The Charm School

traitors, don’t think we are the Russians’ docile house pets. We did do something that we are prepared to die for.”
    Hollis said to Poole, “I am not judging you. I’m only reminding you that you’ve all violated the Code of Conduct for prisoners of war by collaborating with the enemy. And, yes, so did I to an extent. As long as we all understand that, then we can move on to our next obligation under Article III of the Code, which is to escape. I don’t think two men in two decades is a very impressive effort.”
    Poole’s face reddened. “Colonel, I don’t think you can say—”
    “The colonel is right,” Austin interrupted. “The Russians have long ago eliminated those of us who refused to collaborate, and others of us have committed suicide, actively or passively. What you see left here, Colonel Hollis and Ms. Rhodes, are the traitors. That’s why we’re alive. And why Ernie Simms among others is dead. Correct, Colonel?”
    “Correct, General.”
    Poole stood. “Colonel, let me quote you some rules that apply to POWs. First—‘Even as a PO W, you continue to be of special concern to the United States; you will not be forgotten.’ Two—‘Every available national means will be employed to establish contact with you, to support you, and to gain your release.’” Poole said to Hollis, “Look me in the eye, Colonel, and tell me that my government has lived up to its obligation to us. Tell me we are not forgotten and forsaken. Tell me they don’t know we are here.”
    Hollis looked Poole in the eye. “If they knew you were here, Commander, they would have done something too get you out.”
    Poole stared at Hollis, then drew a deep breath. “Then let me tell you what we are doing here in lieu of escape. We sabotage the curriculum at every opportunity. And we justify staying alive by saying that if we could just live long enough to get one of us out, we could warn our country about this place. And there is some truth to that, Colonel. Because, as you see, this is not just a POW camp, and other rules prevail here. We’ve tried to maintain our integrity and our honor as officers. I can tell you for instance that not one man here has ever been found to be a stool pigeon. We can trust one another, and we’ve never accepted the friendship of a single Russian. It’s a very bizarre situation, and we try to deal with it as it evolves. General Austin has formed an ethics committee for that purpose.” Poole looked at Hollis and Lisa. “I hope you’re not here twenty years, but if you are, I hope you can maintain your own sense of duty and honor.”
    Hollis said, “You mean you’d like to see me eat my words.”
    “That’s right,” Poole replied tersely.
    Hollis stood. “Well, perhaps I will.”
    Lisa stood also and addressed Poole and Austin. “I… think from what I see and hear that you’ve done the best you could.”
    General Austin stood. “Well, we know we haven’t. And your friend knows that too.” He looked at Hollis and said, “The fall of Vietnam, Watergate, the surrender of the Pueblo, Iran-Contra, the shameful episode of the hostages in Iran, Lebanon, and on and on. We’ve witnessed from afar nearly twenty years of American disasters and humiliations. But we haven’t used that to justify our own shameful and weak behavior.”
    Hollis replied, “You don’t have to justify yourselves to me or to anyone except a duly constituted board of inquiry should you ever get home.”
    Austin’s mind seemed to have wandered, and Hollis wondered if he’d heard him. Then Austin said, “Home. You know… we all saw on tape the POWs coming home from Vietnam. We saw men we knew. Some of us even saw our wives and families who were there to unselfishly share the joy of other families whom they’d come to know through common grief.” Austin looked from Hollis to Lisa. “I don’t think there was a worse torture the Russians could have devised for us than to show us that.”
    Lisa turned and left quickly.
    Hollis walked toward the door.
    Poole said, “We also read about the continuing efforts to locate POWs, mostly by private groups and families, I should add, not our government. Do you know how frustrating that is for us? And why hasn’t anyone been clever enough to make some deductions? SAM missiles for American pilots. My God, the Russians and North Vietnamese were
allies
. How smart do you have to be to figure it out? Why hasn’t anyone thought we might be
here
? In
Russia
!”