Triad of Revenge: The Path to Dallas

‘Triad of Revenge:
The Path to Dallas’

By Thomas O’Hare

Major Update

Last Update: June 20, 2026

Chapters 1 & 2 PREVIEW

This is an active draft version

Changes will definitely occur

Final edition expected late Q4 2026

Chapter 1 ― 1961 – The Bay of Pigs Fiasco

Only flickering starlight illuminates the white sandy beaches of Cuba's Playa Girón. The low-pitched rumbling of engines muffles the tranquil sounds of the Caribbean surf. Slowly approaching the shoreline are the silhouettes of a number of military-style crafts. They are desperately trying to reach the beaches undetected. Onboard the lead craft is Grayston (Gray) Lynch, who is responsible for this Cuban invasion force. He’s one of only two American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers assigned to help the 1400 Cuban exile invasion force. They anxiously anticipate reclaiming their homeland in the following days.

Gray peers over the craft’s bow. Scanning the treeline, he’s searching for movement. As he does, his mind flashes back to June 6th, 1944, D-Day. Landing on the shores of France, the goal was to liberate Europe from Nazi tyranny. However, his efforts quickly diminished. Severely wounded, the medics stabilized Gray and sent him back to the invasion flotilla. Tonight he’s determined to create significantly better luck. While focused on the shoreline, reflections continue to flash through his mind. “Seventeen years ago, we fought for the liberation of Europe. Tonight, the emancipation of Cuba commences. This island is ninety miles too close to Key West. Communism cannot be allowed to flourish so near to American shores. It can’t be permitted to even gain a foothold. The entire Western Hemisphere is now in peril. The Cubanos are enslaved. Atrocities we ended in Europe cannot be allowed to take place in the Americas.”

The regime now controlling Cuba took power just over two years ago. The brutal takeover keeps the masses captive, restricting their freedoms and suppressing dissent against the regime’s authoritarian rule. Free travel beyond its borders is not permitted. This situation bears a striking resemblance to the division of Berlin, originating in 1948. Russian soldiers stopped Germans in East Berlin from freely traveling outside their sector. The exiled Cubanos wanted freedom just as the East Germans did. The leaders of the Fulgencio Batista regime were definitely not saints and had serious faults. They committed their own outrageous injustices. Such behavior does not warrant Fidel Castro and his cronies continuing their harsh rule. Thugs such as Che Guevara, Castro’s closest ally, now make use of kangaroo courts. They use farcical trials as grounds to execute and imprison anyone they believe is betraying them.

Just offshore, aboard the supply ship ‘Barbara J’, sits William (Rip) Robertson. He observes the first wave of his Brigade 2506 approaching the shoreline. He trained members of Brigade 2506 for the invasion of Cuba. Rip developed a lasting bond of respect with his chicos. Now he stands with them as they prepare to board landing boats and reclaim their homeland. He addresses his comrades just before they offload into the landing boats. “Amigos, today you will take back your homeland. You, your family, and your friends will walk freely in a liberated Cuba. Be strong; remember your training. End the current blood-fueled dictatorship in power. May God bless you and deliver you unscathed into your homeland that you will now reclaim. Liberación de Cuba!” The men of Brigade 2506 thank him in a subdued tone as they quietly continue loading onto the landing flotilla.

Meanwhile, Gray scans the entire area looking for his support ships and attack aircraft. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) reluctantly approved this CIA mission. Although he inherited the operation from President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the responsibility now rests entirely with Kennedy. He promised the CIA that attack aircraft and supply ships filled with provisions will engage. Kennedy also promised to provide naval support at the appropriate milestone. Gray relies entirely on the US president to make good on his promises. He also counts on the men of Brigade 2506 to fight a fierce battle.

Gray was forbidden to be on the beach; he was ordered to observe from offshore. He is an accomplished doer and risk taker. It’s impossible for him to sit idle as his men charge into harm’s way. So now, heading for the beach, he defies strict orders to ensure the invasion succeeds.

As the landing boats that comprise the first wave near the shore, the tension among the men consumes them. Any gunfire that erupts threatens to slaughter their ranks as soon as they land. Until they reach and take cover among the dunes, the accuracy of Cuban soldiers’ bullets is currently their only concern.

The occupants are thrown forward as his boat abruptly beaches. They quickly recover from the sudden stop. At that point the dedicated combatants cower and immediately scramble for cover. They begin the deadliest run of their life toward the dunes. Awkwardly making their way through deep sand, they struggle while they desperately seek safety.

Their sprint appears to take an eternity. They are well aware their lives could end at any moment. This is the point when they’re most vulnerable. Equipment falls from their packs as they struggle in the soft sand. Some turn and retrieve what was dropped. The rest just have one thought—seek cover behind the dunes and try to stay alive.

Finally, they situate themselves in the safety of the dunes. The first wave has successfully navigated the most dangerous part of the operation. Now in position, they take aim at the dense undergrowth ahead. They’re in luck. No bullets are fired at them. Gray sizes up their situation and in a hushed tone passes orders to his men. “Spread out, remain quiet, and be ready for a firefight. There’s nothing we can do until the second wave arrives as reinforcements. After they land, they’ll provide covering fire for our advance.”

