"He was Castillo's Minister of Labor," Lauffer furnished, and then went on: "We expected something like that might happen, Coronel Mart¡n predicted it. The only thing that's changed is that General Ramirez has ordered us to move now."
"Instead of when?"
"Instead of tomorrow morning," Lauffer said. "I thought you read Outline Blue."
"Not that carefully."
"And under the circumstances, General Rawson feels that we should make sure the airplane will be ready. Just in case it's needed."
Clete had put on clean underwear, stockings, and a clean shirt. He stood looking at the closet where Enrico had hung up his clothing. He had his choice of a business suit or the riding breeches and boots he wore flying the Lockheed into Campo de Mayo.
"I don't think my diplomat's uniform is the appropriate uniform of the day," he thought aloud.
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing," Clete said, and reached for the riding breeches.
"I don't know whether you will feel comfortable with these," Lauffer said when Clete had finished-with a loud grunt-pulling on his riding boots. "But General Ramirez said I should offer them to you."
Lauffer extended to him a blue-and-white armband, together with two safety pins and an envelope. Clete opened it. It contained a single sheet of paper:
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
Campo de Mayo
19 April 1943
Se¤or Cletus Howell Frade is in the service of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Argentina, acting under the direct orders of the undersigned.
Ramirez
Teniente General Pedro P. Ramirez
Minister of War
Provisional Government of the Republic of Argentina
Rawson
General de Division Arturo Rawson
Presidente of the Governing Council
Provisional Government of the Republic of Argentina
The point of his crack about being comfortable with these is that I turned down that temporary commission.
Clete took his tweed jacket from its hanger, laid it on the bed, and pinned the blue-and-white-striped armband to it. He put it on, then looked at Lauffer.
"'Rawson's the new President, huh?"
"Until elections can be held," Lauffer said.
Or until they stand us all in front of a wall wearing blindfolds and offer us a last cigarette, right? Whichever comes first?
Enrico came into the room, wearing what apparently was the prescribed uniform for field service. This included a leather harness ringed with well-pol-ished leather clip holders for a rifle, a well-polished molded holster for his.45, and a cavalry saber in a scabbard.
"You have one of these armbands for him?" Clete asked.