rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第42章

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t　of　U。S。　military　personnel；　at　least　on　the　periphery。〃
　〃Military　personnel？〃　the　president　asked。
　Klein　turned　to　Smith；　who　gave　the　chief　executive　a　précis　of　the　events　that　took　place　in　Palermo。
　〃I'm　going　to　start　digging　into　the　backgrounds　of　these　two　soldiers；　Mr。　President；〃　Klein　said；　then　paused。　〃So　the　answer　to　your　question　is　yes…　it's　very　likely　that　someone　here　is　running　the　show。〃
　The　president　took　a　moment　to　digest　this。
　〃Monstrous；〃　he　whispered。　〃Unbelievably　monstrous。　Mr。　Klein；　if　we　knew　why　they　want　the　smallpox；　wouldn't　that　tell　us　what　they　intend　to　do；　maybe　even　who　they　are？〃
　Klein's　tone　betrayed　his　frustration。　〃It　would；　Mr。　President。　But　the　'why'　is　just　another　puzzle。〃
　〃Let　me　get　this　straight。　There's　a　potential　plague　source　that　may　be　somewhere　in　the　D。C。　area。　You　also　have　a　killer　loose…〃
　〃Mr。　President；〃　Smith　interrupted；　〃the　killer　may　actually　be　our　best　bet。〃
　〃Would　you　care　to　elaborate；　Mr。　Smith？〃
　〃The　conspirators　have　eliminated　the　two　men　whom　we　might　have　gotten　to。　They　brought　over　their　own　assassin　for　precisely　that　reason。　I　think　they're　holding　him　in　reserve　in　case　there's　more　wet　work　to　be　done。〃
　〃Your　point　being？〃
　〃Beria　is　our　last　link　to　the　conspirators；　Mr。　President。　If　we　find　him　and　manage　to　take　him　alive；　he　might　give　up　enough　to　point　us　in　the　right　direction。〃；
　〃Does　an　all…out　hunt　for　this　killer　run　the　risk　of　too　much　publicity？　Maybe　it'll　frighten　him　off。〃
　〃It　would　have；　sir；〃　Klein　broke　in。　〃Except　for　one　thing：　Beria　murdered　a　man　in　cold　blood　on　a　Washington　street。　He's　no　longer　a　terrorist　but　a　mon　murderer。　If　we　link　him　to　the　killing；　every　law…enforcement　agency　in　five　states　will　be　after　him。〃
　〃Again：　wouldn't　this　only　drive　him　deeper　underground？〃
　〃Not　really；　sir。　Beria　and　the　men　who　control　him　would　think　they　know　exactly　the　kind　of　forces　that　are　being　marshaled　against　them。　They　would　circumvent　them。　And　they　would　feel　safe　because　they'd　think　they　knew　exactly　what　law　enforcement's　next　step　would　be。
　〃Plus；　if　we　hunt　Beria　without　publicity；　and　the　conspirators　have　no　idea　what　it　is　we're　doing；　they　might　believe　that　the　threat　of　his　capture　outweighs　his　usefulness；〃　Smith　added。　〃In　which　case；　he'd　end　up　like　Yardeni　and　Treloar。〃
　〃Point　taken；　Mr。　Smith；〃　the　president　agreed。　〃I　presume　you　have　a　plan　for　Beria？〃
　〃Yes；　I　do；　sir；〃　Smith　replied　quietly；　and　began　to　describe　it。
　
　Inspector　Marco　Dionetti　of　the　Venice　Questura　stepped　nimbly　from　the　police　launch　to　the　dock　in　front　of　his　palazzo。　He　returned　the　constable's　salute　and　watched　the　boat　as　it　disappeared　into　the　passing　canal　traffic；　the　vessels　lit　up　from　bow　to　stern。
　At　the　front　door　Dionetti　deactivated　the　security　system　before　entering。　His　cook　and　servant　were　both　old　women　who　had　been　in　his　household　for　decades。　Neither　was　any　match　for　a　burglar；　and　since　the　palazzo　had　enough　treasures　to　fill　a　small　museum；　precautions　were　necessary。
　Dionetti　picked　up　the　mail　waiting　for　him　in　the　foyer。　Proceeding　to　the　drawing　room；　he　settled　into　a　club　chair　and　slit　open　the　letter　from　the　Offenbach　Bank　in　Zurich。　He　sipped　his　aperitif　and　nibbled　on　black　Kalamata　olives　while　scrutinizing　the　balance　in　his　account。　The　Americans　might　be　many　things…　none　of　them　good…　but　they　never　missed　a　payment。
　Marco　Dionetti　did　not　concern　himself　with　the　big　picture。　He　did　not　care　why　the　Rocca　brothers　had　to　kill　or　why　they　had　to　die。　True；　his　conscience　had　been　pricked　when　he'd　sold　Peter　Howell。　But　Howell　had　traveled　to　Sicily　and　would　never　be　heard　from　again。　In　the　meantime；　the　Dionetti　legacy；　courtesy　of　American　dollars；　would　continue　to　flourish。
　After　a　refreshing　shower；　Dionetti　took　his　solitary　meal　at　the　great　table　that　could　seat　thirty。　When　coffee　and　dessert　had　been　served　he　dismissed　the　servants；　who　retired　to　their　quarters　on　the　fourth　floor。　Lost　in　thought；　Dionetti　nibbled　on　strawberries　drenched　in　Cointreau　and　daydreamed　of　where　he　might　vacation；　courtesy　of　American　largesse。