Headlights of a military jeep suddenly emerge from the darkness. It proceeds directly toward their position. Meanwhile, the next wave of troops approaches the beach. If the jeep continues, their headlights will give away the size of the landing force. Gray manages to make out two silhouettes. After a few seconds he is positive they are some of Castro’s troops. The headlights will negate their advantage. They’ll quickly become straightforward targets as the others land. They will find themselves in an extremely precarious situation. A swift command decision must be made. Either let them spot the approaching landing craft or open fire on the jeep and silence them.

Aboard the ship ‘Barbara J’, Rip scans the beach, ensuring his amigos are still safe. Also spotting the headlights of the approaching vehicle, his hands firmly tighten on the ship’s rails. He’s certain that something drastic is about to occur. The only uncertainty is what form it will take. Rip finds consolation in knowing the man who will make the best decision is a veteran of multiple battles. He fought and was wounded on D-Day, at the Battle of the Bulge, and at Heartbreak Ridge in Korea. He had since served with the US Army Special Forces (SOF) in Laos until 1960. If anyone will make the correct decision, Rip knows it’s Grayston Lynch. He has full confidence in Gray throughout the remainder of the invasion.

Gray positions himself to get a clear view of the approaching vehicle. He’s anticipating the critical moment when he must take decisive action. Proud that his amigos have exercised excellent fire discipline, he glances at their positions. His troops have not overreacted. Instead, they focus on concealing themselves well among the dunes.

He now wraps the sling of his rifle around his left arm. Then, he positions the butt of the rifle against his right shoulder. Carefully he places the target within his sights. He fully realizes his agenda is to lead the invasion force to a successful overthrow of the Castro regime.

Gray’s well aware that the two Cuban soldiers driving forward will detect and report the landing. The line in the sand is crossed. He carefully takes aim with his rifle at the driver’s side headlight. Inhaling a deep breath, he slowly releases half. With solemn resolve, he squeezes the trigger. Crack! The first shot of the invasion has just been fired! Gray changes his focus to the passenger’s side. Within seconds, another crack! The jeep’s headlights are totally disabled. The occupants are blind as to what lies in front of them. They failed to recognize the invasion force in front of them. Making a sharp U-turn, their only thought is to avoid being shot. But Gray has other ideas. He readjusts his aim and fires on the two occupants in the jeep. Two more shots produce two dead Cuban soldiers. The Bay of Pigs invasion has definitely commenced. A major battle will soon begin.

Chapter 2 ― 1960 – The Inception of JM/WAVE

In early 1960, Theodore George ‘Ted’ Shackley quietly put together the largest secret CIA compound within U.S. borders. Historians say the JM/WAVE facility opened in 1961. If you follow the people involved, especially those closely connected to the Bay of Pigs (BoP) fiasco, you will see it was impossible for the invasion to be organized in 1961. The actual invasion began on April 17, 1961. It took longer than three and a half months to train, organize, and launch the invasion.

While Langley served as the official CIA central headquarters in Virginia, JM/WAVE, as it was code named, would be just the opposite under Ted Shackley. It was the abandoned Naval Air Station Richmond, an airship (dirigible) base just outside of Miami. It would secretly and officially serve as the CIA operations headquarters for activities in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. In 1960 it quietly began operating with a minimum of staff to plan and coordinate the upcoming invasion of Cuba. The initial authorization for these tasks was by President Dwight D. Eisenhower near the end of his final term in office. Their goal? To eliminate all Communist influence in the Western Hemisphere.

It’s a beautiful winter’s day in Miami, Florida; a solitary figure scans the surrounding 1960s landscape. Facing the building, he pulls a set of keys from his pocket. Ted Shackley stares at the old rundown building. He inserts a large key into the lock of building 25. The deserted Navy airship station in Richmond has long been abandoned. This simple action marks the beginning of major world historical events that will leave their mark for decades.

Coming up the driveway is an older model car. Ted watches as it approaches, focusing on the single occupant inside. The car proceeds up the driveway and pulls into a parking space near Ted. He observes as the driver slowly opens the door and exits the car.

“El Indio, my old compadre! It is so good to finally see you again. How was your trip?” inquires Ted.

“The Blonde Ghost, in person, my old amigo! It was long, dry, and definitely dusty. But I am here, as promised,” responds Dave.

Ted gains his composure and locks his eyes directly on Dave. With a serious tone Ted begins, “David Sanchez Morales, do you have any idea why you are here?”

Responding, “This situation cannot be good. Whenever my mother used my full name, I automatically knew I was in deep trouble. So what did I stick my foot into now?”

Ted gains a broad smile across his face. “Dave, I have to have some fun, right? It’s just the opposite. You’re not in any trouble–yet.” A slight chuckle is heard. He now continues to the best part: “OK, as you can imagine, everything since you turned into this driveway until I tell you differently has never happened. You are not here and you definitely don’t affiliate with Langley, Virginia. You are now a top-level manager working for the Zenith Electronics Company. Your desk is in this building we’re now standing in front of, building 25. You only bring agency assets here. If anyone pushes you hard, tell them Zenith does some confidential communications work for the government. To avoid losing your job, you don’t talk about your activities. Tell them you love your job and don’t want to lose it over some petty action someone misunderstood. Got that? This is actually a top secret facility that is never talked about. You’ll find out why in due course.”

