Now California newspapers carried photos of dead men on the freeway.
Not only had Prescott failed to execute the Communist, he had failed to inform Quesada of the true threat presented by the 'three specialists from Washington.' He had failed to tell Quesada the three men carried military weapons.
When Quesada dispatched Captain Madrano to intercept the reporter and his three guards, the Salvadorans died in an ambush. True, Captain Madrano should have recognized the trap, but without proper information, any man might have blundered into the ambush.
Furthermore, how could he possibly discipline Madrano, the son of Quesada's lifelong friend and business partner?
Agent Gallucci confirmed the military weapons and precise tactics the 'specialists' employed. Perhaps Madrano could be forgiven his defeat.
Fortunately, Gallucci eliminated the coward in the hospital, who had survived the defeat, before he could betray his commander and his fatherland to the North American media. Of all the North Americans, only Gallucci had demonstrated any ability. As he should. His loyalty cost more than any of the other hired gringos.
But Gallucci had not found the Riveras. Nor could Gallucci eliminate the black Communist journalist while the specialists protected him.
Now the defeat of Captain Madrano's squad forced Colonel Quesada to commit another squad of soldiers to the pursuit of the reporter. The young officer, the son of his dear friend, would have another chance to execute the Communists.
First, the journalist. Then the Communist traitor Rivera. Quesada had given orders that Rivera not die before he had seen his children suffer. The tortures Captain Madrano was going to inflict on the children would be punishment for Rivera's treason.
But how to remove the 'specialists' who interfered with Quesada's justice?
Prescott had told Quesada that the 'specialists' had come from Washington after a request by Congressman Buckley — that foul male whore whom the degenerates and blacks and socialists of San Francisco had elected to serve the interests of debauchery and Soviet Russia. Obviously,
Colonel Quesada also had friends in Washington. He had hesitated to request their help, but now he must. His friends shared his resolve to defeat the subhuman Communist scum and all their sympathizers. Yet Quesada doubted their resolve. They had never fought a war like Quesada fought. They thought of wars as confrontations of armies on the field of battle, of tanks and airplanes and artillery striking at the enemy until the enemy surrendered.
El Salvador fought a different war. Quesada had heard many North Americans discuss the realities of his nation's struggles, but only the Americans who belonged to very conservative political parties actually understood.
The Nazi Party of the United States understood. As Quesada entered his luxurious home, he realized he faced a long, long struggle. He must reform the politics of North America through education and armed struggle. Teach the wealthy the reality of a political war. Then make war against those who would steal the wealth of the elite.
Without vigilance and unrelenting war against the subversives, private property and economic freedom would never be secure.
All sources of subversion — Indians, blacks, Asians, Jews, eastern-European immigrants, intellectuals, unions, Protestants, 'born-again Christians,' reformist Catholics — must be exterminated. Only then could the United States be a strong ally of El Salvador.
Without the extermination of the subversives, no one of high birth or privilege would be safe.
Quesada went to his study, where he could speak without any of his soldiers or family overhearing him. As he unlocked his book of names and phone numbers, the telephone rang.
'Hello, Colonel?' Robert Prescott asked, his voice urgent.
The colonel could not restrain his anger. 'Do you know what has happened? Do you know how many men died because of your incompetence?'
But the North American's words calmed the enraged colonel.
'I know where the Riveras are,' Prescott said.
26
As the last light of the western horizon faded to the turquoise of night, Able Team parked on one of the boulevards near Los Angeles International Airport. Down the block, a neon sign advertised full-size Fords at economy rates. They had abandoned the Silverado in Monterey, rented a Chevrolet from a tourist agency, driven that car to Los Angeles. Now they intended to rent another car. No one would follow their trail to San Diego.
Blancanales glanced at his watch. 'Time to check in with Stony Man. If we wait until we get to San Diego it'll be one in the morning back east.'
'And I'll need to make calls,' Lyons told them. 'I've got police friends in San Diego. Maybe we can get some liaison for the search there...'
'Maybe we won't need any help,' Jefferson interrupted. 'Hold off on the calls to San Diego until I call San Francisco. The Riveras had Mr. Holt's office and home numbers. If they're okay, they'll call him.'
'He gave out his home phone number?' Lyons asked with surprise. 'Doesn't sound like any lawyer I ever met.'
'Mr. Holt knew they needed him. That's the kind of guy he was. I guess I'll call his family, ask if they got news.'
Gadgets stayed in the rented car as the others went to a row of pay phones behind the gas station. He sprawled out in the front seat, his sneakers on the steering wheel, his head against the passenger door. By habit, he adjusted the rearview mirror so he could watch behind him without moving. He always called Lyons 'paranoid,' but in fact, they all qualified as paranoids.
You deal with snakes, you learn to be a snake charmer.
Like that Holt lawyer. He knew he had taken on a case involving terrorism. Right-wing Salvadoran terrorism, but still the same: terrorism. And the case ate at him.
Gadgets wondered if they really faced right-wingers.
And the headlines made Congress scream. After those four missionaries got snuffed, Gadgets had figured the job for a Commie hit. Why not? What is worse than murdering nuns?
Raping nuns, then offing them, that's what. If a newsman had interviewed Gadgets Schwarz — ex-Green Beret and expert on Vietnamese Stalinist terrorism — he would have said the Commies had dressed up in government uniforms and of fed the women. The People's Army of Vietnam specialized in crazy numbers like that. Dress up in South Vietnamese uniforms and walk through a village shooting little kids. Or get some rice in bags that bore the stencil of an American flag and mix in some poison. Or send in one sniper to kill a few Americans in a passing patrol so they would call down an airstrike on the village.
That was the way Commies operated. But then on national television, what does he see? Salvadoran soldiers confessing to the murders. Too much. Nothing like murdering Americans with American weapons to make Americans think twice about sending more weapons and ammunition.
Then those two labor lawyers. Wow. Zap someone in the local Sheraton coffee shop and think no one will notice? What did the Salvadorans expect people in the United States to think? Maybe the lawyers didn't tip and a waiter got pissed? So he put a few bursts of .45 ACP through them?
Then all the others. The tourist who got shot 'while attempting to escape.' Except that he had powder burns on the back of his head. The Dutch newsmen who got caught in a 'cross fire' and took point-blank bursts.
