Frankly, no.’ Etherington whistled flatly between his teeth. ‘But after that… they’ll send the long-range bombers in.’
‘By which time,’ Shaw said with icy calm, ‘the Moehne’ll have shifted, if she hasn’t already. God knows where she’ll be, and there won’t be much time to look, because Warmaster goes on test in a little under thirty hours from now.’