the ground and the threat. Look, I’ll be honest. I knew a lot about these issues before I got here. It’s part of the reason I’m here. I didn’t know about the attack, though, the booby trap. But it falls in with the symptoms.’
The others were all watching Steel without interrupting him. He was an assertive, overpowering individual, but it wasn’t just that. Any implied or open criticism of what he had to say would simply provoke a diatribe in which he would insist that his personal support and that of his country was the key to the rebellion’s success and that therefore whatever he said was gospel. To be spared that tedious rhetoric people tended not to question him. Yet there was no denying that he did provide substantial aid and political leverage and so he could not be ignored. An air of suspicion hung about him like a mist, nonetheless.
‘Can I throw a theory out there?’ Steel asked.
Sebastian gestured to him to go ahead.
‘Okay. This is classic. You know it, I’m sure. It’s how I see it, anyway. You have five powers, all supposedly equal, your five brigades. They remain even, more or less, because of that balance, that equality. So how do you get rid of one of them, for whatever reason? Say you don’t like a particular commander any more. Doesn’t matter why. He doesn’t like you, you disagree on policy - whatever. This strategy goes back to the Wars of the Roses and beyond. How do you get rid of him without the others punishing you for stepping out of line? The answer’s simple. You need them on your side against him. To achieve that you get them to fear him. One way to do that is to make him stronger than you and the others. It’s difficult for him to resist as well. I mean, everyone wants to be top dog. But it upsets the balance. And what happens? The others turn on him. They band together in order to be able to destroy the one who’s become the strongest. And the one secretly manipulating everything, well, he gets what he wants, which is to get rid of him. I think that’s what’s happening here. Someone made you a threat to the others. And now they are banding together to bring you down.’ ‘Hector?’ Victor muttered.
‘If the cap fits,’ Steel said, sitting back and looking pleased with himself.
Sebastian, Louisa and Stratton sat silently watching Steel.
‘Look, it’s just a theory,’ Steel said, taking a bite of food. ‘I’m full of ’em.’
‘I take it you have solutions for your theories?’ Louisa asked.
‘Yeah, I got solutions. But usually the more difficult the situation the more difficult the solution.’
A quiet descended on the room.
Steel interpreted it as despondency. ‘Hey, don’t let it get you down, guys. My money’s on you. Has been since day one and I’m not about to change. None of those other commanders can pull this rebellion off. That includes Hector.’
Sebastian’s curiosity was piqued. ‘How would you disrupt this plan to isolate me?’
‘Well, I personally believe the concept of five equal brigades was flawed anyway,’ Steel said, getting into it. ‘I’m a soldier and, as you know, direct. They’re not equal. Honeros has half the men Hector does. I don’t trust Bajero. Sandina, well, he’ll go along with whoever has the loudest voice. My point is that there needs to be a stronger brigade for the others to follow and look up to. Don’t forget, it’s the voices of the men in those other brigades that rule, not the brigade commanders. So if they want to isolate you, let ’em. But take advantage of the moment and let’s go do something big. Shit, you got the weapons. You’re halfway there. Your toys are bigger’n theirs. Use ’em.’
‘You’re talking about an independent attack?’ Victor asked.
‘Course I’m talking about an independent attack. It’s not the first time you’ve carried out your own ops, is it?’
‘No, but we always consult with each other.’
‘Then this time you don’t tell ’em until it’s over. Upset the apple cart. Send a message to Hector. Wreck his little parley with Neravista. Remind them all who you are. The voices in the brigades will speak and their leaders’ll have no choice but to join you.’
No one said anything, until Sebastian asked, ‘You have something in mind?’
‘I sure do.’
‘Something you already had in mind before you came here?’ Sebastian added.
‘Yep. Look, Sebastian. I came here to tell you it’s time to turn up the volume. This rebellion has gone stagnant. It’s dragging its feet. I’ll be blunt. You got to get this horsey moving along or else. My people need to know you’re the one to back. They want to see some returns on their investment.’
‘Or you’ll invest elsewhere.’
‘This is a high-stakes game, Sebastian. Frankly, my administration is losing confidence in you. Our next presidential campaign starts in a few months. We’ve got a lotta open boxes lying around the Oval Office. We need to close some of ’em up and put ’em away. This is one of ’em. And it ain’t just us. Your neighbours are also getting tired of it. They want to see some stability or at least the possibility of it - and soon. If you can’t offer it they’ll look to someone who can. It’s that time.’
‘You mean they’ll look to Hector?’ Victor asked.
‘No way,’ Steel said in a tone that suggested the scientist was completely on the wrong track. ‘Neravista.’
Louisa and Victor looked concerned.
‘What did you think, guys?’ Steel asked as if they were all naive. ‘That this could go on for ever? That’s Neravista’s strategy. He knows all he has to do is drag this out, make you guys look like a bunch of terrorists screwing up the country and your supporters will eventually move on.You won’t last long without them. You’ll never win, that’s for sure. It’s time to make a noise. A big one. Tell everyone you’re here and you intend to win.’
Sebastian looked lost in thought but it was obvious that Steel was getting through to him.Victor and Louisa watched him, also inclining in favour of the American despite their personal doubts about the man. He was making sense.
‘What did you have in mind?’ Sebastian asked eventually.
Like a storyteller, Steel held them in suspense while he gathered his thoughts. ‘How would you like to take out Neravista’s brother, Chemora? He’s head of the special police, right? Chemora has the blood of thousands of your countrymen, including women and children, on his hands. Everyone knows he’s a lowlife. No one will miss him . . . except Neravista, of course. What could be better?’
Victor watched Sebastian, who had not reacted. ‘He never leaves the capital,’ he said. ‘The city falls under Hector’s brigade, anyway. We have logistical difficulties in mounting operations in large urban areas.’
‘What if he was planning a trip into the countryside in a couple of days? What if you knew his destination and precisely where you could hit him? Would you be interested?’
Sebastian took his time answering.Victor had a drink and lit up another cigar. The storm was getting worse outside and a gust blew open a window and almost extinguished the hurricane lamps, plunging the room into near- darkness. Louisa closed the window and the lamps flickered back to life.
‘Yes,’ Sebastian said finally.
Steel smiled. ‘Give me some room here,’ he said.
With help from Louisa and Victor they cleared much of the table. Steel opened his bag, took out several maps as well as a collection of satellite photographs and brought a lamp closer to illuminate it all. ‘What I’m about to tell you doesn’t leave this room,’ he said sombrely.
Stratton remained where he was. He wondered why Steel had made him a part of this secret meeting but reckoned there was good reason. He would no doubt learn soon enough what that reason was.
‘Now . . . here’s your camp here. The army is planning an operation in this western region here. What’s that, fifty, fifty-five kilometres?’ Steel said, moving his finger across the map. ‘They know the area is vital for food to your brigades. They’re gonna cleanse it, of food as well as people. That means rounding up hundreds of farmers, villagers - anyone who they suspect of supplying the rebels with food - destroying farms, crops, livestock, you name it. He’s gonna switch off that area.
‘Chemora plans to set up an interrogation centre somewhere here. Now you guys know his MO better than I do. First he likes to go out and collect a couple dozen people of any age and gender and hang ’em by their necks along the route to the interrogation centre. It’s what the sick bastard calls psychological softening. By the time his victims have walked the line of dead men, women and children they’re about ready to spill the beans on anybody.’
Louisa was disgusted at the very thought of it.
Steel produced the satellite photographs. ‘I asked my people to shoot these a couple days ago.’
