rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第27章

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　Smith　continued　to　study　the　passersby　who　trudged　along；　their　faces　puffy　from　sleep；　their　shoulders　bowed　under　the　weight　of　suitcases　and　packages　bound　with　string　and　rope。
　He　turned　to　Kirov。　〃There　aren't　enough　passengers。　These　must　be　ing　from　the　last　cars。　Whoever　was　riding　up　front　is　already　in　the　station！〃
　
　Ivan　Beria　was　standing　in　front　of　a　newsstand　that　had　just　opened　for　business。　He　threw　down　a　few　kopeks　and　picked　up　a　newspaper。　Leaning　against　a　pillar；　he　positioned　himself　so　as　to　have　an　unobstructed　view　of　the　entrance　to　the　men's　washroom。
　Given　Yardeni's　size　and　the　dose　of　slow…acting　poison　that　had　been　in　the　brandy；　Beria　estimated　that　the　big　guard　would　not　make　it　out　of　the　washroom　alive。
　Any　second；　he　expected　someone　to　run　out　screaming　that　a　man　inside　was　having　a　seizure。
　But　no；　there　was　Yardem；　strolling　out　of　the　washroom；　looking　considerably　happier；　checking…　like　a　peasant…　to　make　sure　that　his　zipper　was　done　up。
　Beria　slipped　his　hand　into　his　coat　pocket；　to　his　Taurus　9mm；　when　his　eyes　registered　the　anomaly：　a　man　wearing　overalls；　like　a　sanitation　worker；　was　in　the　process　of　emptying　a　bin　into　his　push　cart。　The　only　problem　was　that　as　soon　as　he　saw　Yardeni；　he　forgot　all　about　the　garbage。
　Where　there's　one；　there　are　more。
　Beria　slipped　around　the　pillar　so　that　Yardeni　wouldn't　spot　him　and　quickly　surveyed　the　station。　Within　seconds　he　picked　out　two　more　men　who　were　out　of　place：　a　deliveryman　hauling　bread；　and　one　who　tried　to　pass　himself　off　as　an　electrician。
　Beria　knew　a　great　deal　about　the　Federal　Security　Service。　He　was　aware　that　the　interest　was　both　reciprocal　and　intense。　But　he　could　not　believe　they　were　there　for　him。　Clearly　the　object　of　their　attention　was　Yardeni。
　Recalling　what　Yardeni　had　told　him　about　his　clean　getaway　from　Bioaparat；　Beria　cursed。　The　guard　would　pay　dearly　for　his　lies。
　Beria　watched　him　stroll　among　the　benches　toward　the　kiosks。　The　three　plainclothes　agents　trailed；　forming　a　rough　triangle　behind　him。　One　was　speaking　into　a　wrist　mike。
　Then　Beria　noticed　a　tall；　rangy　man　e　through　the　doors　to　the　platforms。　This　was　no　Russian；　though　the　one　following　him　certainly　was。　The　face　of　Major…General　Kirov　was　indelibly　printed　in　Beria's　memory。
　Beria　noted　that　the　foot　traffic　in　the　station　had　picked　up。　Good。　He　would　need　as　much　cover　as　possible。　Beria　stepped　out　from　behind　the　pillar　just　long　enough　for　Yardeni　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　him。　He　didn't　think　that　Yardeni's　shadows　could　have　discerned　exactly　what　Yardeni　had　seen　to　make　him　move　in　that　direction；　but　they　would　surely　follow。
　Beria　counted　off　the　seconds；　then　slipped　out　from　behind　the　pillar　again。　Yardeni　was　less　than　fifteen　feet　away。　Beria　had　his　hand　on　his　gun；　ready　to　draw　it；　when；　without　warning；　Yardeni　stumbled；　teetered；　then　crashed　to　the　floor。　Immediately；　the　shadows　closed　in。
　〃Help　me。。。〃
　Yardeni　had　no　idea　what　was　happening　to　him。　First　his　chest　had　felt　like　it　was　on　fire；　now　it　seemed　to　be　caught　in　the　jaws　of　a　giant　vise　that　was　mercilessly　squeezing　the　life　out　of　him。
　As　he　thrashed　on　the　cold　marble　floor；　his　vision　began　to　blur。　But　he　could　still　make　out　the　features　of　the　man　who　had　brought　him　this　far。　Instinctively；　he　reached　out　to　him。
　〃Help　me。。。〃
　Beria　didn't　hesitate。　Putting　on　a　concerned　expression；　he　moved　directly　to　the　stricken　man　and　the　undercover　agents。
　〃Who　are　you？〃　one　of　them　demanded。　〃Do　you　know　this　man？〃
　〃We　met　on　the　train；〃　Beria　replied。　〃Maybe　he　remembers　me。　God；　look　at　him。　He's　delirious！〃
　The　poison　was　causing　Yardeni　to　foam　at　the　mouth；　cutting　off　his　speech。　Beria　was　very　close　now；　kneeling。
　〃You'll　have　to　e　with…〃　one　of　the　agents　began。
　He　got　no　further。　Beria's　first　shot　tore　away　his　throat。　His　second　caught　another　agent　in　the　temple。　The　third　found　the　remaining　man's　heart。
　〃Shoot　him！〃
