bl.necroscope2-第2章

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t　of　him？〃
　〃Dead；〃　and　before　Krakovitch　could　check　his　tongue；〃thank　God！〃
　〃Eh？　You're　glad　one　of　your　rades　is　dead？〃
　〃I。。。yes；　I'm　glad。〃　Krakovitch　was　too　tired　toanswer　in　any　way　but　truthfully；　straight　from　the　heart。
　〃I　think　he　was　probably　part　of　it；　at　least；　I　believe　he　brought　it　down　on　us。　His　body　is　still　here。　Also　the　bodies　of　our　other　dead…and　that　of　Harry　Keogh；　a　British　agent；　we　think。　And　also…〃
　〃The　Tartars？〃　Brezhnev　was　quiet　now。
　Krakovitch　sighed。　The　man　wasn't　a　slave　to　convention　after　all。　〃Yes；　but　no　longer。。。　animate；〃　he　answered。
　Another　pause。　〃Krakovitch…er；　Felix；　did　you　say？…I've　read　the　statements　of　the　other　three。　Are　they　true？　No　chance　of　an　error；　mass　hypnotism　or　delusion　or　something？　Was　it　really　as　bad　as　that？〃
　They　are　true…no　chance　of　an　error…it　was　as　bad　as　that。〃
　〃Felix；　listen。　Take　over　there。　I　mean　you；　take　over。　I　don't　want　E…Branch　shut　down。　It　has　been　more　than　beneficial　to　our　security。　And　Borowitz　was　more　valuable　to　me　personally　than　many　of　my　generals　would　ever　believe。　So　I　want　the　branch　rebuilt。　And　it　looks　like　you've　got　the　job。〃
　Krakovitch　felt　like　a　swatted　fly：　knocked　off　his　feet；　lost　for　words。　〃I。。。　rade。。。　I　mean…〃
　〃Can　you　do　it？〃
　Krakovitch　wasn't　crazy。　It　was　the　chance　of　a　lifetime。　〃It　will　take　years…but　yes；　I'll　try　to　do　it。〃
　〃Good！　But　if　you　take　it　on；　you'll　have　to　do　more　than　just　try；　Felix。　Let　me　know　what　you　need　and　I'll　see　you　get　it。　The　first　thing　I　want　is　answers。　But　I'm　the　only　one　who　gets　those　answers；　you　understand？　This　one　has　to　be　screwed　down。　It　mustn't　leak。　And　that　reminds　me…did　you　say　there　was　someone　from　the　KGB　with　you　right　now？〃
　〃He's　outside；　in　the　grounds。〃
　〃Get　him；〃　Brezhnev's　voice　was　harsh　again。　〃Bring　him　to　the　phone。　Let　me　speak　to　him　at　once！〃
　Krakovitch　started　back　across　the　floor；　but　at　that　moment　the　door　opened　to　admit　the　man　in　question。　He　squared　his　shoulders；　looked　at　Krakovitch　in　a　surly；　narrow…eyed　manner；　said；　〃We　haven't　finished；　rade。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　we　have；〃　Krakovitch　felt　shored　up；　buoyant　as　a　cork。　It　must　be　his　fatigue　beginning　to　work　on　him。　There's　someone　on　the　phone　for　you。〃
　〃Eh？　For　me？〃　The　other　pushed　by　him。　〃Who　is　it；　someone　from　the　office？〃
　〃Not　sure；〃　Krakovitch　lied。　〃Head　office；　I　think。〃
　The　KGB　man　frowned　at　him；　scowled；　snatched　up　the　phone　from　the　table。　〃Yanov　here。　What　is　it？　I'm　busy　down　here；　and…〃
　His　face　immediately　underwent　rapid　changes　of　expression　and　colour。　He　jerked　visibly　and　almost　staggered。　Only　the　phone　seemed　to　be　holding　him　up。　〃Yessir！　Oh；　yes；　sir。　Yes；　sir！　Yes；　yessir！　No；　sir。　I　will；　sir。　Yes；　sir。　But　I…no；　sir。　Yessir！〃　He　looked　sick；　held　out　the　phone　for　Krakovitch；　glad　to　be　rid　of　it。
　As　Krakovitch　took　the　instrument　from　him；　the　agent　hissed　viciously：　〃Fool！　That's　the　Party　Leader！〃
　Krakovitch　let　his　eyes　go　big　and　round；　made　an　〃O〃　with　his　mouth。　Then　he　said　casually　into　the　mouth…piece；　〃Krakovitch　here；〃　and　at　once　held　the　phone　towards　the　KGB　man；　let　him　hear　Brezhnev's　voice：
　〃Felix？　Has　that　prick　gone　yet？〃
　It　was　the　Special　Policeman's　turn　to　make　an　〃O〃。
