The QE2 Is Missing

Leandro looked at Josep, at the other Tupamaros, and knew that he had to make his mind up now. Was Josep telling the truth? Probably. He was correct when he said they needed each other. The tape-recorded information added to what his Paraguayan informants passed on to him, had made this entire operation possible. They all knew that. And the Tupamaros had been brought in as a heavy squad, a job they knew how to do and could do well. For the time being they would all work together for their mutual benefit. But afterward — when the others were no longer needed — what would the Tupamaros do then? That was obvious too; they would do just what they wanted to do, irrespective of anyone else’s needs or desires. So be it. That particular bridge would have to be crossed when they came to it. For now, they would act in alliance.

“All right then. We get on with the job,” he said, putting the revolver back into his belt. He did it calmly and surely — but it was the same calm as that of an animal trainer entering a cage of tigers. If he showed fear he would be ripped to shreds.

Frances went numb with something more than shock. She was aware of Hank’s arm around her as he helped her to a chair. She appreciated it and loved him, was immensely glad that he was there. But his presence could not alter the sudden awareness that the world, as she had always known it, was no longer there. She was now living in another and more terrible reality where none of her old values appeared to apply. A world she had read about in the newspapers yet really, truthfully had never thought existed, or rather its existence, for her, was on a par with the reality of the latest novel. Imaginary people, far away, doing imaginary things. As she dropped into the chair, she realized that she had had her first lesson in living in this new world. Keep her mouth shut and forget the social order of things she had always lived in and believed in. She found that she wasn’t humiliated by the discovery, quite the opposite. It was a lesson in survival that she had learned. And she wanted to survive.

Hank had learned the lesson too. But as he leaned on the side of the chair, his arm around Frances, he worked very hard to keep his expression blank and set. Because he was filled with a burning fury that had no outlet. Not yet. So he did not wish anyone here to know his feelings. They would, he promised himself that, they would one day. He knew a good deal more about this other world than Frances did, which was one of the reasons he had been so loathe to expose her to it. He knew that some little bit of happiness had died inside of her, died forever, and he detested these people for doing that to her. Nothing could be done about it at the present time.

He would help them in their plans to shake down their vicious little dictators. He would do this in order to assure that the Nazi war criminals were brought to justice. But when that part of the job was done there would be a personal sorting out. He had no idea yet what form it would take. But it would happen, yes, it would, and he was looking forward to that time with immense pleasure.

The atmosphere was still tense, taut, and no one seemed willing to break the silence. The sudden knocking on the door startled them all since it was a new factor, an outside one that none of them were expecting. But the Tupamaros were survivors of countless sudden interruptions, and moved together without a word, crossing silently to the end of the room where they would be unseen when the door opened. After a moment’s hesitation, Leandro joined them. Josep silently waved Hank forward.

“See what it is,” he whispered. “Get rid of them.” He stood behind the door and put his foot just a few inches from it, so it could be opened no wider than a crack.

Hank unlocked the door and looked out.

“Let me in, quickly,” Uzi Drezner said, “I can’t be seen out here.”

Hank signalled to Josep who stepped back, at the same time slipping a pistol mounted with a cylindrical silencer from his shoulder holster. Uzi came in and looked around at the people in the room with no hint of surprise. He waited until Hank had locked the door again before he spoke.

“I see that we are all here now. Good. What I have to say concerns everybody involved in this affair. You can put the gun away, Josep… that’s right. You do remember me, don’t you?”

The Tupamaro nodded. “That was years ago. You were well introduced and came to me with an interesting offer. Someone you wanted, someone we were happy to be rid of____”

“Butcher Schultz.”

“That was the man. A fat, red-faced butcher who went to work for the government. In the same line of trade. Only butchering people this time.”

“He had done that sort of thing years before. In the camps. We wanted him to go on trial. He did. With your help.”

“You paid well for that help. And promptly.”