to tell the full story without interruption, and in his own way.
'I have consulted with experts,' he said, 'as to what may have happened, but, in truth, their opinions are academic, because we know without doubt that she survived.
'The helicopter was low over the water when it was destroyed, and its side doors were open. The theory is that an initial explosion inside the cabin blew her out and into the sea. The after-action reports spoke of multiple explosions. By the time the main explosion occurred, perhaps only a second later, Oshima was almost certainly already in the sea. Alternatively, when she realized that the helicopter was certain to be destroyed, she may have jumped.
'She was picked up by a small fishing boat some hours later. She had disfiguring facial injuries and had minor burns and was exhausted, but she could function. To conceal her survival, she killed all the crew.
'At his point we might have lost track of Oshima completely, except that luck was on our side. Normally, she is extraordinarily secretive and contacts only proven members of the inner circle of her organization. In this case, she was penniless, injured, and on the run, so she headed for the nearest haven, the home of a purported Yaibo sympathizer and right-wing extremist, Shuo Hori. She did not know Hori well, but Yaibo had supplied him with weapons in the past and she had every reason to think that he would be trustworthy.
'As it happened, Hori- san was a deep penetration agent of Koancho and had been in place for many years. His main role was to keep an eye on extremists rather than terrorists. No one dreamed that he would come across a terrorist as significant as Oshima. But he is a resourceful man and he responded well to the challenge of what to do. He took her in and cared for her, and when he got a chance he contacted his superiors.
'Our immediate reaction would normally have been to pick up Oshima and that would have been that,' continued the Spider, 'but Hori- san saw Oshima's arrival as his big chance to make a mark, the case of a lifetime. He proposed to his control that he befriend Oshima, work his way into her confidence, and thus penetrate the very heart of the terrorist movement.
'Given Oshima's violent record, it was a very risky strategy. Not only was Hori- san personally in danger, but it would mean leaving a known dangerous terrorist loose – and one who almost certainly would want revenge. She had nearly been killed, and many of her group had been destroyed. It seemed unlikely that she would let this pass without a response.
'Hori- san 's proposal was referred to the highest levels, where it was considered for several days. The initial reaction was to reject it, but then it was suggested that it Oshima could be encouraged to flee this country, we would have a chance to learn about Yaibo's international network without putting Japanese citizens and property at risk. Of course, this would only work if Hori- san fled with her.'
Silently furious though she was at not having been included in the operation, Chifune could not argue with either its daring or its logic. It was also quite cynical. The unstated corollary of letting Oshima flee was that if Japanese interests were not harmed and, indeed, advanced, it was of no concern that other nationalities might suffer. But such cynicism was not unique to Japanese security. It was fundamental to her trade in every country.
'A complex operation was mounted to make fleeing Japan seem a highly desirable option for Oshima and her new friend. Normally, such an intensive series of raids might have aroused suspicion of Hori- san , but in this case considerable police activity was to be expected. Oshima had been shot and many Yaibo members killed during an attack mounted in the very center of Tokyo. A major response from the authorities was both inevitable and expected. The trick was to bracket Oshima and Hori- san without actually capturing them. Thanks to Hori- san 's information, that is exactly what we were able to do.
'They fled initially to the Middle East, as expected. Oshima has never stayed in one place for too long, so she and Hori- san flitted from Libya to Lebanon and then Syria, and we received much good intelligence. But then there were some unexpected developments. First, she met a renegade American scientist in Libya, Edgar Rheiman, who was on the run from the U.S. authorities, and then a Mexican general, Luis Barragan, arrived on the scene. He was buying arms and recruiting mercenaries to protect his base in the state of Tecuno run by a certain Governor Diego Quintana.
'He found more than he could have hoped for in his wildest dreams. The American scientist, Edgar Rheiman, had some very specialized weapons expertise he was trying to sell, and General Luis Barragan was in the market and had the necessary capital. And to round everything off, Oshima and Barragan became lovers. All of them, including Hori- san, decamped for Mexico and suddenly the operation crossed the line between acceptable risk and out of control. And to make it worse, our agent's ability to communicate from Mexico is very limited.'
The Spider paused and sipped his tea, and Chifune understood that it was now acceptable that she should ask questions.
' Sensei, I am not sure I fully understand. What is the significance of this scientist Edgar Rheiman, and why is the operation now no longer acceptable?'
The Spider spoke without emotion for about ten minutes. Chifune's mind raced as she pieced together the elements and assessed the various possible implications. This was not just a case of an operation going wrong. It was a veritable nightmare. It was just horrendous.
She was quite shaken. It then came to her that she was not just receiving a background briefing.
'Tanabu- san,' said the Spider quietly, 'though the circumstances dictated it, I regret deeply that you were not fully informed earlier. But that is in the past. Now the situation has to be resolved as discreetly as possible.' He then told her exactly what he had in mind.
Chifune's heart leaped when Fitzduane's name was mentioned. Then the complexities of the task ahead of her hit home. It was probably the best way to achieve the desired result, but it would be a very difficult operation.
'You may take Inspector Oga with you,' said the Spider in conclusion, 'and such other sources as you may need will be provided.' He indicated a thick file on his desk. 'This is the operation file. I think you will find it helpful.'
The meeting was at an end. Chifune stood up and bowed respectfully.
The Spider stood up also and returned her bow. This was not the dismissal of an employee but an acknowledgment of a different, stronger relationship.
'Tanabu- san,' said the Spider. 'You must know that despite appearances, I have never doubted you.'
Chifune bowed again and left. She felt drained, exhilarated, awed, and confused. She fought to get control of her feelings. The sight of a sensible, solid, reliable Inspector Oga was like a breath of fresh air.
'Oga- san,' she said. 'You must practice your already excellent English.'
Oga contemplated Chifune's face. It was slightly flushed. There was a mixture of emotions coming from her. Her normal reserve was missing. Whatever had been said by the Spider was rather more than routine. He suspected it might involve the gaijin. He said nothing.
'We are going to America,' she said.
'North or South,' said Oga lightly.
Chifune's face clouded over as the significance of the mix of Reiko Oshima and Edgar Rheiman hit home. 'Probably both,' she said grimly, and strode off down the corridor.
Oga, the smile gone from his face, walked after her.
5
General Shane Kilmara, commander of the Irish Rangers – Ireland's elite counterterrorist and special- operations force – sipped at his brandy and smiled.
'One of Washington's finer French restaurants and a private room. And this from a man who normally forgets to offer me a hot dog, and always forgets the mustard. What is on your mind, William?'
The man with the thinning hair and high domed forehead sitting on the other side of the table blew a smoke ring into the air. Neither man normally smoked, but good cigars were an occasional exception. Both had a weakness for Cuban, and Kilmara had brought a box when he had flown in from Ireland. Since he was received personally by Deputy Director for Operations of the CIA, clearing customs with such embargoed goods was not a problem.
They had known each other since both the Irish and the CIA had been knee-deep in the Congo in the 1960s.
