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2. RESCUE WILL BE ATTEMPTED AT EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME AT OSS BERN’S DISCRETION.

3. OSS LONDON ALSO DIRECTED TO SUPPORT OSS ALGIERS IN WHATEVER WAY POSSIBLE WITH ITS CONTINGENCY PLAN.

4. ADDITIONAL ORDERS TO FOLLOW THIS DATE.

5. STATION CHIEF LONDON WILL ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS MESSAGE.

END QUOTE

DONOVAN

TOP SECRET

* * *

David K. E. Bruce then drained his coffee, slammed his china mug on his wooden desk, and said, icily sarcastic, “Did I mention Dulles’s fait accompli?”

[TWO]

Palermo, Sicily

2050 30 May 1943

John Craig van der Ploeg, his mind foggy, felt weightless as he floated freely through a warm darkness that was absolutely peaceful.

He turned his head to the left and had the sensation of something tickling his right ear. He turned his head the other way, and then something tickled his left ear. He turned back to the left, felt the tickle again, then right, then shook his head—and found himself suddenly awake.

And dazed.

And completely confused.

Gone was the peaceful, warm darkness. Now it was just damn dark. His whole body ached. His ears rang. And his right foot felt as if he had put it in a searing fire.

The slightest movement caused his whole body to sway.

So I’m floating?

Where am I?

He looked around and slowly began to get his bearings. There were limbs surrounding him, poking and scratching. He could smell the leaves.

Is that what was tickling my ears?

There was intense pressure—a squeezing sensation—at his upper thighs and buttocks, and it took him a moment to realize that it was being caused by the webbing of his parachute harness.

He looked up and saw his collapsed parachute, its lines all fouled in the limbs.

I landed in a tree?

Damn I hurt . . .

He looked down and around and still could see nothing in the darkness but more limbs and leaves.

Did I break my foot?

And why can’t I move?

How long have I been here?