tc.redrabbit-第95章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　stuff　can　make　you　cross…eyed。〃
　　　Better　you　than　me；　Foley　couldn't　say。　〃Okay；　I'll　have　something　for　you　later　today。〃
　　　〃Right。〃　Russell　nodded。　He　didn't　have　to　add　that　it　would　also　be　enciphered　on　his　KH…7　and　then　super…encrypted　with　the　pad。　He　hoped　that　Ivan　would　intercept　the　signal　and　give　his　cryptanalysts　the　document　to　work　on。　Thinking　about　those　bastards　going　nuts　over　one　of　his　signals　was　one　of　the　things　he　liked　to　smile　about。　Fine；　give　their　world…class　math　aces　this　stuff　to　fool　with。
　　　But　there　was　no　telling。　If　KGB　had　managed；　for　example；　to　plant　a　bug　in　the　building；　it　would　be　powered　not　by　an　internal　battery；　but　rather　by　microwave　emanations　from　Our　Lady　of　the　Microchips　across　the　street。　He　had　two　permanent　staff　people　who　roamed　the　embassy；　searching　for　unexplained　RF　signals。　Every　so　often；　they　found　one　and　dug　the　bug　out；　but　the　last　of　those　had　been　twenty　months　before。　Now　they　said　that　the　embassy　was　fully　swept　and　fully　clean。　But　nobody　believed　that。　Ivan　was　just　too　clever。　Russell　wondered　how　Foley　kept　his　identity　a　secret；　but　that　was　not　his　problem。　Keeping　the　ms　secure　was　hard　enough。
　　　Back　in　his　office；　Foley　drafted　his　next　signal　to　Langley；　trying　to　keep　it　as　short　as　possible　to　make　it　easy　for　Russell。　It　would　surely　open　some　eyes　on　the　Seventh　Floor。　He　hoped　that　the　Brits　hadn't　gotten　word　on　the　idea　to　Washington　yet。　That　would　be　seen　as　a　major　impropriety；　and　senior　officials　everywhere　got　their　noses　out　of　joint　on　trivial　crap　like　that。　But　with　some　things　you　just　didn't　have　time　to　run　it　through　channels；　and　as　a　senior　Station　Chief；　it　was　expected　that　he　would　show　some　initiative　once　in　a　while。
　　　And　along　with　initiative；　maybe　a　little　panache。
　　　Foley　checked　his　watch。　He　was　wearing　his　reddest　tie；　and　he　was　an　hour　and　a　half　from　taking　the　metro　home；　and　the　Rabbit　needed　to　see　him　and　the　flag　signal。　A　little　voice　was　telling　Foley　to　get　BEATRIX　moving　as　fast　as　practicable。　Whether　it　was　danger　to　the　Rabbit　or　something　else；　he　couldn't　tell；　but　Foley　was　one　to　trust　his　instincts。
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　21　…　VACATION
　　　It　wasn't　easy；　really；　to　make　sure　one　took　the　right　subway　train。　Both　the　Rabbit　and　Foley　were　using　the　inhuman　efficiency　of　what　had　to　be　the　only　aspect　of　Soviet　life　that　actually　functioned　properly；　and　the　remarkable　thing　was　that　the　trains　ran　on　a　schedule　that　was　as　regular　and　predictable　as　the　setting　of　the　sun；　just　far　more　frequent。　Foley　got　his　dispatch　into　Mike　Russell's　hands；　then　put　his　raincoat　on　and　walked　out　the　embassy　front　door　at　exactly　the　right　moment；　walked　at　exactly　the　usual　pace；　and　got　to　the　subway　platform　at　exactly　the　right　time；　then　turned　to　verify　it　with　the　clock　that　hung　on　the　ceiling　of　the　station。　Yeah；　he'd　done　it　again。　The　train　pulled　in；　just　as　the　previous　train　pulled　out；　and　Foley　walked　aboard　the　usual　car；　turning　to　see。。。　yes；　the　Rabbit　was　there。　Foley　unfolded　his　paper。　His　unbuttoned　raincoat　hung　loosely　on　his　shoulders。
　　　Zaitzev　was　actually　surprised　to　see　the　red　tie；　but　he　could　hardly　plain。　As　usual；　he　inched　his　way　in　the　proper　direction。
　　　It　was　almost　routine　now；　the　COS　thought。　He　felt　the　hand　surreptitiously　enter　his　pocket　and　withdraw。　Then　his　acute　senses　felt　the　man　take　a　step　away。　Hopefully；　there　would　be　little　more　of　this。　It　was　safe　for　Foley；　but　decidedly　unsafe　for　the　Rabbit；　however　skillful　he　might　have　bee　at　this　exercise。　The　presence　of　others　on　this　subway　car…some　faces　he　recognized　from　repetition…could　well　represent　people　of　the　Second　Chief　Directorate。　There　could　be　intermittent　surveillance　on　him；　using　a　bunch　of　different　officers。　That　would　be　a　sensible　tactic　for　the　opposition　to　use；　on　and　off；　to　diminish　the　chance　that　he'd　spot　them。