　〃Good　evening；　Marco。〃
　Dionetti　choked　on　the　fruit　in　his　mouth。　He　stared　in　disbelief　as　Peter　Howell　entered　the　room　as　calmly　as　if　he　were　an　invited　guest　and　took　a　seat　at　the　other　end　of　the　long　table。
　From　inside　his　smoking　jacket　Dionetti　whipped　out　a　Beretta；　leveling　it　across　twenty　feet　of　ancient　cherrywood。
　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　demanded　hoarsely。
　〃Why；　Marco？　Was　I　supposed　to　be　dead？　Is　that　what　they　told　you？〃
　Dionetti's　mouth　worked　like　that　of　a　landed　fish。　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about！〃
　〃Then　why　hold　a　gun　on　me？〃
　Very　carefully　Howell　opened　his　palm　and　placed　a　small　vial　on　the　table。
　〃Did　you　enjoy　your　dinner；　Marco？　The　risotto　di　mare　smelled　excellent。　And　the　strawberries…　are　you　enjoying　them？〃
　Dionetti　stared　at　the　vial；　then　at　the　few　berries　at　the　bottom　of　his　bowl。　He　tried　to　push　away　the　dark　thoughts　crowding　his　mind。
　〃Are　you　guessing　that　I　somehow　managed　to　poison　the　fruit；　Marco？　After　all；　I　got　past　your　security。　Your　servants　never　suspected　there　was　anyone　in　the　house。　Would　it　have　been　so　difficult　to　drop　a　little　atropine　into　the　dessert？〃
　The　gun　barrel　began　to　waver　as　Dionetti　absorbed　what　Howell　was　saying。　Atropine　was　an　organic　poison　found　in　the　belladonna　family。　Tasteless；　odorless；　it　killed　by　attacking　the　central　nervous　system。　Frantically　Dionetti　tried　to　remember　how　fast　the　poison　worked。
　〃On　someone　of　your　height　and　weight；　I　should　think　about　four；　five　minutes…　given　the　amount　I　used；〃　Howell　informed　him。　He　tapped　the　vial　on　the　table。　〃But　here　is　the　antidote。〃
　〃Pietro；　you　have　to　understand…〃
　〃I　understand　that　you　betrayed　me；　Marco；〃　Howell　replied　harshly。　〃That　is　all　I　need　to　understand。　And　if　you　didn't　have　something　I　need　you'd　be　dead　by　now。〃
　〃But　I　can　kill　you　right　now！〃　Dionetti　hissed。
　Howell　shook　his　head　in　reproof。　〃You　took　a　shower；　remember？　You　left　your　gun　in　its　holster　on　the　bathroom　counter。　I　took　the　bullets；　Marco。　If　you　don't　believe　me；　shoot。〃
　Dionetti　squeezed　the　trigger。　All　he　heard　were　clicks；　like　nails　being　driven　into　his　coffin。
　〃Pietro；　I　swear…〃
　Howell　held　up　his　hand。　〃Time　is　crucial　to　you；　Marco。　I　know　that　American　soldiers　killed　the　Roccas。　Did　you　help　them？〃
　Dionetti　licked　his　lips。　〃I　told　them　how　the　Roccas　intended　to　make　their　escape。〃
　〃And　you　knew　this　how？〃
　〃I　received　my　instructions　over　the　telephone。　The　voice　was　electronically　altered。　I　was　told　to　first　help　the　Roccas；　then　the　soldiers　who　would　follow。〃
　〃And　me。〃
　Dionetti's　head　bobbed　furiously。　〃And　you；〃　he　whispered。
　His　mouth　was　dry。　His　voice　sounded　like　it　was　ing　from　very　far　away。　He　felt　his　heart　hammering　against　his　ribs。
　〃Pietro；　please！　The　antidote。。。〃
　〃Who　pays　you；　Marco？〃　Howell　asked　softly。
　It　would　be　a　waste　of　time　to　ask　Dionetti　about　the　Americans。　They　never　would　have　revealed　themselves　to　him。　Following　the　blood　money　would　be　the　best　bet。
　Howell　rapped　the　table　with　the　vial。　〃Marco。。。〃
　〃Herr　Weizsel。。。　the　Offenbach　Bank　in　Zurich。　For　God's　sakes；　Pietro；　give　me　the　antidote！〃
　Howell　slid　his　cell　phone　the　length　of　the　table。　〃Call　him。　I'm　sure　that　a　client　of　your　stature　has　his　home　number。　Make　sure　I　can　hear　the　access　codes。〃
　Dionetti　fumbled　the　phone　and　jabbed　at　the　keypad。　As　he　waited　for　the　connection　he　could　not　take　his　eyes　off　the　vial。
　〃Pietro；　please！〃
　〃All　in　good　time；　Marco。　All　in　good　time。〃
　
　CHAPTER　EIGHTEEN
　　
　The　Learjet　touched　down　at　Kona　Airport　on　the　Big　Island　shortly　before　twilight；　Hawaii　time。　Under　Bauer's　supervision；　three　technicians　off…loaded　the　virus　container　and　placed　it　in　a　waiting　Humvee。　The　ride　to　the　Bauer…Zermatt　pound　took　forty…five　minutes。
　Because　the　plex　had　once　been　an　army　medical　research　facility；　certain　construction　requirements　had　been　met。　Both　to　prevent　intruders　from　getti