twenty-one minutes today, you placed a CLO
negative on ail inquiries regarding a flag on one
Lieutenant Joel Converse’s service record. He was a
pilot in the Vietnam action.”
“I know what he was, sir,” said Remington.
“And at fifteen hundred hours, two minutes,”
continued Hickman, looking at a note on his desk. “I
get a teletype from the Fifth Naval District
requesting that the flag be removed in their favor
and the material released immediately. The basis for
their request was as it always is national security.”
The admiral paused to sip his drink; he appeared to
be in no
242 ROBERT LUDLUM
hurry, simply weary. “I ordered my adjutant to call
you and ask why you did it.”
“And I answered him completely, sir,”
Remington broke in. “It was at the instructions of
the chief legal officer SAND PAC, and I cited the
specific regulation that states clearly that the CLO
of a naval base can withhold files on the basis that
his own inquiries can be compromised by the
entrance of a third party. It’s standard in civil law,
sir. The Federal Bureau of Investigation rarely gives
a local or metropolitan police force the information
it’s collected in an investigation for the simple
reason that the investigation could be compromised
by leaks or corrupt practices.”
“And our chief legal officer, Lieutenant
Commander Fitzpatrick, is currently carrying out an
investigation of an officer who left the service
eighteen years ago?”
“I don’t know, sir,” said Remington, his eyes
noncommittal. “I only know those were his orders.
They’re in force for seventy-two hours. After that,
you, of course, can sign the order of release. And
the President, naturally, can do so anytime in a
national emergency.”
“I thought it was forty-eight hours,” said Hickman.
“No, sir. The forty-eight hours is standard with
the release of every flag regardless of who asks for
it except, of course the President. It’s called the
vet delay. Naval intelligence cross-checks with the
CIA, the NSA, and G-Two to make sure there’s no
material being released that’s still considered classi-
fied. That procedure has nothing to do with the
prerogatives of a chief legal officer.”.”
“You know your law, don’t you?”
“I believe as well as any attorney in the United
States Navy, sir.”
“I seed’ The admiral leaned back in his
upholstered swivel chair and placed his legs on the
corner of the desk. “Commander Fitzpatrick s off
the base, isn’t he? Emergency leave, if I recall.”
“Yes, sir. He’s in San Francisco with his sister
and her children. Her husband was killed in a
robbery in Geneva, the funeral’s tomorrow morning,
I believe.”
“Yes, I read about it. Goddamned lousy…. But
you know where to reach him.”
“I have the telephone number, yes, sir. Do you
want me to call him, Admiral? Apprise him of the
Fifth Naval request.”
^’No, no,” said Hickman, shaking his head. “Not at
a time
THE AQUITAINE PROGRESSION 243
like this. They can dry their mops at least until
tomorrow afternoon. I’ve got to assume they also
know the regulations if security’s so damned
jeopardised, know where the Pentagon is and the
latest rumor out of Arlington is that they found out
where the White House is.” The Admiral stopped,
frowned, and looked over at the lieutenant. ‘Sum
pose you didn’t
..But I do sirn,,ow where to reach Fitzpatrick?,
“Yes, but suppose you didn’t? And a legitimate
request was received below presidential
involvement, but still pretty damned urgent you
could release that flag, couldn’t you?
“Theoretically, as next in authority, yes I could.
As long as I accepted the legal responsibility for my
judgment.”
“The what?”
“That I believed the request was sufficiently
urgent to override the chief legal odficer’s prior
order, which granted him seventy-two hours for
whatever action he deemed necessary. He was
adamant, sir. Frankly, short of presidential inter-
venhon, I’m legally bound to uphold the CLO’s
privilege.”
‘ I’d say morally) too,” agreed Hickman.
“Morality has nothing to do with it, sir. It’s a
clear legal position. Now, shall I make that call,
Admiral?”
‘No, the hell with it.” Hickman removed his feet
from the desk. “I was just curious and, frankly, you’ve
convinced me. Fitz wouldn’t have given you the order
unless he had a reason. The Fifth D can wait three
days, unless those boys want to run up telephone
bills to Washington.”
“May I ask, sir, who specifically made the request?”