　　　In　due　course；　as　before；　the　train　arrived　at　the　appointed　stop；　and　Foley　walked　off。　In　a　few　more　weeks；　he'd　have　to　put　the　lining　in　his　coat；　and　maybe　even　wear　the　shapka　Mary　Pat　had　bought　him。　He　had　to　start　thinking　about　what　would　happen　after　they　got　the　Rabbit　out。　If　BEATRIX　worked　all　the　way；　he'd　have　to　maintain　his　cover　activities　for　a　time…or　maybe　switch　to　driving　to　the　embassy；　a　change　in　routine　that　the　Russians　would　not　note　as　unusual。　He　was　an　American；　after　all；　and　Americans　were　famous　for　driving　everywhere。　The　metro　was　getting　tedious。　Too　crowded；　often　with　people　who　didn't　know　what　a　shower　was　for。　The　things　he　did　for　his　country；　Foley　thought。　No；　he　corrected　himself；　the　things　he　did　against　his　country's　enemies。　That　was　what　made　it　worthwhile。　Giving　the　big　of　Bear　a　bellyache…maybe　even　stomach　cancer；　he　mused；　walking　to　his　apartment。
　　　〃Yes；　Alan？〃　Charleston　asked；　looking　up　from　his　desk。
　　　〃This　is　a　major　operation；　I　take　it？〃　Kingshot　asked。
　　　〃Major　in　its　objective；　yes；〃　the　Director　General　confirmed。　〃As　routine　as　possible　in　its　operation。　We　only　have　three　people　in　Budapest；　and　it　would　not　be　overly　brilliant　to　fly　in　a　goon　squad。〃
　　　〃Anyone　else　going？〃
　　　〃Jack　Ryan；　the　American；〃　Sir　Basil　said。
　　　〃He's　no　field　officer；〃　Kingshot　objected　immediately。
　　　〃It's　fundamentally　an　American　operation；　Alan。　They　reasonably　requested　that　one　of　their　people　go　along　to　observe。　In　return；　we'll　have　a　day　or　two　to　debrief　their　Rabbit　at　a　safe　house　of　our　choosing。　He　will　doubtless　have　a　good　deal　of　useful　information；　and　we'll　get　the　first　chance　to　speak　with　him。〃
　　　〃Well；　I　hope　this　Ryan　fellow　doesn't　queer　the　pitch　for　us。〃
　　　〃Alan；　he's　shown　himself　to　be　fairly　levelheaded　in　time　of　trouble；　hasn't　he？〃　Sir　Basil　asked；　reasonable　as　ever。
　　　〃Must　be　his　Marine　training；〃　Kingshot　observed　with　dark　generosity。
　　　〃And　he's　very　clever；　Alan。　He's　been　giving　us　excellent　work　on　his　analysis　project。〃
　　　〃If　you　say　so；　sir。　To　get　the　three　bodies；　I　need　to　get　some　help　from　Special　Branch；　and　then　spend　time　on　my　knees　hoping　for　something　dreadful　to　happen。〃
　　　〃What　are　you　thinking？〃
　　　Kingshot　explained　his　nascent　operational　concept。　It　was　really　the　only　way　to　make　something　like　this　happen。　And；　as　Sir　Basil　had　observed　earlier　in　the　day；　it　was　as　grisly　as　an　autopsy。
　　　〃How　likely　is　such　a　thing　to　happen？〃　Basil　asked。
　　　〃I　need　to　talk　with　the　police　to　answer　that　one。〃
　　　〃Who's　your　contact　there？〃
　　　〃Chief　Superintendent　Patrick　Nolan。　You've　met　him。〃
　　　Charleston　closed　his　eyes　for　a　moment。　〃The　huge　chap；　arrests　rugby　forwards　for　light　exercise？〃
　　　〃That's　Nolan。　They　call　him　'Tiny'　on　the　force。　I　think　he　eats　barbells　with　his　porridge。　Am　I　free　to　discuss　this　Operation　BEATRIX　with　him？〃
　　　〃Just　in　terms　of　our　needs；　Alan。〃
　　　〃Very　good；　sir；〃　Kingshot　agreed；　and　left　the　room。
　　　〃You　want　what？〃　Nolan　asked　over　a　pint　in　a　pub　a　block　from　New　Scotland　Yard；　just　after　four　in　the　afternoon。
　　　〃You　heard　me；　Tiny；〃　Kingshot　said。　He　lit　a　cigarette　to　fit　in　with　the　rest　of　the　bar's　patrons。
　　　〃Well；　I　must　say　I've　heard　a　lot　of　strange　things　in　my　time　with　the　Yard；　but　never　that。〃　Nolan　was　a　good　six…four　and　two　hundred　thirty　pounds；　very　little　of　it　fat。　He　spent　at　least　an　hour；　three　times　a　week；　in　the　Yard's　exercise　room。　He　rarely　carried　a　handgun　on　duty。　He'd　never　needed　one　to　help　a　felon　see　the　futility　of　resistance。　〃Can　you　say　what　this　is　for？〃　he　asked。
　　　〃Sorry；　not　allowed　to。　All　I　can　say　is　that's　it's　a　matter　of　some　importance。〃
　　　A　long　pull　on　his　beer。　〃Well；　you　know　that　we　do　not　keep　such　things　in　cold　storage；　even　in　the　Black　Museum。〃
　　　〃I　was　thinking　a　traffic　smash。　They　happen　all　the　time；　don't　they？〃
　　　〃Yes；　they　do；　Alan；　but　not　to　a　family　of　three。〃
　　　〃Well；　how　often　do　such　things　happen？〃　Kingshot　asked。
　　　〃Perhaps　twenty　such　incidents　in　an　average　year；　and　their　occurrence　is　wholly　irregular。　You　cannot　depend　on　it　in　any　given　week。〃
　　　〃Well；　we'll　just　have　to　hope　for　good　luck；　and　if　it　doesn't　happen；　then　it　simply　does　not　happen。〃　That　would　be