rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第26章

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　〃What　are　those　triangles？〃　Smith　asked。
　〃Checkpoints　established　by　the　local　militia。　We've　faxed　them　his　photo　and　particulars。〃
　〃What　are　their　orders？〃
　〃Shoot　on　sight；　but　not　to　kill。〃　She　noted　Smith's　startled　expression。　〃Our　directive　describes　him　as　a　multiple　killer。　Also；　that　he　is　HIV…positive。　Believe　me；　Doctor；　no　militiaman　will　touch　Yardeni　after　he's　down。〃
　〃I　was　thinking　more　about　what　he's　carrying。　If　a　bullet　shatters　the　container…〃
　〃I　understand　your　concern　about　the　container；　but　if　Yardeni　is　spotted；　we　cannot　let　him　walk　away。〃
　〃What's　the　last　circle？〃
　〃The　worst　possibility　of　all：　Yardeni　had　a　conspirator　with　a　plane　waiting　at　the　Vladimir　airfield。〃
　〃Have　there　been　any　takeoffs？〃
　〃None　recorded；　but　that　doesn't　mean　anything。　The　new　Russia　has　a　surplus　of　experienced　pilots；　most　of　them　former　air　force。　They　can　land　on　a　highway　or　in　a　field；　pick　up　their　load；　and　be　gone　in　minutes。〃
　〃President　Potrenko　has　ordered　interceptors　into　the　area；〃　Kirov　added。　〃Any　light　aircraft　will　be　challenged。　If　it　does　not　ply　with　instructions；　it　will　be　brought　down　immediately。〃
　The　wall　monitor　fascinated　Smith。　It　seemed　a　living　organism；　constantly　mutating　as　the　symbols　winked　and　moved。　But　he　felt　that　in　spite　of　the　impressive　array　marshaled　against　the　renegade　officer；　something　was　missing。
　Moving　over　to　the　screen；　he　traced　his　finger　along　a　white　line　that　began　east　from　Vladimir　and　ran　west　to　Moscow。
　〃What's　this？〃
　〃The　rail　line　between　Kolima　in　the　Urals　and　Moscow；〃　Kirov　replied。　He　looked　at　Telegin。　〃Was　there　a　train　scheduled　through　Vladimir　last　night？〃
　Telegin　went　to　work　on　the　keyboard。
　〃There　was；〃　she　announced。　〃It　pulled　into　Vladimir　at　three　o'clock。〃
　〃Too　soon　for　Yardeni　to　have　caught　it。〃
　Telegin　frowned。　〃Not　necessarily。　According　to　the　schedule；　it　should　only　have　been　there　a　few　minutes。　But　it　didn't　depart　on　time。　It　stayed　an　extra　twelve　minutes。〃
　〃Why？〃　Kirov　demanded。
　〃No　reason　given。　In　fact；　it　stops　only　when　there　are　soldiers　headed　to　Moscow　on　leave…〃
　〃But　there　were　no　soldiers；　were　there？〃　Smith　said。
　〃Good　guess；　Doctor；〃　Telegin　said。　〃No　one　was　scheduled　to　go　on　leave。〃
　〃So　why　did　the　engineer　hang　around？〃
　Kirov　stepped　over　to　the　puter　console。　The　time　of　the　murder　of　the　two　guards　was　juxtaposed　against　the　time　when　the　train　left　Vladimir。　Then　that　window　was　measured　against　the　amount　of　time　it　would　take　a　man　to　get　from　Bioaparat　to　the　train　station。
　〃He　could　have　done　it！〃　Kirov　whispered。　〃He　could　have　made　the　train　because　it　didn't　leave　on　time。〃
　〃It　was　late　because　somebody　held　it　up！〃　Smith　said　savagely。　〃Yardeni　took　the　most　obvious　route。　That　son　of　a　bitch　knew　the　roads　would　be　blocked　sooner　than　later。　He　didn't　have　a　plane。　He　had　an　acplice；　someone　who；　if　necessary；　could　hold　up　the　train　long　enough　for　him　to　get　to　it。〃
　He　turned　to　Telegin。　〃Then　all　he　had　to　do　was　ride　it　into　Moscow。〃
　She　was　punching　the　keyboard　furiously；　then　looked　up。　〃Sixteen　minutes；〃　she　said　hoarsely。　〃It　gets　into　Moscow's　central　station　in　sixteen　minutes！〃
　
　Ivan　Beria　shifted　with　the　sway　of　the　train；　beyond　that；　he　did　not　move。
　Nor　had　he　taken　his　eyes　off　Grigori　Yardeni。　The　stress　of　the　theft　and　the　subsequent　flight；　coupled　with　the　effects　of　the　brandy；　had　done　its　work。　The　Bioaparat　guard　had　fallen　asleep　within　minutes　of　the　train's　leaving　Vladimir。
　Beria　leaned　toward　Yardeni。　He　lay　so　still　as　to　appear　dead。　Beria　cocked　his　ear　and　caught　the　rattle　of　shallow　breathing。　Yardeni　was　in　a　very　deep　sleep。　It　wouldn't　take　much　to　make　it　deeper　still。
　He　slapped　him　on　the　cheeks；　twice。　〃We're　almost　there。　Time　to　get　up。〃
　Beria　looked　out　the　window　as　the　train　threaded　its　way　through　the　giant　railyard。　In　the　reflection；　he　watched　Yardeni　yawn　and　stretch；　roll　his　head　to　work　out　the　kinks　in　his　neck。　His　voice　was　thick　with　sleep。
　〃Where　do　we　go　from　here？〃
