Chapter 164: Take the Blame!
White House
The CIA Director stood before the President, reporting the situation and requesting authorization for a second round of airstrikes to cover the landing operation.
The attack on the 15th had been exposed to the world by Castro at the United Nations less than three hours after it occurred, placing America in an awkward and passive position due to the diplomatic fraud scandal. Yet Castro's action had achieved the opposite of its intended effect; it had quickly unified America internally. The decision was made: the operation would continue.
But the operation was plagued by unexpected incidents. Nothing was proceeding smoothly.
Late last night, the exile force of over fourteen hundred men had arrived off the Cuban coast as planned, preparing to land. However, the complexity of the water environment near Cuba far exceeded expectations, causing significant delays in the landing. A shadow fell over the operation before a single shot had been fired.
In the early morning hours, the vanguard finally cleared a section of the coastal waters. With a command from the CIA Director, the exile force officially stormed the beach and launched their attack.
The initial phase of the landing went smoothly. Apart from sporadic resistance, the exile force encountered almost no obstacles. It wasn't until around 02:30 AM that the Cuban defenders managed to alert Havana. Castro ordered an immediate and total counterattack. Soldiers from both sides quickly engaged in fierce battle.
Then things began deviating further and further from the CIA's carefully laid plans.
First came the Cuban Air Force, bombing the landing fleet. These aircraft should have been destroyed on the 15th. The failed operation on the 15th had directly triggered a catastrophic chain reaction.
The air assault quickly yielded devastating results. The transport ship Houston, fully loaded with ammunition and medical supplies, was sunk. Half of the exile force's supplies vanished into the Caribbean with it. The tenacious Cuban resistance, the loss of the supply transport, and a battlefield that bore no resemblance to the planned one gradually pushed the exile force into mounting chaos.
Next, the paratrooper battalion that was expected to land on the eastern side of the battlefield deviated from its drop zone and was immediately surrounded upon landing. Immediately after, Castro personally arrived at the front line to assume command. The Cuban Army rolled onto the battlefield with heavy firepower, including tanks and artillery.
The sneak attack had deteriorated into a beach assault. The beach assault had become a desperate last stand. The last stand was rapidly becoming a one-sided massacre.
The exile force retreated toward the water. But behind them stretched only the endless ocean. There was nowhere to retreat.
The secret operation, three years in preparation, secretly planned since the previous administration, consuming countless resources and workforce, regarded as the CIA's highest priority task, eagerly anticipated by so many, now showed unmistakable signs of complete defeat.
President Jack did not make an immediate decision. He chose to convene an emergency meeting.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the CIA Director, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Advisor, and others attended. Director Hoover of the FBI and Attorney General Robert were also summoned.
The White House needed the FBI to provide a real-time assessment of the domestic situation. Robert was there because he was President Jack's most trusted brother and subordinate.
Director Hoover remained exceptionally quiet throughout the meeting, speaking only when necessary. He sat at the far end of the conference table, watching everything unfold in silence.
At the start of the meeting, the CIA Director rapidly briefed everyone on the latest battlefield developments, bringing them quickly up to speed on the current situation.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs reported that the Chief of Naval Operations had already positioned the fleet off the Cuban coast, standing ready to provide support to the exile force and intervene in the war at any moment. The Air Force was also prepared to launch a second round of airstrikes on immediate notice.
After the situation reports concluded, the conference room fell into a heavy, oppressive silence.
A Presidential aide opened the door and handed over the latest front-line war report. The exile force had been almost entirely driven off the land by the Cuban Army and was rapidly contracting toward the beachhead. The battle situation had become critically precarious.
Everyone's attention turned to President Jack.
His face was stern, his gaze sweeping deliberately over each person in turn. Not one of them met his eyes. They all bowed their heads, seemingly lost in deep thought.
His gaze finally came to rest on Robert, the Attorney General, and Director Hoover of the FBI, seated at the end of the conference table.
Both men straightened slightly under his scrutiny.
