The Mistery of Belicena Villca
– Well , then you don ' t need any fist weapon but machine pistols . And you must also carry fragmentation grenades . Look , Siegnagel : I will prepare two SWAT equipments for you , suitable for an operation of that kind . Where are you going to operate , can you wear a battle jacket ?
– Yes ... I think so --I replied . I looked out of the corner of my eye at Uncle Kurt and saw that he nodded-- . How important is it ?
– It is that the jackets that I am going to lend you have all the pockets , rings and necessary hooks --he explained-- . You will carry the machine pistols , which are very small despite firing a thousand bullets per minute , in an underarm holster , and you will resort to them only in case of need , since you will carry the Itakas in the hands . The Itakas can be worn with a shoulder strap or with a leg holster , but for that matter I suggest the strap . They have an 8-cartridge capacity , giving them a hellish firepower ; with a single charge it should be enough for an ambush , but if you must sustain a shooting , you ' ll find more cartridges in the jacket . Likewise , in other pockets there will be spare magazines for the machine pistols and in the belt the ten fragmentation grenades . Just in case you are forced to demolish something , I will also provide two loaves of trotyl with electronic detonator to each one , which will also be attached to the jacket . I will complete your equipment with two mountain knives , whose sheath is sewn on the inside of the jacket . Is it okay , Dr . Siegnagel ? – When can you give me such equipment ? --I asked admiringly . – This afternoon . Now give me the name of the contact . – Captain Diego Fernández . In 1978 he was stationed in Tucumán . He does not know me and surely he does not know what happened to Belicena Villca three months ago . He won ' t refuse to talk to you , when he knows we ' re trying to protect his Comrade .
Chapter X
At 6 p . m . the sad burial was carried out . The Siegnagel possessed a large mausoleum in the local cemetery and there would be deposited the five coffins : cremation would not be welcome by the village priests . First , the funeral caravan passed by the church , according to custom , and a mass was celebrated there for " the eternal rest of their Souls ", Golen formula , still de rigueur . The old priest , friend of my parents , tried to console me for the immense loss suffered and insinuated veiled that my estrangement from the Church could be connected with the current disgrace . I promised to return to Sunday Masses , just like when I was a child , and confess and take communion , until the good man was satisfied .
A large crowd , between curious and sad , gathered in the necropolis to bid farewell to the mortal remains . There they were , punctually , Maidana and the Commissioner of Cerrillos . The latter gave me the expected summons .
– I ' m sorry to bother you right now , Arturo , but you will know how to understand that we have a duty to fulfill . Tomorrow you can come to give a statement to the police station . It is at 11 a . m .: the Judge will be waiting , who also wishes to interrogate you .
I promised to attend exactly and the Commissioner left satisfied . After the response , the priest also moved away , and behind him the people dispersed , but not without before repeating their condolences . When I locked up the mausoleum , we only remained Uncle Kurt , Maidana and Me .
We met again at the Farm . With extreme caution , Maidana lowered four airplane cloth bags containing the SWAT equipment . He made us a thousand recommendations on the prudence with which we had to handle that material , and some clarifications of a practical nature . There was everything promised and even more : he added boots , pants , shirts and berets , in short , all the commando clothing , stained with shades suitable for the mountain camouflage .
– I ' ve fulfilled my part of the bargain --he said-- . And I wish you luck in the operation . For dedicating myself to gather this in such a short time I have not been able to rest , so I ' m leaving because I cannot stand on my feet . Ah ; I investigated about officer Diego Fernández ! He is active . Now he ' s Major G2 , and he ' s assigned to the Intelligence Battalion 702 , in Buenos Aires . Tomorrow or the day after I will go personally to speak with him .
– Well , goodbye , Comrades ! – he said farewell solemnly – Ah ; something else , which I had already forgotten ! When you come back , Dr . Siegnagel , will you clarify me those two dark points of the Belicena Villca case , those irrational facts that blocked the whole investigation ? I ' m referring to that tale of the murder inside the hermetically sealed cell , and the jeweled rope used in the strangulation . I know that Ritual crimes exist , and that whoever practice them , are precisely members of synarchic organizations . But what was the importantance of giving Ritual form to the death of a poor alienated woman , or to the multiple murder of your family ? It ' s what I don ' t quite understand .
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