Mer från devils incarnate
I'd officially returned to Rome to tie up some loose ends, though in fact I was here of my own accord, as I'd recently become obsessed
with something l'd heard by chance but couldn't believe as fact. Nobody in Pretoria had spoken of Palme. Likc Sacripontc. passing himself
off amongst the elite of Rome, so I wandered the corridors of power back home while people winked, whispered, but never stopped by.
BMI., when I list sat in his office, ranted Tor half an hour and never said a word about it I'd never been after a medal but, be Christ, a
handshake would have been nice. But nothing.
Konrad then came into the room and sat down. llc was late and 13..\'l. dressed him down, which made Konrad mad. You're supposed to
respect the rank and not the man, but B,\l. was more of a relic and would often get caught up in his own self-importance. Iii any case this
bad air seemed to consume the assassin, as, unlike me, hed expected a heros welcome with a brass band and ribbons. B.:vI. instead said
that new things were happening and that within the next few months we'd be getting reassigned, if we wanted it, or, as he'd once promised,
we could be paid offand so enjoy an early retirement. Konrad, thinking stulT over, opted for a pay-oll. And now, realising that his actions
amounted to a self-imposed prison sentence within the borders of his own country, he began haggling over the price. At that I left.
The next day, though, I was hauled back in and spent three hours with B.M. and another two high rankers, basically building up a picture
of Gladio and the powers that controlled it. Still there was no mention of Palme and when I brought it up they treated it like some distant
crime that no one was thinking of. But then B.\l. let it slip. You see, information flows from different sources and is then pasted together
by the people who care. The CIA were our closet allies; either up from or by proxy they were the bank-roller controllers of all that was
Western. B.M. wanted to know my relations with the CIA in Italy, which I gave. But attcr I'd finished, he looked at mc like I was holding
back and said 'And that's it"'
'Yeah, thats the lot. And I meant it, especially given that my presentation came with documents and photographs.
What about John Miller [not his real name]"' he said abruptly. My heart thumped.
Who"' I asked.
' .\lillel. Konrad told us about the CIA man, Miller, who you'd me with Saciiponte outside the British Embassy.'
At that moment I knew something was Lip. Id never said to Konrad that the Yanks name was Miller - not even at the time. Fuck, I didn't
even know his surname, only John, and I definitely didnt say anything to Konrad, who was behaving like a teenager at a school dance.
But, to cut a long story short, I let it go and by the end of the month was happily back in Rome closing down the two front companies that
we were working with.
I/ ( iron/n, then, is an elegant setting in the heart of the city. The small winding road that leads ofT the raj run soon opens up to hidden
parkland where clay tennis courts and diplomats' wives both sun themselves and hide, in between the well-watered foliage. Taking a right,
and along a hundred-yard path, youll come to the main area, with a swimming pool at its centre and the main complex to your right.
Saeripontc had been playing tennis that morning and, when the wine atTived, he made his excuses to leave, citing that hc'd lilli something
up the stairs on the changing-room counter. No sooner had he gone than Miller appeared and sat down.
with something l'd heard by chance but couldn't believe as fact. Nobody in Pretoria had spoken of Palme. Likc Sacripontc. passing himself
off amongst the elite of Rome, so I wandered the corridors of power back home while people winked, whispered, but never stopped by.
BMI., when I list sat in his office, ranted Tor half an hour and never said a word about it I'd never been after a medal but, be Christ, a
handshake would have been nice. But nothing.
Konrad then came into the room and sat down. llc was late and 13..\'l. dressed him down, which made Konrad mad. You're supposed to
respect the rank and not the man, but B,\l. was more of a relic and would often get caught up in his own self-importance. Iii any case this
bad air seemed to consume the assassin, as, unlike me, hed expected a heros welcome with a brass band and ribbons. B.:vI. instead said
that new things were happening and that within the next few months we'd be getting reassigned, if we wanted it, or, as he'd once promised,
we could be paid offand so enjoy an early retirement. Konrad, thinking stulT over, opted for a pay-oll. And now, realising that his actions
amounted to a self-imposed prison sentence within the borders of his own country, he began haggling over the price. At that I left.
The next day, though, I was hauled back in and spent three hours with B.M. and another two high rankers, basically building up a picture
of Gladio and the powers that controlled it. Still there was no mention of Palme and when I brought it up they treated it like some distant
crime that no one was thinking of. But then B.\l. let it slip. You see, information flows from different sources and is then pasted together
by the people who care. The CIA were our closet allies; either up from or by proxy they were the bank-roller controllers of all that was
Western. B.M. wanted to know my relations with the CIA in Italy, which I gave. But attcr I'd finished, he looked at mc like I was holding
back and said 'And that's it"'
'Yeah, thats the lot. And I meant it, especially given that my presentation came with documents and photographs.
What about John Miller [not his real name]"' he said abruptly. My heart thumped.
Who"' I asked.
' .\lillel. Konrad told us about the CIA man, Miller, who you'd me with Saciiponte outside the British Embassy.'
At that moment I knew something was Lip. Id never said to Konrad that the Yanks name was Miller - not even at the time. Fuck, I didn't
even know his surname, only John, and I definitely didnt say anything to Konrad, who was behaving like a teenager at a school dance.
But, to cut a long story short, I let it go and by the end of the month was happily back in Rome closing down the two front companies that
we were working with.
I/ ( iron/n, then, is an elegant setting in the heart of the city. The small winding road that leads ofT the raj run soon opens up to hidden
parkland where clay tennis courts and diplomats' wives both sun themselves and hide, in between the well-watered foliage. Taking a right,
and along a hundred-yard path, youll come to the main area, with a swimming pool at its centre and the main complex to your right.
Saeripontc had been playing tennis that morning and, when the wine atTived, he made his excuses to leave, citing that hc'd lilli something
up the stairs on the changing-room counter. No sooner had he gone than Miller appeared and sat down.