Robert's face was filled with barely controlled anger, even more fury than he typically displayed when confronted with Hoover's presence. He appeared ready to speak, but President Jack silenced him with a single sharp look.
Director Hoover looked up briefly, calmly meeting President Jack's gaze for a measured moment, then lowered his head to stare at the notebook resting in his hands. He appeared lost in profound thought, as if the pages contained some problem of monumental importance awaiting his solution.
President Jack's gaze returned to the CIA Director.
He clenched both fists on the table. Then, slowly, he released them. He issued his order directly to the CIA Director: cancel the second round of airstrikes.
This meant he was abandoning the secret operation entirely. No further assistance would be provided to the over fourteen hundred men trapped on that Cuban beach. The operation would fail. It hadn't failed yet, but failure was now only a matter of time.
Everyone in the conference room visibly relaxed. The highly anticipated secret operation had transformed into a political hot potato, a complete disaster. They hoped only that someone, anyone, would quickly step forward to accept responsibility and bring this catastrophic farce to an end.
After making his decision, President Jack did not remain to wait for the inevitable outcome. He left the conference room directly. He needed to rest in the private lounge and compose himself. There was still much more to handle in the coming hours.
...
As early as the predawn hours, before the attack had even commenced, United Press International had secretly received information that "Cuban Free Fighters have taken control of key coastal areas." UPI cooperatively disseminated the news to its network.
Consequently, by morning, media outlets across all of America were reporting the story with banner headlines. Print publications rushed out morning extras. Radio hosts spoke at length about the unfolding developments. Television stations invited military experts and analysts to explain the importance and potential international impact of this action.
People throughout America and around the world learned about the secret operation that was no longer secret.
Since the airstrikes on the 15th, America's mainstream media had been faithfully quoting the CIA's fabricated narrative about "Cuban pilots defecting with their aircraft," a story that had garnered widespread public support despite its transparent falsehood.
Since this morning's news broke, most Americans maintained an optimistic and supportive attitude.
They believed Castro's rule was nearing its inevitable end and that the over fourteen hundred freedom fighters would bring liberation to the Cuban people suffering under communist oppression.
At 10 AM, the White House held an official press conference.
The press secretary attempted to distance America from the ongoing military action in Cuba carefully, but found himself immediately besieged by aggressive reporters.
One journalist directly demanded to know whether America was providing active support to the Cuban exile army.
The press secretary neither admitted nor denied the allegation. He repeatedly emphasized that America would not directly intervene militarily in Cuba under any circumstances.
The media interpreted the press secretary's carefully worded response as reflecting the official stance of the American government under President Jack's leadership.
Later that same day, his exact words were quoted and requoted by television broadcasters and radio stations across the nation.
Some media analyses have pointed out that the government's deliberately vague wording might imply tacit approval of the operation, or even direct, behind-the-scenes involvement.
Amid an overwhelming chorus of patriotic praise and support, discordant voices began to emerge. Some media outlets started using Cuban government radio broadcasts as their primary source, dramatically revising their earlier reports.
They now suggested that the invasion is failing catastrophically.
Public discourse descended into complete chaos. Some media organizations continued steadfastly adhering to the CIA's original narrative. Others had already begun analyzing the situation from what they claimed was a fair, objective, and neutral journalistic perspective. Ordinary Americans watching and listening at home were utterly confused by the conflicting reports.
...
According to technical information from AT&T technicians, the female suspect was likely alone when she placed the emergency call to the police. Nevertheless, Bernie carefully recorded all those telephone numbers and handed the complete list over to Detective O'Malley for follow-up investigation.
Detective O'Malley immediately contacted his colleagues at the Fourth Precinct, requesting their assistance in processing and tracing these telephone numbers through their records.
Bernie then contacted Detective Thomas at the Third Precinct and learned that the young agent had just finished meeting with the police sketch artist. The complete composite portrait was expected to be available sometime in the afternoon.
The two investigative teams continued working separately on different aspects of the case. Theodore and Bernie returned to American University, hoping to finally obtain proper authorization from the university president to access student records.
