rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第3章

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　Finished　on　the　keyboard；　Maggie　tapped　on　the　screen　with　an　elegantly　manicured　fingernail。
　VECTOR　SIX。
　The　two　words　pulsed　in　the　center　of　the　screen　like　a　blinking　traffic　light　at　an　empty　intersection　in　a　country　town。　Klein　felt　the　hairs　on　his　forearms　push　against　his　shirtsleeves。　He　knew　exactly　who　Vector　Six　was；　he　could　see　his　face　as　clearly　as　if　the　man　were　standing　next　to　him。　Vector　Six：　the　code　name；　if　it　ever　appeared；　was　to　be　construed　by　Mein　as　a　panic　signal。
　〃Shall　I　pull　up　the　message？〃　Maggie　asked　quietly。
　〃Please。。。。〃
　She　touched　a　series　of　keys　and　the　encrypted　message　of　letters；　symbols；　and　numbers　shot　up　on　the　screen。　She　then　repeated　the　process　with　different　keys　to　activate　the　decryption　software。　Seconds　later；　the　message　appeared　in　clear　text：
　
　D？ner…　prix　fixe…　8　euro
　Spécialité：　Fruits　de　mer
　Spécialité　du　bar：　Bellini
　Fermé　entre　14…16　heures
　
　Even　if　a　third　party　somehow　managed　to　decode　the　message；　this　menu　of　a　nameless　French　restaurant　was　both　innocuous　and　misleading。　Klein　had　set　up　the　simple　code　the　last　time　he　had　met　Vector　Six　face　to　face。　Its　meaning　had　nothing　to　do　with　Gallic　cuisine。　It　was　the　call　of　last　resort；　a　plea　for　immediate　extraction。
　Klein　didn't　hesitate。　〃Please　reply　as　follows：　Reservations　pour　deux。〃
　Maggie's　fingers　flew　over　the　keys；　tapping　out　the　secure　response。　The　single　sentence　bounced　off　two　military　satellites　before　being　sent　back　to　earth。　Klein　didn't　know　where　Vector　Six　was　at　that　moment；　but　as　long　as　he　had　access　to　the　laptop　Klein　had　given　him；　he　could　download　and　decrypt　the　reply。
　e　on！　Talk　to　me！
　Klein　checked　the　time　stamp　on　the　message：　The　message　was　less　than　two　minutes　old。
　A　reply　flashed　across　the　screen：　Reservations　confirmées。
　Klein　exhaled　as　the　screen　faded　to　black。　Vector　Six　would　not　stay　on…line　any　longer　than　was　absolutely　necessary。　Contact　had　been　established；　an　itinerary　proposed；　accepted；　and　verified。　Vector　Six　would　not　use　this　channel　of　munications　again。
　As　Maggie　shut　down　the　link；　Klein　sat　down　in　the　only　other　chair　in　the　room；　wondering　what　extraordinary　circumstances　had　prompted　Vector　Six　to　contact　him。
　Unlike　the　CIA　and　other　intelligence　agencies；　Covert…One　did　not　run　a　string　of　foreign　agents。　Nonetheless；　Klein　had　a　handful　of　contacts　abroad。　Some　had　been　cultivated　during　his　days　at　the　NSA；　others　were　the　results　of　chance　meetings　that　had　blossomed　into　a　relationship　based　on　both　trust　and　mutual　self…interest。
　They　were　a　diverse　group：　a　doctor　in　Egypt　whose　patients　included　most　of　the　country's　ruling　elite；　a　puter　entrepreneur　in　New　Delhi　who　provided　his　skills　and　equipment　to　his　government；　a　banker　in　Malaysia　adept　at　moving；　hiding；　or　ferreting　out　offshore　funds　anywhere　in　the　world。　None　of　these　people　knew　each　other。　They　had　nothing　in　mon　beyond　their　friendship　with　Klein　and　the　puter　notebook　he　had　given　each　one　of　them。　They　accepted　Klein　as　a　midlevel　bureaucrat　but　knew　that　secretly　he　was　much　more　than　that。　And　they　agreed　to　serve　as　his　eyes　and　ears　not　only　out　of　friendship　and　belief　in　what　he　represented；　but　because　they　trusted　him　to　help　them　if；　for　any　reason；　their　respective　homelands　suddenly　became　a　dangerous　place　for　them。
　Vector　Six　was　one　of　the　handful。
　〃Nate？〃
　Klein；　glanced　at　Maggie。
　〃Who　gets　the　call？〃　she　asked。
　Good　question。。。。
　Klein　always　used　his　Pentagon　ID　when　traveling　abroad。　If　he　was　going　to　meet　a　contact；　he　made　sure　it　would　be　in　a　public　place；　at　a　secure　location。　Official　functions　at　a　U。S。　embassy　were　the　best　choices。　But　Vector　Six　was　nowhere　near　an　embassy。　He　was　on　the　run。
　〃Smith；〃　Klein　said　at　last。　〃Get　him　on　the　line；　please；　Maggie。〃
　
　Smith　was　dreaming　of　Sophia　when　the　insistent　beep　of　the　telephone　intruded。　He　was　watching　the　two　of　them　sitting　on　a　riverbank；　in　the　shadows　of　immense　triangular　structures。　In　the　distance　was　a　great　city。　The　air　was　hot；　filled　with　the　attar　of　roses　and　of　Sophia。　Cairo。。。　They　were　at　the　pyramids　of　Giza；　outside　Cairo。
