THE PARTY’S OVER LINE

 

Things nearly come to killing for two of Major Richard Blaine's Spartans

THE PARTY’S OVER LINE

“The single biggest problem in communication isthe illusion that it has taken place.”

 - George Bernard Shaw

 

Cloverfield looked concerned.“Did your Dark Passenger give you a time schedule for their arrival?”

“Sentient’s not in the habit oflaying it all out on the table for me.”

‘And make you mentally lax? Ithink not.’

Rachel shook her head. “Thismakes no sense. The two of them are across the Atlantic in the States.”

“You know the Fairbairn-Sykesdagger you found on the floor of my hospital room the first time we met?”

“Where that cowardly Major Laskadropped it? Yes.”

“He dropped it when he wasstartled by ….”

“Yes, my appearance at the door.”

“No, by the appearance of SisterAmeal. He took off running at the sight of her. I didn’t blame him. She was ina mood.”

“What?”

“She dropped it for you to findwhen she heard you coming down the hall.”

“Where on Earth did she go? Shewasn’t there when I walked in.”

Cloverfield mused, “Maybe shewasn’t on Earth.”

Rachel snapped, “Care toelucidate, Agent?”

“No.”

I sighed. So, it was going to bethat way between them for awhile, was it? Well, at least they both were stillalive.

But had Theo overheard throughthe helmets’ speakers Cloverfield threatening the love of his life?

‘No. I turned off your helmets’speakers when the three of you entered this laboratory. Your Spartans need tosave their violence for your upcoming guests.’

I heard the pounding of hammersagainst wood outside the building.

My sergeant-major was obviously hastily building steps to replace the ones destroyed by the explosion.

Theo’s voice came through myhelmet’s speaker. “Rick. Rick! Can you hear me?”

“Now, I can. Sentient momentarilyturned off our helmets’ speakers.”

“Why would she do that?”sputtered Theo.

Rachel spoke up, “Why does she doanything? She obviously had her own reasons. And you know how much she shares.”

Cloverfield looked a question ather, and she mouthed, “Later. Just you and me.”

The radio crackled again. Butimpossibly, it was the voice of General Bradley.

“Blaine! You there?”

I heard a thump as if a fist hita desk.

“Damn this newfangled radio. Whomade this? Tesla? Is he still alive?”

Another thump that I could feelin my eardrums. “Leave it to the Army to set its course by the light of everypassing ship, instead of setting it by the stars.”

I was shocked to hear him use avery uncharacteristic swear word.

“If we continue to develop ourtechnology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may well prove to be ourexecutioner.”

I loped over to the radio,scanning the dials and turned what seemed to be the right one. I spoke into theshimmering mesh in the panel’s center. For once, one of my guesses provedcorrect.

“When you are right, general,you’re right.”

“Blaine, where the devil are you?And you’re supposed to say ‘Over’ when you finish speaking! Over.”

“I don’t do jargon, General ....”

I caught Rachel eyeing me andsmirked, “Over.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Where the hell are you,Blaine?  Over.”

“,General.”

The answer so stunned him that heforgot to chastise me for my lack of radio etiquette.

“Where the blazes is that? Handme that map, Laska. Yes, I know he failed to end the transmission properly.  Quit reminding me of the obvious, Major.”

I winked at Rachel. “Oh, I didforget, didn’t I? Over.”

Cloverfield snorted, and Bradley growled,“I heard that, Agent. Don’t think I won’t tell Churchill of your disrespect.”

Churchill’s voice thundered fromthe speaker.

“You do not have to. McCord hasgiven me one of Tesla’s newfangled radio sets. And can we for the length ofthis conversation dispense with all this ‘Over’ nonsense?”

I asked Sentient, ‘McCord? Ithought he was the owner of a News Service?”

‘And a great many other things ashe, himself, is a great many other things.’

Roosevelt’s rejuvenated voiceboomed from the speaker.

“I heartily concur, PrimeMinister. And young Curtis has just shown me that Oradour-sur-Glan is over 310miles from Omaha Beach. However, did you manage that miracle, ColonelBlaine?”

Laska gasped through his choking,“Mr. President, you can’t promote an officer over the radio!”

“I am Commander-in-Chief in thetime of war, sir! I believe I can, and I have!”

“Sir,” I said, “I do not deservethe rank of Major, much less that of Colonel.”

“Your elixir has made a new manof me. I look, feel, twenty, no, thirty years younger. For that, I am temptedto make you a general. No, forget being tempted. I am promoting you to brigadier-generalas of this moment.”

I heard young Spartan Curtissquealing in the background.

I asked Sentient, ‘What is hegoing on about? I gave him no elixir.’

‘He could hardly say your“spittle,” could he? Besides, his is a coldly canny political mind. Having a daVinci as one of his officers may prove useful to his future political ambitions… while having a messiah could provide him unwanted future opposition.”

“What do you mean?’

‘Observe.’

A scene appeared in my mind: ayounger Roosevelt sitting behind his presidential desk, facing a group ofsomber men.

“Gentlemen,” said the president. “Somethingmust be done about this Lindberg situation. America has room for only onemessiah. And I am he.”

‘He … he wasn’t behind thekidnapping, was he?’

‘Ah, you have seen so much and yetare still so naïve. The death of the infant was not his intent, of course. Butwhen you proceed with a criminal endeavor, it often leads down unintended paths.’

‘I have no words.’

‘For once. 

I observed Caesar ashe crossed the Rubicon, believing his own lies that his intent was noble whenit was merely self-serving. Beware, my champion, for your own flesh is capableof such self-delusion.’

 Roosevelt’s words impacted even GeneralBradley negatively. “Mr. President, I must protest.”

“General Bradley,” I began.

He snapped me off mid-sentence. “DidI mishear you? I thought you did not want high rank, Blaine?”

Churchill did some snapping ofhis own, “General, that was unconscionably rude. Would you hear the young manout?”

It was ironic to hear the PrimeMinister accusing someone else of being rude. Churchill was brutally rude,capricious, and petulant. Even his wife feared he was being corrupted by power.

“My rank will be of littleconsequence, sir.”

The President huffed, “Are youthrowing my gift in my teeth, Blaine?”

Rachel had had enough. “Men! Youdo not listen with the intent to understand. You listen with the intent toprove you are right!”

She slapped her arms along hersides as if they could see her over the radio.

“General Blaine is trying to tellyou we are soon to be facing over 200 psychopathic SS troops, bolstered by notone but three Tiger Tanks! Promoting him to Emperor will not save our lives,but hearing him out just might.”

General Bradley said low,

“I had no idea, son. But here onOmaha Beach, we’re too pinned down to help you even if we could march 3oo milesin a day.”

I sighed, “Days ago, I promised Iwould help you and that Ranger unit being picked apart some distance from you.I will do what I can for you and for them.”

Roosevelt whispered, “But what willyou do for you?”

Helen Mayfair whispered from mymemory, and I repeated aloud with her:

“And how can man die better thanfacing fearful odds, for the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his Gods?”

I clicked the radio off.