"Does anybody know why he does anything?" Dolan replied.
"They're trying to get a message to him to get his ass out of there. Everything's on hold until we see if that works."
"Who's 'they're'?" Douglass asked.
"Donovan himself," Dolan said.
"They're apparently really pissed."
n had been laid out for everyone at the side of the pool. There was no sense of urgency, and both Fine and Douglass were annoyed. But as they were eating, a distinguished-looking man in a stiffly starched but tieless shirt came to the table and handed Wilkins a sheet of paper.
Wilkins glanced at it, then handed it to Douglass.
"Sorry, Colonel," he said.
"But I didn't know where exactly you fitted into this."
Douglass read it.
FROM OSS WASHINGTON TO OSS CAIRO
LT COL PETER DOUGLASS JR USA AC IS AUTHORIZED ACCESS TO
SUCH CLASSIFIED MATERIAL IN CONNECTION WITH CURRENT MISSION
AS IS DEEMED ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY REPEAT ABSOLUTELY
NECESSARY BY STATION CHIEF CAIRO AND PHARMACIST TWO
DONOVAN
"Well," Douglass said, "it's nice to know I'm to be trusted, if absolutely necessary."
Wilkins did not seem amused.
"I understand Donovan is pissed at Canidy," Douglass said.
"I don't think 'pissed' is the word," Wilkins said.
"If Canidy went into Hungary, he had his reasons," Douglass said loyally.
"I hope he finds his reasons worth it," Wilkins said.
"I don't think I follow you," Douglass said.
"Come with me," Wilkins said, "and you, too, Fine."
He led them to the pool house, where two radio operators sat with earphones on their heads. He motioned Fine and Douglass into chairs, then dropped to his knees, worked the combination of a safe, and handed Fine a cover sheet stamped top secret.
TOP SECRET
PROM OSS WASHINGTON FOR OSS CAIRO EYES ONLY WILKINS
PASS FOLLOWING TO PHARMACIST TWO OH ARRIVAL CAIRO STOP
QUOTE YOU ARE HEREBY APPOINTED EX LAX CONTROL CAMIDY
RELIEVED STOP APPOINTMENT IS PERMANENT STOP CAMIDY WILL