They finally succeeded in meeting with the president.
However, after listening carefully to Bernie's detailed account of the ongoing case, the university president appeared troubled and concerned. He emphasized campus safety while simultaneously questioning Theodore and Bernie's investigative requests.
He stated that there was no real need to obtain a comprehensive list of students enrolled in the relevant academic majors, much less to examine students' written assignments or to question professors and students directly.
He firmly believed such actions would cause unnecessary panic on campus, especially at this time.
Theodore was genuinely confused by the president's statement. He found himself staring at the president's ear for a prolonged moment, then turned to look at Bernie questioningly. He wasn't entirely sure whether the university president was mentally impaired or simply hard of hearing.
When Bernie presented the case details, he had already made the specific reasons for each investigative request abundantly clear. So how could the president not have heard that portion of the explanation?
The university president continued speaking, questioning their various requests one by one, deeming the action unnecessary and potentially harmful to the university's reputation.
Theodore interrupted him. "How exactly do you think we should conduct this investigation?"
The university president fell silent for a moment, then expressed his complete and total trust in Theodore and Bernie's professional expertise. He clearly stated that he absolutely would not interfere with their professional investigative work.
Theodore became even more confused. "But you are interfering with our work right now. At this very moment."
The university president choked on his words, hastily denied interfering with the FBI's legitimate work, and once again emphasized that he placed the highest value on campus safety and was genuinely willing to cooperate fully with the investigation.
Theodore came to the definite conclusion that the university president's brain was most likely malfunctioning. He felt compelled to remind the man directly, "But you've only been saying repeatedly that you value campus safety and are willing to cooperate. You haven't actually taken any concrete action to demonstrate that cooperation."
The university president's mouth fell open. His neck flushed a deep crimson, and the red color rapidly spread upward across his face.
Theodore hesitated briefly, then asked with what seemed like sincere concern, "Do you have any understanding of how much damage a BAR rifle and a Thompson submachine gun can inflict on human beings?"
The university president's mouth remained hanging open. His cheeks had turned bright red.
Theodore looked at him steadily, interpreting the president's stunned silence as a negative answer to his question. He was preparing to give a helpful, detailed answer when Bernie quickly interrupted him.
Bernie smoothly took over the conversation, assuring the university president that their investigation would be conducted strictly on the school campus. They would not remove any relevant documents from university property. They would not take any unauthorized actions. They would not use his authorization for anything whatsoever outside the scope of this specific investigation. He gestured toward the head of campus security, suggesting that, since they were relatively unfamiliar with the campus layout and procedures, he could provide the necessary assistance to expedite their work.
The university president's gaze shifted back and forth between the two FBI agents, then settled on the slightly overweight head of campus security standing near the office door. He thought for a long moment, clearly weighing his options, then extended his hand toward Bernie with a carefully serious expression. "I sincerely hope you can keep your word on these assurances."
Bernie clasped his hand firmly. "I give you my promise."
The university president turned to the head of campus security and instructed him to cooperate fully with the two agents and provide whatever assistance they deemed necessary.
After leaving the president's office, Bernie formally requested access to student enrollment records to obtain a comprehensive list of students currently enrolled in the drama and literature majors. The head of campus security led them directly toward the university archives building.
On the walk across campus, Bernie struck up a casual conversation with the head of campus security. He inquired whether the man had any military service experience in his background.
The supervisor glanced at him briefly, then admitted he had served as a shipman and had participated in combat operations during World War II.
Bernie immediately stated that he, too, had served and participated in World War II.
The supervisor appeared somewhat surprised by this revelation. The two men began chatting more freely, discussing matters Theodore didn't fully understand, often interspersing their conversation with military terminology and slang he had never even heard before.
The two of them grew increasingly enthusiastic in their exchange of war stories and shared experiences.
By the time they reached the archives building, the supervisor had already warmly invited Bernie to an upcoming veterans' gathering. He explained that everyone attending the informal event was a World War II veteran. The gathering wasn't an official military function but rather a privately organized event by the veterans for camaraderie.
