tc.redrabbit-第111章

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　　　Travel　is　inevitably　tiring；　and　so　the　Zaitzev　family　was　agreeably　surprised　to　see　their　beds　turned　out　when　they　got　back　to　their　partments。　Irina　got　her　daughter　changed　into　her　little　yellow　nightgown　with　flowers　on　what　would　have　been　the　bodice。　She　gave　her　parents　the　usual　good…night　kiss　and　climbed　onto　her　bed　all　by　herself…she　insisted　on　doing　that…and　slid　under　the　covers。　Instead　of　sleeping；　she　propped　her　head　on　the　pillow　and　looked　out　the　window　at　the　darkened　countryside　passing　by。　Just　a　few　lights　from　buildings　on　the　collective　farms　but；　for　all　that；　fascinating　to　the　little　girl。
　　　Her　mother　and　father　left　the　connecting　door　partly　open；　lest　she　have　a　nightmare　or　other　sudden　need　to　get　a　reassuring　hug。　Before　going　to　bed；　Svetlana　had　looked　under　the　bed　to　see　if　there　might　be　a　hiding　place　for　a　big　black　bear；　and　she　was　satisfied　that　no　such　hiding　place　existed。　Oleg　and　Irina　opened　books　and　gradually　nodded　off　to　the　rocking　of　the　train。
　　　〃BEATRIX　is　running；〃　Moore　told　Admiral　Greer。　〃The　Rabbit　and　his　family　are　on　the　train；　probably　crossing　into　the　Ukraine　right　about　now。〃
　　　〃I　hate　waiting　like　this；〃　the　DDI　observed。　It　was　easier　for　him　to　admit　it。　He'd　never　gone　into　the　field　on　an　intelligence　mission。　No；　his　job　had　always　been　at　a　desk；　looking　over　important　information。　It　was　times　like　this　that　reminded　him　of　the　simple　pleasures　of　standing　watch　on　a　ship　of　war…mainly　submarines；　in　his　case…where　you　could　look　at　wind　and　wave；　feel　the　breeze　on　your　face　and；　merely　by　speaking　a　few　words；　change　the　course　and　speed　of　your　ship　instead　of　waiting　to　see　what　the　ocean　and　distant　enemy　might　do　to　you。　You　had　the　illusion　there　of　being　master　of　your　fate。
　　　〃Patience　is　the　hardest　of　the　virtues　to　acquire；　James；　and　the　higher　you　get；　the　more　you　need　the　bastard。　For　me；　this　is　like　sitting　on　the　bench；　waiting　for　the　lawyers　to　get　to　the　damned　point。　It　can　take　forever；　especially　when　you　know　what　the　fools　are　going　to　say；〃　Moore　admitted。　He'd　also　been　there　and　done　that；　out　in　the　field。　But　so　much　of　that　job　was　posed　of　waiting；　too。　No　man　controlled　his　fate；　a　knowledge　that　came　late　in　life。　You　just　tried　to　muddle　along　from　one　point　to　another；　making　as　few　mistakes　as　possible。
　　　〃Tell　the　President　about　this　one　yet？〃
　　　Moore　shook　his　head。　〃No　sense　getting　him　overly　excited。　If　he　thinks　this　guy　has　information　that　he　doesn't　have…hell；　why　disappoint　him？　We　do　enough　of　that　here；　don't　we？〃
　　　〃Arthur；　we　never　have　enough　information；　and　the　more　we　get；　the　more　we　appreciate　what　we　need　and　don't　have。〃
　　　〃James；　my　boy；　neither　one　of　us　is　educated　to　be　a　philosopher。〃
　　　〃es　with　the　gray　hair；　Arthur。〃　Then　Mike　Bostock　walked　in。
　　　〃Couple　more　days　and　BEATRIX　goes　into　the　history　books；〃　he　announced　with　a　smile。
　　　〃Mike；　where　the　hell　did　you　learn　to　believe　in　Santa　Claus？〃　the　DCI　asked。
　　　〃Judge；　it's　like　this：　We　got　us　a　defector　who's　defecting　right　now。　We　have　a　good　team　to　get　him　out　of　Redland。　You　trust　your　troops　to　do　the　job　you　send　them　out　to　do。〃
　　　〃But　they're　not　all　our　troops；〃　Greer　pointed　out。
　　　〃Basil　runs　a　good　shop；　Admiral。　You　know　that。〃
　　　〃True；〃　Greer　admitted。
　　　〃So；　you　just　wait　to　see　what's　under　the　Christmas　tree；　Mike？〃　Moore　asked。
　　　〃I　sent　Santa　my　letter；　and　Santa　always　delivers。　Everybody　knows　that。〃　He　was　beaming　at　the　possibilities。　〃What　are　we　going　to　do　with　him　when　he　arrives？〃
　　　〃The　farmhouse　out　at　Winchester；　I　imagine；〃　Moore　thought　out　loud。　〃Give　him　a　nice　place　to　depressurize…let　him　travel　around　some　on　day　trips。〃
　　　〃What　stipend？〃　Greer　inquired。
　　　〃Depends；〃　Moore　said。　He　was　the　one　who　controlled　that　out　of　the　Agency's　black　budget。　〃If　it's　good　information。。。　oh；　as　much　as　a　million；　I　imagine。　And　a　nice　place　to　work　after　we　tickle　all　of　it　out　of　him。〃
　　　〃Where；　I　wonder？〃　Bostock　put　in。
　　　〃Oh；　we　let　him　decide　that。〃
