that there was some sort of mix-up,” he said. “Your seat change should have been made before you boarded.”
He pointed to two large, leather-upholstered first-class seats. “That’s for us?” Oliver asked.
“Colonel Rangio hopes that you have a pleasant flight, and will see you soon again,” the man said. “And he thought that since you liked our Argentine wine, you might like to try some of our champagne.”
He thrust a large paper bag at Oliver, who looked in and saw four foil-necked champagne bottles.
“He also hopes that you will be good enough to take a bottle to Colonel Lowell and Major Lunsford,” the man said.
“Certainly,” Oliver said.
“And that you will be good enough to deliver this to Colonel Lowell,” the man said.
He handed Oliver a white envelope. It was not sealed and was not addressed.
“Certainly,” Oliver said. “I’d be happy to.”
He put the envelope in his suit jacket pocket.
The man put out his hand.
“I, too, hope you have a very pleasant flight,” he said, shook their hands, and walked to the aircraft door.
Johnny bowed Jack into the window seat, then sat down himself.
A stewardess appeared with two glasses of champagne.
“Champagne? Or would you rather wait until we’re in the air?”
“Seize the opportunity, I always say,” Jack said, taking a glass. “Thank you very much.”
There was a whining noise.
“He’s starting Inboard Two,” Jack said. “Drink up.”
“I wonder what’s in the envelope?” Oliver said when they were still climbing to cruise altitude and the champagne had been replaced with a glass of Johnny Walker Black.
“It wasn’t sealed,” Jack said.
“I noticed,” Oliver said. “On one hand, it would be reading somebody else’s mail.”
“And on the other,” Jack said, “I’m sure you remember what Mr. Stephens said about lying, stealing, cheating, and worse, being part of this territory.”
“You are a corrupting influence, Lieutenant,” Oliver said, and took the envelope from his jacket pocket.
It contained two typewritten pages.
This is list of some of the personnel who will participate in the Cuban operation in the former Belgian Congo. I understand the American CIA rates the reliability of information of this nature on a scale of one to five, five being the most reliable. By that criteria, this information would be FIVE.
With the exception of Guevara, who is believed to be in or en route to Paris, all of the officers and most of the enlisted men are in one of the training camps secretly established in Pina del Rio Province, and identified as Pita 1, Pita 2, and Pita 3. Pita 2 and Pita 3 are still under construction.
In the parentheses following the officer’s rank is the Swahili name these individuals will use in the Operation. One might logically deduce they have someone fluent in Swahili available to them.
1. Guevara, Ernesto de la Serna Major (Tatu)No comment considered necessary
2. Dreke, Victor Major (Moja)Although he is not a professional officer, Dreke is a highly skilled guerrilla, who served with Castro and Guevara in the Sierra Maestra. He is a dedicated Communist, and a close and trusted friend of both Guevara and Castro.
Until this assignment, he has been Deputy Commandant of the Fight Against Bands of Counterrevolutionaries (Acronym from the Spanish, LCB). He is not adverse to executing persons believed to be counterrevolutionaries on the spot when and where detected.
Dreke is a very dangerous man, whose mission will probably be similar to that of a political commissar in the Soviet Army—that is, in addition to his military duties, he will do whatever is necessary to maintain communist zeal.
3. Tamayo, José María Martínez Ministry of the Interior officer (Mbili)Martínez is a former military intelligence officer, whose function at the Interior Ministry has included supervision of the Secret Police.
4. Gilbert, Raphael Zerquera, M.D. Not Known (Kumi)This would seem to indicate Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, M.D., plans to be too busy with other activities to serve as the operation’s physician.
5. Terry, Santiago Captain (Ali)Terry is not a professional soldier. He was “commissioned” as a reward for his service while with Castro in the Sierra Maestra mountains. He and Guevara and Dreke are the only officers who have any experience in waging guerrilla warfare.
6. Pichardo, Norberto Pio Lieutenant (Inne) Pichardo is a recently commissioned officer who served in Infantry.
The following enlisted men are members of the cadre. Some of them served in the Sierra Maestra, but most are simply soldiers recruited from the Cuban Army because of their black skin. Few, if any, are believed to have guerrilla experience.