The admiral looked pointedly at Remington. “I’ll
tell you in three days. You see, I’ve got a man’s
privilege to uphold too. You’ll know then anyway,
because in Fitz’s absence you’ll have to countersign
the transfer.” Hickman finished his drink and the
lieutenant understood. The conference was over.
Remington got up and returned the half-filled
wineglass by thlle ciop?,p,er bar; he stood at
attention and spoke “Will that
“Yes, that’s it,” said the admiral, his gaze straying
to the window and the ocean beyond.
The lieutenant saluted sharply as Hickman
brought a casual hand to his forehead. The lawyer
then did an about-face and started for the door.
“Remington?”
244 ROBERT LUDLUM
“Yes, sir?” replied the lieutenant, turning.
“Who the hell is this Converse?”
“I don’t know, sir. But Commander Fitzpatrick
said the status of the flag was a Four Zero
emergency.”
‘Jesus . ”
Hickman picked up his phone and touched a
combination of buttons on the console. Moments
later he was speaking to a fellow ranking officer in
the Fifth Naval District.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to wait three days, Scanlon.”
“Why is that?” asked the admiral named Scanlon.
“The CLO negative holds on the Converse flag
as far as SAND PAC is concerned. If you want to
go the D.C. route be my guest. We’ll cooperate.”
“I told you, Brian, my people don’t want to go
through Washington. You’ve had these things
happen before. D.C. makes waves, and we don’t
want waves.”
“Well then, why don’t you tell me why you want
the Converse flag? Who is he?”
“I’d tell you if I could, you know that. Frankly,
I’m not all that clear on it myself, and what I do
know I’ve sworn to keep secure.”
“Then go to Washington, I’m standing behind my
Chief Legal, who, incidentally, isn’t even here.”
“He isn’t? But you talked to him.”
“No, to his next in line, a lieutenant named
Remington. He took the direct order from the
CLO. Believe me, Remington won’t budget. I gave
him the chance and he covered himself with
legalities. Around here he’s known as a stickler
prick.”
“Did he say why the negative was put out?”
“He didn’t have any idea. Why don’t you call
him yourself? He’s probably still downstairs and
maybe you can ”
“You didn’t use my name, did you?” interrupted
Scanlon apparently agitated.
“No, you asked me not to, but he’ll know it in
three days. He’ll have to sign the release and I’ll
have to tell him who requested it.” Hickman paused,
then without warning exploded. “What the hell is
this all about, Admiral? Some pilot who was
discharged over eighteen years ago is suddenly on
everybody’s most-wanted list. I get a departmental
priority teletype from the big Fifth D and you follow
it up with a personal call, playing the old Annapolis
memory game, but you won’t tell
THE AQUITAINE PROGRESSION 245
me anything. Then I find out my own CLO without
my knowing about it has put a negative on this
Converse flag and labeled it a Four Zero emergency
status! Now, I know he’s got personal problems and
I won’t bother him until tomorrow and I
realizeyou’ve given your word to stay secure, but
goddamn it, somebody had better start telling me
something!”
There was no response from the other end of the
line. But there was the sound of breathing; and it
was tremulous.
“Scanlon!”
‘ What did you just say?” said the voice of the
admiral thirty-six hundred miles away.
“I’m going to find out anyway ”
“No, the status. The status of the flag.” Scanlon
could barely be heard.
“Four-Zero emergency, that’s what I said!”
The interruption was abrupt) there was only an
echoing click. Admiral Scanlon had hung up the
phone.
Walter Peregrine, United States ambassador to
the Federal Republic of Germany, confronted
Fitzpatrick. “What’s your name, Commander?”
“Fowler, sir,” answered the Navy lawyer, glancing
briefly but hard at Dowling. “Lieutenant Commander
Avery Fowler, United States Navy.” Again Connal
looked at the actor, who stared at him through the
moonlight.
“I understand there’s some question about that,”
said Peregrine, his glare as hostile as Dowling’s.
“May I see your identification, please?”
“I’m not carrying identification, sir. It’s the nature
of my assignment not to do so, sir.” Fitzpatrick’s
words were rapid, precise, his posture squared and
erect.
“I want verification of your name, your rank, and
your branch of service! Now!”
“The name I’ve given you is the name I was
instructed to give should anyone beyond the scope of
the assignment inquire.”