A Present For General Calinga .sx HE WAS BETRAYED- BY THE ONE MAN WHOSE LOYALTY HE HAD ALWAYS TAKEN FOR GRANTED THE President continued holding the telephone to his ear long after he knew beyond all doubt that the line had been cut .sx Then he gave a despairing little sigh , returned the now useless instrument to its cradle and sat staring with unseeing eyes at the wall opposite .sx A sudden outburst of machine-gun fire from outside the Palace caused him to shiver and rise from his chair .sx He began to walk quickly towards the door .sx But as he reached out to turn the handle the door opened and his aide , Major Pillar Juarez , entered .sx Juarez was a young man of the slim athletic type .sx Unlike most of the Air Force pilots his uniform was always immaculate , a fact which had commended itself to the President when he had first considered making him his personal aide .sx But now the major's uniform had lost its immaculate look ; it was dusty and his right trouser leg had a large tear in it .sx " Excellency , " he said quietly before the President could speak , " you will have to leave .sx The rebels are closing in and the troops we have here cannot hold out much longer .sx Santos has made the Palace- and you- his main objective .sx He is concentrating his forces here because once you are in his power , well , it's all over .sx " The President swallowed .sx " Did you know the telephone line is cut ?sx Our position is hopeless .sx " " That is why you must leave here , Excellency .sx I have the helicopter standing by and I'll take you down to La Plomas .sx General Calinga has the city completely under control .sx We'll fight back from there , Excellency .sx Yes , with General Calinga behind you- " " I don't know .sx " The President's words broke in almost nervously .sx " About Calinga , I mean .sx " He shook his head .sx " No , I'm not at all sure of him .sx " " But Calinga is loyal to you , Excellency .sx " " Maybe he is , maybe he isn't .sx " The President half closed his eyes , " I've had my fill of bitter disappointments since this uprising , Juarez .sx So many people I'd trusted have turned against me .sx " He lit himself a cigarette with a jerky movement .sx " You , Juarez , " he added , " are about the only one whose loyalty I can take for granted .sx " " You trust me implicitly , Excellency ?sx " The words came quickly , almost sharply .sx " I do , Juarez .sx " " But you are not absolutely certain of Calinga's loyalty ?sx " " Not quite .sx His loyalty will depend on which way the wind is blowing .sx And at present- " " So , should Calinga have decided to throw in his lot with the rebels and I take you to La Plomas , well , I shall in effect be handing you over to Santos ?sx " The major's words were more a statement of fact than a question .sx The President drew heavily on his cigarette .sx He nodded slowly at it .sx " So therefore you won't come with me ?sx " " No .sx " Major Pillar Juarez slowly undid the flap of his holster .sx He withdrew his revolver .sx He pointed it straight at the President .sx " The helicopter is all ready , " he said quietly and evenly .sx " You will fly to La Plomas in it .sx " The President stared .sx " Juarez , " he said huskily , " you seem particularly anxious to take me to Calinga .sx Suspiciously anxious , I would say .sx " Juarez tightened his grip on the gun .sx " You said you trusted me .sx " The President nodded .sx " I did .sx And I meant it .sx At the time .sx " He paused .sx " Now I'm not so sure .sx I- " " All right , " cut in Juarez sharply , " my crew-men are already aboard .sx " He made a little movement with the revolver .sx " Come , we'll go now .sx " As Juarez opened the door the President suddenly started biting at his lower lip .sx " The helicopter , " continued Juarez , " is standing in the interior gardens .sx " The President walked slowly out of the room ; his eyes were now blinking spasmodically .sx " WAS it necessary to tie me up like this ?sx " The President looked tired and old as he indicated his bound wrists .sx Juarez did not answer .sx He turned to his radio-operator .sx " I'm dropping to a thousand feet , " he said .sx " Try to contact Santos now .sx " The President's eyes filled with an ocean of contempt .sx " And to think I once gave you my trust , " he choked .sx " Much rather had I stayed at my Palace and- " He suddenly leaned forward and buried his face in his bound hands .sx He started sobbing silently to himself .sx For a moment Juarez contemplated the broken man beside him .sx He opened his mouth to say something but as he did so his radio-operator announced that he had contacted Santos .sx Juarez nodded .sx He took his microphone and started talking slowly , deliberately .sx After he had finished doing so he dropped the helicopter to five hundred feet .sx He banked slightly .sx When he saw three men leave a hut and walk out towards the middle of the field in front of it he dropped even lower .sx " That's Santos , " pointed the radio-operator .sx " The one in the middle .sx " " Yes , I know .sx " Juarez made towards the group .sx He landed the helicopter about fifty yards away from the three men .sx He kept the rotor blades turning .sx " Right , " he said sharply to the President , " out you get .sx Santos is expecting you !sx " He removed his gun from its holster .sx The President lifted his head .sx He glanced at the revolver and also at the carbines the radio-operator and Juarez's other crew-men were holding .sx His eyes started blinking again .sx Then slowly he rose from his seat .sx He followed Juarez out of the machine like a man from whose body the last spark of life had all but departed .sx SANTOS could not contain himself any longer :sx when he saw his dejected enemy before him he started running towards the helicopter .sx He was shouting almost incoherently .sx It was then that the carbines opened up catching Santos's two henchmen completely unawares ; they died instantly .sx At the same moment Juarez moved forward to the rebel leader .sx He put his gun close to the other's stomach .sx He pulled the trigger five times .sx Now the two crew-men had dropped their carbines .sx They