　〃Our　separate　ways；〃　Beria　replied。　〃I　will　get　you　through　the　station　and　into　a　taxi。　After　that；　you're　on　your　own。〃
　Yardeni　grunted　and　made　a　move　toward　the　door。
　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　Beria　demanded。
　〃To　the　toilet…　with　your　permission。〃
　〃Sit　down。　Everybody　in　the　car　has　the　same　idea。　You'll　end　up　in　line。　No　point　in　giving　anyone　that　good　a　look　at　you；　is　there？〃
　Yardeni　considered；　then　sat　down　again。　He　ran　his　hand　over　one　of　the　parka　pockets　to　reassure　himself　that　the　documentation　and　money　were　where　they　should　be。　Satisfied；　he　thought　he　could　hold　his　water　until　they　reached　the　station。
　When　the　train　entered　the　tunnel　between　the　yard　and　the　station；　the　overhead　lights　flickered；　went　out　briefly；　then　flickered　back　on。
　〃Let's　go；〃　Beria　said。
　The　corridor　was　filling　up　with　people。　Because　of　his　height；　Yardeni　had　no　problem　keeping　Beria　in　sight；　even　in　the　sputtering　light。　Oblivious　to　the　muttered　curses；　he　elbowed　his　way　to　the　exit。
　The　train　eased　into　its　siding　and　shuddered　to　a　stop。　The　conductor　lifted　the　platform　that　covered　the　steps。　Beria　and　Yardeni　were　the　first　ones　off；　walking　swiftly　to　the　front　of　the　train　and　toward　the　doors　leading　to　the　station　proper。
　
　
　The　big　van　boomed　along　Moscow's　still…empty　boulevards。　Inside；　Smith；　Kirov；　and　Telegin　sat　in　captain's　chairs　bolted　to　the　floor。　Telegin　was　in　front　of　a　monitor　displaying　the　city's　traffic　patterns；　every　few　seconds　she　spoke　to　the　driver　on　her　headset。
　Kirov；　too；　wore　a　headset。　Ever　since　leaving　Dzerzhinsky　Square；　he　had　been　in　constant　munication　with　an　elite　unit　of　the　Federal　Security　Service。
　He　swiveled　his　chair　around　to　face　Smith。　〃The　train　is　in…　right　on　schedule；　wouldn't　you　know。〃
　〃How　far　away　are　we？〃
　〃Thirty　seconds；　maybe　less。〃
　〃Reinforcements？〃
　〃On　the　way。〃　Kirov　paused。　〃Are　you　familiar　with　our　flying　squads？〃　When　Smith　shook　his　head；　he　continued。　〃Unlike　your　FBI　SWAT；　we　prefer　to　send　ours　in　undercover。　They　dress　like　tradesmen；　greengrocers；　street　workers…　you　wouldn't　recognize　them　until　it　was　too　late。〃
　〃Let's　hope　it　isn't。〃
　Through　the　one…way　window；　Smith　saw　the　station；　a　massive；　nineteenth…century　structure。　He　braced　himself　as　the　driver　veered　into　a　sharp　turn　and　braked　hard　in　front　of　the　main　building。　He　was　on　his　feet　even　before　the　van　stopped　rocking。
　Kirov　grabbed　his　arm。　〃The　flying　squad　has　Yardeni's　picture。　They'll　take　him　alive；　if　possible。〃
　〃Do　they　have　mine…　so　they　don't　shoot　me　by　mistake？〃
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　yes。　But　stay　close　to　me　anyway。〃
　The　three　ducked　under　the　ornate　portico　and　ran　into　the　station。　The　interior　reminded　Smith　of　a　museum；　all　polished　granite；　bas　relief；　and　three　massive　glass　domes。　There　were　few　travelers；　but　the　sound　of　their　footsteps　was　like　the　rumble　of　a　distant　herd。　In　the　center　was　a　large　area　with　rows　of　benches；　along　the　sides　were　souvenir　shops；　refreshment　stands；　and　news　kiosks；　most　of　them　still　shuttered。　Smith　glanced　at　the　large　black　arrivals/　departures　board　suspended　from　the　ceiling。
　〃How　many　others　are　due　in？〃
　〃We're　in　luck；〃　Lara　Telegin　replied。　〃This　is　the　first　one。　But　in　twenty　minutes；　the　muter　trains　arrive。　The　crowds　will　be　unmanageable。〃
　〃Which　track？〃
　She　pointed　to　the　right。　〃Over　there。　Number　seventeen。〃
　As　they　ran　for　the　doors　leading　to　the　sidings；　Smith　turned　to　Kirov　and　said；　〃I　don't　see　any　of　your　people　around。〃
　Kirov　tapped　the　plastic　receiver　in　his　ear。　〃Believe　me；　they're　here。〃
　The　air　on　the　platforms　was　heavy　with　diesel　fumes。　Smith　and　the　others　ran　past　orange　and　gray　electric　lootives；　resting　in　their　sidings；　until　they　came　up　against　a　stream　of　people　going　the　other　way。　Moving　to　the　side；　they　began　scanning　faces。
　〃I'm　going　to　find　a　conductor；〃　Telegin　said。　〃Maybe　if　I　show　him　Yardeni's　picture；　he'll　remember　the　face。〃
　Smith　continued　to　study　the　passersby　who　trudged　along；　their　faces　puffy　from　sleep；　their　sho