The 34th Degree

89

S tavros could only wonder what Cairo was going to ask of them this time. They found a small, private clearing a mile away and squatted in a circle. Michaelis, who had insisted on coming along, was watching their horses on the other side of some pine trees, playing with the portable transmitter in Captain Whyte’s saddle sack.

“Here are your orders,” Whyte said, passing specially marked envelopes to him and Kalos after opening one for herself. “They’re in Greek but encoded in the C cipher,” she added, “so it may take a minute for you to translate. Read them, memorize them, then destroy them.”

“We’re just going to blow another damn bridge,” Stavros muttered, tearing open his envelope. He hated codes and ciphers, in part because he was a poor reader even without the extra burden. He often relied on Michaelis, who had at least some schooling. “I don’t see the reason for…”

But even Michaelis would not understand this message, Stavros realized with a shock, because the code had come from Moscow. Stavros looked up at Captain Whyte and then glanced back at his note, which read: We have discussed the possibility of the day when you would fulfill the mission for which you were originally trained. That day has come. Now that Stalin has dissolved the Comintern, you and your comrades in the Central Committee in Greece will take your orders directly from me. With the liberation of Greece at hand, the British will attempt to install the king and his monarcho-fascist government. They will use Zervas and his EDES swine or the front they call the National Bands of Greece as their means. You will not let that happen. You will assume command of the EOE and will not give up your arms until Greece has popular rule as well as national liberation. Such a democracy leaves no room for any resistance movement other than the National Liberation Front. It alone is the legitimate representation of the Greek people and must be recognized as such. Toward that end, immediately upon destroying this order, you are to kill the following three monarcho-fascists: the agent code-named Theseus; the son of General Andros; and the British liaison officer to the EOE. Fulfill your orders and your transgressions will be forgiven. Fail and you will bear the punishment of all comrades who have renounced their faith.