leaped out of the helicopter and unceremoniously tossed the dazed and bewildered President back into it .sx Then , while Juarez climbed frantically for the pilot's seat , they also tossed aboard the dead body of the rebel leader .sx As the helicopter began to rise they regained their carbines and poured a stream of bullets at the shouting groups of men who were now running out towards the field .sx At two thousand feet Juarez set course for La Plomas .sx He smiled tightly as his radio-operator leaned over and cut the bonds on the President's wrists .sx " Well , Excellency , " he said , " it was a long shot but- " " It was indeed a long shot , " interjected the President in a strangled voice .sx " A very long shot .sx " He swallowed .sx " But I am still bewildered .sx Why was it necessary to force me into this helicopter at gunpoint ?sx And why the bonds ?sx Why- " " Excellency , " said Major Pillar Juarez , " I had to force you into the helicopter because otherwise you would have stayed at your Palace .sx And died .sx Also , with the greatest respect , Excellency , you are a very poor actor ; you cannot hide or disguise your emotions .sx So I had to make you actually believe I was handing you over to Santos .sx " No , Excellency , you could not have played the part you did ; it had to be , as far as you were concerned , only too horribly true .sx Otherwise it could not have succeeded .sx You did believe it- " " Yes .sx And I believed that you too had turned against me , Juarez .sx " The words were uttered as an apology as humble as it was sincere .sx Juarez smiled .sx " Yes , you had to believe that too , Excellency .sx " He altered course ten degrees to starboard .sx " La Plomas ahead , " he announced .sx " Now when we land and you show General Calinga the dead body of the rebel Santos , there is no doubt where his loyalty will be , is there ?sx " The President nodded and fell silent .sx About a minute later he said :sx " Juarez , I can never reward you enough .sx I- " " Excellency , " smiled Major Pillar Juarez , " I have a wish I hope you will grant .sx " " Name it .sx " The major's smile widened .sx " A new uniform , Excellency .sx Hand-tailored in English cloth .sx " He glanced at the tear in his trouser leg .sx " I think I am almost entitled to that , Excellency .sx " The President laughed .sx It was the first time he had done so in over three weeks .sx It was a long laugh .sx A slightly hysterical laugh .sx THE FRIEND .sx SANTAGO WAS A MAN TO BE TRUSTED .sx . HE COULD USE A SUB-MACHINE GUN CAPTAIN RAMON CORDORA'S voice was loud .sx " Corporal Santago , " he shouted .sx " Where's Corporal Santago ?sx " One of the privates looked up briefly from his cards .sx " Back there somewhere , " he grunted .sx Cordora opened his mouth again as if he were going to remonstrate with the private for his appalling lack of discipline but , thinking better of it , he moved off in search of Santago .sx He found him behind the hut cleaning his rifle .sx " Well , Corporal , " he smiled , " I'm glad to see someone in your platoon cleans his weapons regularly !sx " Santago did not answer until he had removed the piece of four-by-two from his pull-through .sx " I always used to clean my rifle regularly .sx " His voice was surly .sx " If you made an inspection now and then , you'd know that I still do .sx " Cordora continued smiling .sx " Now , now , can't you take a little joke , my friend ?sx " Santago slowly raised his head .sx " Don't you call me your friend , " he said .sx " The only friend you have is yourself .sx " The other's smile remained fixed .sx " We were friends once upon a time .sx " " Yes , but that was long , long ago .sx " " Not so long ago .sx " The Captain paused .sx " It's only six months since we were serving together under La Cruz .sx " Santago now began to examine the bolt of his rifle .sx " Yes , " he murmured , " we served together under him .sx As privates .sx Then along came Kassan .sx And with him in power what happened ?sx You became sergeant the very next day .sx " " Yes , " broke in Cordora , " but shortly after that I was able to get you promoted to corporal .sx " Santago lifted his head .sx " True .sx But you also got yourself promoted to lieutenant .sx Then a month later you became a captain .sx " He bent down once again and started cleaning his rifle bolt .sx " Yes , you were a good friend to yourself .sx But not to me .sx Any friend of mine would have made sure I got a bit higher than this .sx " His eyes flicked contemptuously to the rank badges on his right sleeve , then back again to his rifle bolt .sx Cordora switched his smile off and managed to look sympathetic .sx " I know how you must feel , " he said .sx " But it's not so easy as you'd think .sx I did my best for you but President Kassan has never forgotten that day over two years ago , when you let him have the butt of your rifle right across his face .sx " " I couldn't help it , " muttered the other .sx " I was ordered to disperse the crowd and I was only doing my duty .sx How was I to know that one day he'd be President ?sx " Captain Cordora made a little clicking sound with his teeth .sx " Well , nevertheless , he's never forgotten it .sx And every time I've brought up the subject of your commission , well , he has said no .sx In fact , it took me a great deal of persuading to even get you your corporal's stripes , Santago , if the truth be told .sx " He paused and lowered his voice .sx " But now something's come up which , if you do your bit , will maybe enable you to find favour in the President's eyes .sx " For a start , he has given me authority to promote you to sergeant if all goes well .sx " Santago stopped cleaning the rifle bolt .sx " To sergeant ?sx " " Yes .sx Now , if he's prepared to forgive you enough to agree to your promotion to sergeant , well , who knows ?sx Maybe sometime later he will forgive you completely and grant you a commission .sx " Cordora paused again .sx " Of course , all that is conjecture .sx You will have to carry out this special little job first and qualify yourself for promotion to sergeant before the officer question could even be considered .sx "