　The　secure　line。。。
　Smith　sat　up　fast　on　the　couch　where　he　had　fallen　asleep；　fully　dressed；　after　ing　home　from　the　cemetery。　Beyond　the　windows　streaked　with　rain；　the　wind　moaned　as　it　drove　heavy　clouds　across　the　sky。　A　former　bat　internist　and　battlefield　surgeon；　Smith　had　developed　the　gift　of　waking　up　fully　alert。　That　ability　had　served　him　well　during　his　time　at　USAMRIID；　where　sleep　was　often　snatched　between　long；　grueling　hours　of　work。　It　served　him　well　now。
　Smith　checked　the　time　at　the　bottom　right…hand　corner　of　the　monitor：　almost　nine　o'clock。　He　had　been　asleep　for　two　hours。　Emotionally　spent；　his　mind　still　filled　with　images　of　Sophia；　he　had　driven　himself　home；　heated　up　some　soup；　then　stretched　out　on　the　couch　and　listened　to　the　rain　churn　overhead。　He　had　not　intended　to　fall　asleep；　but　was　grateful　that　he　done　so。　Only　one　man　could　call　him　on　that　particular　line。　Whatever　message　he　had　could　signal　the　beginning　of　a　day　of　infinite　hours。
　〃Good　evening；　Mr。　Klein。〃
　〃Good　evening　to　you　too；　Jon。　I　hope　I'm　not　disturbing　your　dinner。〃
　〃No；　sir。　I　ate　earlier　on。〃
　〃In　that　case；　how　soon　can　you　get　out　to　Andrews　Air　Force　base？〃
　Smith　took　a　deep　breath。　Klein　usually　had　a　calm；　businesslike　demeanor。　Smith　had　seldom　found　him　curt　or　abrupt。
　Which　means　there's　trouble…　and　it's　closing　fast。
　〃About　forty…five　minutes；　sir。〃
　〃Good。　And　Jon？　Pack　for　a　few　days。〃
　Smith　stared　at　the　dead　phone　in　his　hand。　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Smith's　drill　was　so　ingrained　that　he　was　hardly　aware　of　going　through　the　motions。　Three　minutes　for　a　shower　and　shave；　two　minutes　to　dress；　two　more　to　double…check　and　add　a　few　things　to　the　ready　bag　in　the　walk…in　closet。　On　his　way　out；　he　set　the　security　system　for　the　house；　once　he　had　the　sedan　out　in　the　driveway；　he　armed　the　garage　using　the　remote。
　The　rain　made　the　ride　to　Andrews　Air　Force　base　longer　than　usual。　Smith　avoided　the　main　entry　and　turned　in　at　the　supply　gate。　A　poncho…covered　guard　examined　his　laminated　ID；　checked　his　name　against　those　on　the　list　of　approved　personnel；　and　waved　him　through。
　Smith　had　flown　out　of　Andrews　often　enough　to　know　his　way　around。　He　had　no　trouble　finding　the　hangar　housing　the　fleet　of　executive　jets　that；　most　times；　ferried　around　the　brass。　He　parked　in　a　designated　area　well　away　from　the　aircraft　taxi　lanes；　grabbed　his　ready　bag　from　the　trunk；　and　splashed　his　way　into　the　immense　hangar。
　〃Good　evening；　Jon；〃　Klein　said。　〃Crappy　night。　It'll　probably　get　worse。〃
　Smith　set　down　his　bag。　〃Yes；　sir。　But　only　for　the　navy。〃
　The　age…old　joke　didn't　get　a　grin　out　of　Klein　this　time。
　〃I'm　sorry　to　have　dragged　you　out　on　a　night　like　this。　Something's　e　up。　Walk　with　me。〃
　Smith　looked　around　as　he　followed　Klein　to　the　coffee　station。　There　were　four　Gulfstream　jets　in　the　hangar；　but　no　maintenance　personnel。　Smith　guessed　that　Klein　had　ordered　them　out　to　ensure　privacy。
　〃They're　fueling　a　bird　with　long…range　tanks；〃　Klein　said；　glancing　at　his　watch。　〃Should　be　ready　in　ten　minutes。〃
　He　handed　Smith　a　Styrofoam　cup　filled　with　steaming　black　coffee；　then　looked　at　him　carefully。
　〃Jon；　this　is　an　extraction。　That's　the　reason　for　the　rush。〃
　And　the　need　for　a　mobile　cipher。
　Given　his　army　background；　Smith　was　familiar　with　the　terms　〃extraction；〃　as　Klein　had　used　it。　It　meant　getting　someone　or　something　out　of　a　place　or　a　situation　as　quickly　and　quietly　as　possible…　usually　under　duress　and　on　a　tight　schedule。
　But　Smith　also　knew　that　there　were　specialists…　military　and　civilian…　who　handled　this　kind　of　work。
　When　he　said　as　much；　Klein　replied；　〃There　are　certain　considerations　in　this　case。　I　don't　want　to　involve　any　other　agencies…　at　least　not　yet。　Also；　I　know　this　individual…　and　so　do　you。〃
　Smith　started。　〃Excuse　me；　sir？〃
　〃The　man　you　are　going　to　meet　and　bring　out　is　Yuri　Danko。〃
　〃Danko。。。〃
　In　his　mind's　eye