Chapter Two Summary

Chapter two opens in Melbourne, Australia, on June 8, 1942. Captain Fleming Pickering of the US Naval Reserves is resting in his suite at the Menzies Hotel. This hotel is serving as Headquarters for General Douglas MacArthur, who is the Supreme Commander of the southwest Pacific Ocean area. Captain Fleming Pickering holds unique status in the Navy. He is a World War I veteran who started a successful international shipping business afterward. He made many important friends and is now on a special assignment, handpicked by the Secretary of the Navy. Pickering carries top secret clearance and important papers, allowing him to be privy to any Navy or Marine missions, and providing him access to any flights, transportation, or services required for Pickering to accomplish his mission. His mission is to keep Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox "in the know" with an...