Bernie readily and enthusiastically agreed to attend.
The supervisor seemed genuinely pleased by Bernie's acceptance, smiling broadly as he helped them communicate their needs to the archives staff, specifically requesting assistance in retrieving the complete student enrollment lists for both departments.
There were nearly three hundred students combined from the two academic majors, quite a substantial number to work through.
Bernie and Theodore accepted the lists, located the corresponding student personnel files, and then systematically opened each file and conducted an initial screening of the entire student population based on Theodore's behavioral profile of the female suspect.
The supervisor enthusiastically asked if they required any additional help. Bernie didn't stand on ceremony with the supervisor, suggesting directly that they would greatly appreciate someone to help open and organize the numerous files more efficiently.
The supervisor left the archives room briefly and returned with two campus security guards to assist with the clerical work.
Theodore stared at the supervisor for a prolonged moment, then slowly turned his gaze toward Bernie. The supervisor indeed hadn't shown this level of enthusiasm and helpfulness when they first arrived yesterday.
By noon, with the supervisor and his two helpful assistants, they had successfully screened over two hundred student files. The proportion of female students enrolled in the drama and literature majors was surprisingly high, approaching 60% across both departments.
Theodore conducted further screening based on additional profile criteria, including family economic status and academic performance records, which still left nearly one hundred potential suspects requiring closer examination.
In the afternoon, Theodore and Bernie proceeded to the College of Arts and Sciences to conduct a more detailed investigation of the remaining names on their list. They first sought out the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
After obtaining his official support and cooperation, they met with professors who taught various specialized courses in both departments.
The professors' initial reactions proved far from ideal. The faculty members had minimal knowledge of their individual students. Many couldn't even recognize all the students enrolled in their classes by sight.
This was especially pronounced in the literature department, where most courses, due to their particularly dry and academically rigorous content, maintained a chronic truancy rate hovering around thirty percent throughout the semester. For specific exceptionally tedious courses, such as Ancient Greek to Renaissance Rhetoric, the actual classroom attendance rate barely reached forty percent on any given day.
Theodore and Bernie met separately with the professors teaching rhetoric and another demanding course called Religious Literature Studies. Both professors proved unable to provide any meaningful assistance with the investigation.
However, they displayed intense curiosity about the case Theodore and Bernie were investigating and persistently asked numerous questions about the details. This constant questioning made the investigative progress frustratingly slow, yielding almost no helpful information whatsoever.
After finally escaping the rhetoric professor's office, Theodore called out to Bernie, who was already heading toward a third professor's office, and gestured for them to reconsider their investigative strategy.
Theodore indicated to Bernie to step aside into a quiet corner of the corridor.
They needed to change their approach entirely. They would no longer waste time asking professors about individual students.
Instead, they would focus their inquiries on the teaching assistants assigned to each course.
Teaching assistants generally bear responsibility for grading student assignments and undertaking specific practical teaching tasks that professors delegate.
They maintained much closer contact with students than the professors did and, consequently, understood them far better on an individual basis. However, university teaching assistants were typically selected from among the most outstanding students in their respective programs.
According to Theodore's behavioral profile, the female suspect was also likely an academically excellent student. They first needed to carefully screen the teaching assistants based on what the professors knew about their assistants' backgrounds and characteristics.
This revised investigative step proceeded much more smoothly.
They then located and met with the teaching assistant responsible for the rhetoric course. Bernie extracted the suspect list and asked the teaching assistant to identify which names represented students actually enrolled in the rhetoric class.
The teaching assistant carefully circled over a dozen names on the list and provided them with the official class roster for the rhetoric course for direct comparison and verification.
Bernie produced Theodore's behavioral profile of the female suspect and methodically confirmed each specific characteristic and criterion with the teaching assistant.
The teaching assistant carefully considered each student, then finally shook her head with certainty, indicating that none of these dozen individuals matched all the profile requirements they had described.
[End of Chapter]