　　　It　was　both　a　simple　and　a　plex　process。　The　arriving　Rabbit　family　would　have　to　learn　English。　New　identities。　They'd　need　new　names；　for　starters；　probably　make　them　Norwegian　immigrants　to　explain　away　the　accents。　CIA　had　the　power　to　admit　a　total　of　one　hundred　new　citizens　every　year　through　the　Immigration　and　Naturalization　Service　（and　they'd　never　used　them　all　up）。　The　Rabbits　would　need　a　set　of　Social　Security　numbers；　driver's　licenses…probably　driving　lessons　beforehand；　maybe　for　both；　certainly　for　the　wife…from　the　monwealth　of　Virginia。　（The　Agency　had　a　cordial　relationship　with　the　state　government。　Richmond　never　asked　too　many　questions。）
　　　Then　came　the　psychological　help　for　people　who'd　walked　away　from　everything　they'd　ever　known　and　had　to　find　their　footing　in　a　new　and　grossly　different　country。　The　Agency　had　a　Columbia　University　professor　of　psychology　on　retainer　to　handle　that。　Then　they'd　get　some　older　defectors　to　hand…walk　them　through　the　transition。　None　of　this　was　ever　easy　on　the　new　immigrants。　For　Russians；　America　was　like　a　toy　store　for　a　child　who'd　never　known　such　a　thing　as　a　toy　store　existed…it　was　overwhelming　in　every　respect；　with　virtually　no　mon　points　of　parison；　almost　like　a　different　planet。　They　had　to　make　it　as　fortable　for　the　defectors　as　possible。　First；　for　the　information；　and　second；　to　make　sure　they　didn't　want　to　go　back…it　would　be　almost　certain　death；　at　least　for　the　husband；　but　it　had　happened　before；　so　strong　was　the　call　of　home　for　every　man。
　　　〃If　he　likes　a　cold　climate；　send　him　to　Minneapolis…Saint　Paul；〃　Greer　suggested。　〃But；　gentlemen；　we　are　getting　a　little　bit　ahead　of　ourselves。〃
　　　〃James；　you　are　always　the　voice　of　sober　counsel；〃　the　DCI　observed　with　a　smile。
　　　〃Somebody　has　to　be。　The　eggs　haven't　hatched　yet；　people。　Then　we　count　the　chicks。〃
　　　And　what　if　he　doesn't　know　squat？　Moore　thought。　What　if　he's　just　a　guy　who　wants　a　ticket　out？
　　　God　damn　this　business！　the　DCI　pleted　the　thought。
　　　〃Well；　Basil　will　keep　us　posted；　and　we　have　your　boy　Ryan　looking　out　for　our　interests。〃
　　　〃That's　great　news；　Judge。　Basil　must　be　laughing　into　his　beer　about　that。〃
　　　〃He's　a　good　boy；　Mike。　Don't　underestimate　him。　Those　who　did　are　in　Maryland　State　Penitentiary　now；　waiting　for　the　appeals　process　to　play　out；〃　Greer　said；　in　defense　of　his　protege。
　　　〃Well；　yeah；　he　was　a　Marine　once；〃　Bostock　conceded。　〃What　do　I　tell　Bob　when　he　calls　in？〃
　　　〃Nothing；〃　the　DCI　said　at　once。　〃Until　we　find　out　from　the　Rabbit　what　part　of　our　ms　are　promised；　we　are　careful　what　goes　out　on　a　wire。　Clear？〃
　　　Bostock　nodded　his　head　like　a　first…grader。　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　　〃I've　had　S　and　T　go　over　our　phone　lines。　They　say　they're　clean。　Chip　Bennett　is　still　raising　hell　and　running　in　circles　at　Fort　Meade。〃　Moore　didn't　have　to　say　that　this　alleged　claim　from　the　Rabbit　was　the　scariest　revelation　to　Washington　since　Pearl　Harbor。　But　maybe　they'd　be　able　to　turn　it　around　on　Ivan。　Hope　sprang　eternal　at　Langley；　just　like　everywhere　else。　It　was　unlikely　that　the　Russians　knew　anything　his　Directorate　of　Science　and　Technology　didn't；　but　you　had　to　pay　to　see　the　cards。
　　　Ryan　was　quietly　packing　his　things。　Cathy　was　better　at　it；　but　he　didn't　know　what　he'd　need。　How　did　one　pack　for　being　secret…agent　man？　Business　suit。　His　old　Marine　utilities？　（He　still　had　them；　butter　bar　on　the　collar　and　all。）　Nice　leather　shoes？　Sneaks？　That；　he　thought；　sounded　appropriate。　He　ended　up　deciding　on　a　middle…of…the…road　suit　and　two　pairs　of　walking　shoes；　one　semiformal；　one　informal。　And　it　all　had　to　fit　in　one　bag…for　that；　an　L。L。　Bean　canvas　two…suiter　that　was　easy　to　carry　and　fairly　anonymous。　He　left　his　passport　in　the　desk　drawer。　Sir　Basil　would　be　giving　him　a　nice　new　British　one；　another　diplomatic　or　fuck…you　passport。　Probably　a　new　name　to　go　with　it。　Damn；　Jack　thought；　a　new　name　to　remember　and　respond　to。　He　was　used　to　having　only　one。
　　　One　nice　thing　about　Merrill　Lynch：　You　always　knew　who　the　hell　you　were。　Sure；　Jack's　mind　went　on；　let　the　whole　damned　world　kn