　The　booming　words　startled　Beria。　He　rose　to　discover　travelers　lying　on　the　floor；　hiding　as　best　they　could　under　the　benches。　But　at　the　doors　was　Kirov；　pointing　at　him；　shouting　to　a　young　woman　who　had　e　up　on　Beria's　blind　side。
　〃Lara；　shoot　him！〃
　Beria　whipped　around　to　face　Lara　Telegin；　who　had　her　gun　leveled　at　him。　His　peripheral　vision　caught　three　more　figures　racing　a　toward　them。
　〃Go！〃　she　called　out　softly。
　Beria　didn't　hesitate。　He　ducked　behind　the　woman　and　raced　for　the　exits。
　After　making　sure　that　Beria　was　safely　away；　Telegin　braced　herself　in　the　shooter's　classic　stance。　As　calmly　as　if　she　were　on　the　practice　range；　she　shot　the　remaining　members　of　the　undercover　team。　Then；　without　pause；　she　wheeled　around　to　face　a　disbelieving　Kirov。
　It　took　Smith　only　a　split　second　to　realize　that　Telegin's　treachery　had　frozen　the　general　in　her　crosshairs。　Without　thinking；　he　launched　himself　at　the　Russian　an　instant　before　he　heard　the　shot。　Kirov　cried　out　once　as　he　and　Smith　went　down。
　Smith　scrambled　to　his　feet　and　squeezed　off　two　quick　shots。　Telegin　screamed　as　the　bullets　tore　into　her；　slamming　her　body　against　a　pillar。　For　an　instant；　she　hung　like　that；　her　head　lolling　to　one　side。　Then　her　gun　clattered　to　the　floor；　her　knees　gave　way；　and　she　slid　down；　lifeless　as　a　broken　marionette。
　Smith　turned　to　Kirov；　who　had　propped　himself　up　against　a　door。　He　ripped　open　his　jacket；　pulled　down　the　sleeve；　and　saw　the　bloodied　flesh　where　Telegin's　bullet　had　struck　his　upper　arm。
　Kirov　clenched　his　teeth。　〃It's　a　through…and…through。　I'll　live。　Get　over　to　Yardeni。〃
　〃Telegin…〃
　〃To　hell　with　her！　I　just　hope　that　you　aren't　a　good　shot。　I　have　a　lot　of　questions　for　her。〃
　Smith　zigzagged　through　the　cowering　crowd；　making　his　way　around　the　bodies　of　Kirov's　fallen　men。　When　he　reached　Telegin；　one　look　told　him　that　she　would　never　be　answering　any　more　questions。　Quickly；　he　turned　to　Yardeni　and　realized　that　the　same　was　true　for　him。
　Militiamen　and　police　were　flooding　the　station。　Kirov　was　on　his　feet；　unsteady　and　in　pain；　but　strong　enough　to　bark　out　orders。　Within　minutes；　travelers　were　being　herded　out　of　the　area。
　Brushing　aside　a　medic；　Kirov　went　over　to　Smith　and　knelt　down　by　the　two　bodies。
　〃The　foam　around　his　mouth。。。？〃
　〃Poison。〃
　Kirov　stared　at　Lara　Telegin's　glassy　eyes；　then　reached　out　and　closed　the　lids。　〃Why？　Why　was　she　working　with　him？〃
　Smith　shook　his　head。　〃With　Yardeni？〃
　〃Him；　too；　probably。　But　I　meant　Ivan　Beria。〃
　Then　Smith　remembered　the　man　in　the　black　overcoat；　nowhere　to　be　seen　now。　〃Who　is　he？〃
　Kirov　winced　as　the　medic　firmly　sat　him　down　and　went　to　work　on　his　wound。
　〃Ivan　Beria。　A　Serb　freelance　operator。　He　has　a　long　and　bloody　history　in　the　Balkans。〃　He　hesitated。　〃He　was　also　a　KGB　favorite。　Most　recently　he's　been　contracting　out　his　skills　to　the　mafiya　and　certain　Western　interests。〃
　Smith　caught　something　in　Kirov's　tone。　〃It's　personal；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Two　of　my　best　undercover　agents　in　the　mafiya　were　murdered　in　a　particularly　brutal　fashion；〃　Kirov　replied　flatly。　〃Beria's　fingerprints　were　all　over　that　job。　I'm　going　to　put　an　alert…〃
　〃No；　don't　touch　him！〃　Smith　yelled　as　the　medic　was　reaching　for　Yardeni's　body。　Stepping　over　to　the　corpse；　he　felt　gently　along　the　inside　folds　of　the　parka。
　〃Travel　documents；〃　he　said；　producing　Yardeni's　passport　and　air　tickets。
　His　fingers　continued　to　work　inside　the　parka。　Suddenly；　something　very　cold　brushed　his　fingertips。
　〃Get　me　some　gloves！〃　he　called　to　the　medic。
　Seconds　later；　Smith　eased　out　the　shiny　metal　container　and　carefully　laid　it　on　the　floor。
　〃I　need　ice！〃
　Kirov　moved　in　for　a　better　look。　〃It's　intact；　thank　God！〃
　〃Do　you　recognize　the　container　design？〃'
　〃It's　standard　issue　for　the　transport　of　ampoules　from　the　Bioaparat　safe　to　the　laboratories。〃　He　spoke　briefly　into　his　mike；　then　looked　at　Smith。　〃The　biohazard　unit　will　be　here　in　a　few　minutes。〃
　While　Kirov　issued　orders　for　the　station　to　be　cleared；　Smith　placed　the　container　into　a　bucket　of　ice　that　the　medic　had　managed