Free The Fifth Season by Kerry B. Collison Page A

her correspondence to friends and relatives back in the States.
    In reality, the Attaché’s wife was unable to compete with the obvious wealth the Indonesian officers’ wives flaunted, and was irked by their natural beauty, convinced that her husband would have no hesitation leaping into bed with any of these attractive women, should the opportunity arise.
    â€˜Please thank your wife, Colonel. Has she recovered from her recent illness?’
    Praboyo asked innocently. The woman had feigned ill health to avoid attending a function organized by ABRI wives, and was sighted the following morning by one of the Indonesian ladies, playing tennis at the Embassy compound.
    â€˜She’s fine, thank you, General, just fine,’ Carruthers answered, then wishing he had left the damn chocolates behind.
    â€˜Good,’ he said, ‘then I hope she remains so, and that we might soon see her at one of our Indonesian ladies gatherings.’ The American nodded, crossed his legs, and moved the conversation to the reason for his visit.
    â€˜Speaking frankly, General, ’ he began, having rehearsed what he needed to relay to this influential officer, ‘the DIA is quite concerned with what is happening in East Java.’ For a moment, the commander expected his guest to continue, and elaborate. But when he remained silent Praboyo too decided to play this evasive game.
    â€˜East Java?’ he asked, knowing full well what was on the American’s mind.
    â€˜Yes, General, East Java. Washington is becoming quite agitated with these organized attacks against Christian groups and their churches. What do your intelligence sources say? Are you in a position to shed some light on what’s really happening?’
    Without hesitation, anticipating that the Americans would want some sort of explanation, Praboyo offered his prepared explanation.
    â€˜Moslem radicals,’ he lied.
    â€˜Are you sure?’ Carruthers wanted to be convinced. He needed something concrete to take back with him, preferably evidence that the military had no involvement in the attacks. The heat had come from church lobby groups back home claiming that humanitarian agencies had reported sightings of soldiers participating in the violence. The Defence Aid agreements between the two countries would come under scrutiny again, and the Pentagon didn’t need any more pressure from civil liberty groups, nor could the senior brass afford discovery of the covert training provided to the Indonesian Special Forces. ‘Have the police been able to come up with anything yet?’
    â€˜No, but we caught two,’ Praboyo lied again. The American raised his eyebrows in surprise.
    â€˜And?’ he waited, observing the Indonesian for any sign which might give the man away, but there was nothing.
    â€˜They were taken to Serang and interrogated at 12 Battalion headquarters. They didn’t have a great deal to reveal, just that they were part of a local group of dissident Moslems youths who felt that the churches in their area had encroached on what has been traditionally Moslem communities.’
    Carruthers was aware that the Indonesian Government did not permit the churches to expand their congregations by attracting converts. The story was believable, and basically what he had expected to hear.
    â€˜Any chance that we might have an opportunity to interview these two?’ he asked, expecting that this would be unlikely. General Praboyo smiled, and shook his head.
    â€˜A D18 team conducted the interrogation.’ He paused, then crossed his arms, a gesture he would have found insulting in others. ‘Apparently, the team was a little over enthusiastic.’
    â€˜They’re dead? ’ The Colonel queried, with incredulous surprise.
    â€˜Yes,’ he replied, chuffed that he had handled the matter so easily . ‘We have had the local military commanders call on the Moslem religious leaders, the   ulamas. All