Dave turns away from Ted and observes the surrounding area. He pauses the conversation to size up the compound. After a deep breath, he turns to Ted. “OK, there is nothing here that looks so important. So tell me why I am really here and why so much secrecy. I do know if you’re involved, this has to be good.”

Ted leans up against the door and looks at the area, lost in deep thought. Finally, shifting his eyes towards David, he begins, “Let me explain my role first. Things will begin to become clear. Langley has tapped me to be in command of this entire former airship complex. Yeah, I’m going to be very busy. The people here will be in control of all agency operations in South and Central America. Obviously that’s a lot of territory to look after. However, we are currently initiating a top-secret, high-priority operation. The goal is the invasion of Cuba. Our goal is to oust Castro and his associates. The standing order for us is to rid the Western Hemisphere of any communist activities. They want zero Communist presence anywhere. To effectively run the entire operation, I require a seasoned and resilient second-in-command. That’s where you come in. You are now appointed as the number two man in command. Your primary mission is to monitor every activity here. This includes projects that I am too busy to oversee personally. These new projects must be implemented A-SAP. If you encounter any obstacles, you must address them yourself to ensure progress continues. OK, here is the most fascinating part. You will also have direct oversight of recruiting Cuban exiles, setting up training camps, and then training them in all aspects of tactics needed to eliminate Castro and his thugs from the island. You will effectively oversee the entire operation. Obviously, for any matters related to the big picture, you should come to me, and we will work them out together. How does that sound for a five-minute briefing that is sure to keep you engaged?” Ted asks, his face lighting up with a big smile. Recognizing he just unloaded a massive responsibility, he tries to make light of it to ensure Dave will not be overwhelmed. He also knows Dave well enough and believes the task is right up his alley.

A few seconds later, Dave shakes his head and gets a major-league smile across his face. He turns towards Ted with bright eyes and begins, “So I’ll be the one cracking the whip, motivating the slackers. Push them to work harder and faster. And all I have to contend with is you! We’ve known each other since WWII. We have both faced impossible odds. We’ve done things only a tiny fraction of others will ever experience. We both know our priorities and our allegiances. You protect us from everything outside of this compound. I will handle the difficult tasks here at the compound. I believe I just landed a fantastic job. Ted, I will accept your offer on one condition – I can personally infiltrate Cuba to accomplish what’s required. My only source of stress is you. Plus, I’ll receive a steady paycheck while I cruise the Caribbean. Then again, there is also what Miami has to offer, right? And we both know how that will work. When do we start?”

Ted extends his hand as a smile brightens up his face. “Welcome aboard El Indio! What I like best about you is you’re a true patriot. I don’t believe I’ll wake up in the middle of the night with a knife in my back. Literally or figuratively,” he says as the two men finished shaking hands. “Regarding the infiltration, as long as you don’t get compromised and limit your trips, everything should be fine. If you are compromised, a firestorm will envelop both of us, ending our careers. We’ll start tomorrow early in the morning. So go easy on your reconnaissance of Miami tonight. There will be a crew here to hammer these buildings into minimal shape. As long as we have water, working toilets, and electricity, we can start moving a few more agency officers in. I believe you already know a good many who will be here. I’ll leave that as a surprise. You’ll see a few old faces arriving over the next week or two. A few real pleasant surprises. And one more thing, I’ve experienced your ‘recon of new environments’ in the past. Please do us a favour and leave all the buildings intact. That is my only real concern about you. You can, at times, be a little too happy...”

A slight smile grows on Dave’s face. “Good, I have a feeling about a few people I know who will end up here. Damn good men. The ones I know are all WWII and Korean survivors. They’re true patriots and have the scars to prove it. They know very well what this conflict is about.”

Ted turns round in a slow, full circle, gazing into the distance. Looking back at his number two man, he starts, “Dave, that’s enough for today. Not much we can do until we get moved into these buildings. I certainly hope they left desks inside. Let’s get settled into our new billets. Maybe you can spend some time chasing down a permanent homestead. This will undoubtedly be your residence for the foreseeable future. And, by the way, rule number one: no discussing company business unless you are inside one of these buildings. No talking business in bars, restaurants, or even out in the parking lot. These are the highest-level, top-secret activities we’ll be carrying out. Please inform all the new officers upon their arrival that any leaks will have serious consequences. The upper echelon is taking this matter very seriously. You need to inform and monitor every man that you are in contact with. Comprende?”

Dave gets a serious look across his face. “Comprende! OK, I definitely need to get settled in. I’m off to recon the area. That is, if we are finished for today?”

Ted turns and looks directly at Dave. “That’s all; get yourself bunked in. I’ll see you tomorrow with a long list of things we needed to accomplish yesterday.”

Ted removes the key to Building 25, the door he has yet to unlock. The two men make their way to their cars. Questions linger in both their minds. The questions will continue to go round and round until they finally drift off to sleep.

End of Draft Preview. Changes will continue.