Part 29 (1/2)

Homer snapped, ”It sounds like it still might have possibilities.”

Ostrander looked down at the map, his face very tight. ”How long would it take?”

Bey scowled at him, defeat dulling his mind. ”What?”

”How long do you figure it would take to infiltrate Tamanra.s.set and capture it? Behind Ibrahim's back, so to speak.”

Bey grunted. ”A couple of hours in the early morning. I had a beautiful picture of the colonel's armor out in the desert, cut off from its petroleum supplies and ammunition dump while we held the town. Some of our men, the former veterans of the French West African forces, could have even operated the ant.i.tank guns he has mounted at Fort Laperrine.”

The C.I.A. man's mouth worked.

Homer Crawford's eyes pierced him.

Ostrander walked over to the radio before which Kenny Ballalou sat.

”See if you can raise Colonel Ibrahim for me.”

Kenny scowled at him. ”Why?”

”Do it.”

Kenny looked at Homer Crawford.

Homer said, ”O.K. Do it.”

Kenny shrugged and turned to the set. While the others watched, Crawford's face alert, his eyes narrowed, the rest of them dull in apathy, the face of Colonel Ibrahim finally faded in on the screen.

Fredric Ostrander took his place at the instrument. He nodded, formally. ”Greetings, Colonel, it seems a long time since last we met in Amman.”

The Arab Legion officer smiled politely. ”I had heard that you represented the State Department in this area, Mr. Ostrander, and have been somewhat surprised that you failed to make Tamanra.s.set your headquarters. It would have been pleasant to have renewed old friends.h.i.+p.”

Ostrander cleared his throat. ”I am afraid that would have been difficult, Colonel, particularly in view of the stand of my government at this time.”

On the screen, the other's eyebrows went up.

Ostrander said evenly, ”Colonel, we have just been informed that a regiment of paratroopers has been put at your disposal and that they plan to land at various points in the Sahara in the morning.”

The colonel said stiffly, ”This is military information which I am not free to discuss, Mr. Ostrander.”

Frederic Ostrander went on, his voice still even. ”We have further been informed that the Reunited Nations has withdrawn its ban on aircraft, which would seem to free your paratroop carrying planes.”

The colonel remained silent, waiting for the bombsh.e.l.l. It was obvious that he expected a bombsh.e.l.l.

Ostrander said, ”As representative of the State Department I warn you that if these paratroop carrying planes take off tomorrow morning, the Seventh Airfleet of the United States of the Americas will enter the conflict on the side of El Ha.s.san. Good evening, Colonel.”

The C.I.A. man reached out and flicked the switch that killed the set.

Then he took the snowy white handkerchief from the breast pocket of his jacket and wiped his mouth.

Isobel said, ”Heavens to Betsy.”

Kenny said indignantly, ”Good grief, you fool, it won't take more than hours for your superiors to repudiate you. Then what happens?”