　〃He's　going　now；〃　Krakovitch　answered。　He　nodded　sharply　towards　the　door。　〃Out！　And　do　try　to　remember　what　the　Party　Leader　told　you。　For　your　own　good。〃
　The　KGB　operative　shook　his　head　dazedly；　licked　his　lips；　headed　for　the　door。　He　was　still　white…faced。　At　the　door　he　turned；　thrust　his　chin　out。　〃I…〃　he　began。
　〃Goodbye；　rade；〃　Krakovitch　dismissed　him。　〃Now　he's　gone；〃　he　finally　confirmed；after　the　door　had　slammed　shut。
　〃Good！　I　don't　want　them　interfering。　They　didn't　fool　about　with　Gregor；　and　I　don't　want　them　fooling　with　you。　Any　problems　from　them　and　you　get　straight　back　to　me！〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Now；　here's　what　I　want。。。　But　first；　tell　me…have　the　branch　records　survived？〃
　〃Almost　everything's　intact；　except　for　our　agents。　There's　damage；　a　lot。　But　records；　installations；　the　Chateau　itself…in　decent　order；　I　think。　Manpower's　a　different　story。　I'll　tell　you　what　we　have　left。　There's　myself　and　three　other　survivors；　six　more　on　holiday　in　various　parts；　three　fairly　good　telepaths　on　permanent　duty　in　connection　with　the　British；　American　and　French　embassies；　and　another　four　or　five　field　agents　out　in　the　world。　With　twenty…eight　dead；　we've　lost　almost　two…thirds　of　our　staff。　Most　of　the　best　men　are　gone。〃
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　Brezhnev　was　impatient。　〃Manpower　is　important；　that's　why　I　asked　about　records。　Recruitment！　That's　your　first　task。　It　will　take　a　long　time；　I　know；　but　get　on　it。　Old　Gregor　once　told　me　that　you　have　special　sorts　who　can　spot　others　with　the　talent；　right？〃
　〃I've　still　got　one　good　spotter；　yes；〃　Krakovitch　answered；　giving　an　unconscious　nod。　〃I'll　start　using　him　at　once。　And　I'll　mence　studying　rade　Borowitz's　records；　of　course。〃
　〃Good！　Now　then；　see　how　quickly　you　can　get　that　place　cleaned　up。　Those　Tartar　corpses：　burn　〃em！　And　don't　let　anyone　see　them。　I　don't　care　how　that's　done；　but　do　it。　Then　put　in　a　prehensive　works　chit　for　repairs　on　the　Chateau。　I'll　have　it　actioned　at　once。　In　fact；　I'll　have　a　man　here；　on　this　number　or　another　number　he'll　give　you；　who　you　can　contact　at　any　time　for　anything。　That's　from　right　now。　You'll　keep　him　informed　and　he'll　keep　me　informed。　He'll　be　your　only　boss；　except　he'll　deny　you　nothing。　See　how　highly　I　prize　you；　Felix？　Right；　that　should　get　things　started。　As　for　the　rest：　Felix　Krakovitch；　I　want　to　know　how　this　happened！　Are　they　that　far　ahead；　the　British；　the　Americans；　the　Chinese？　I　mean；　how　could　one　man；　this　Harry　Keogh；　do　so　much　damage？〃
　〃rade；〃　Krakovitch　answered；　〃you　mentioned　Boris　Dragosani。　I　once　watched　him　work。　He　was　a　necromancer。　He　sniffed　out　the　secrets　of　dead　men。　I've　seem　him　do　things　to　corpses　that　gave　me　nightmares　for　months！　You　ask　how　Harry　Keogh　could　do　so　much　damage？　From　what　little　I've　so　far　been　able　to　discover；　it　seems　he　was　capable　of　almost　anything。　Telepathy；　teleportation；　even　Dragosani's　own　necro…mancy。　He　was　their　best。　But　I　think　Keogh　was　many　steps　ahead　of　Dragosani。　It's　one　thing　to　torture　dead　men　and　drain　their　secrets　from　their　blood　and　brains　and　guts；　but　it's　quite　another　to　call　them　up　out　of　their　graves　and　make　them　fight　for　you！〃
　Teleportation？〃　For　a　moment　the　Party　Leader　was　thoughtful；　then　came　on　impatient：　〃You　know；　the　more　I　hear　the　less　I'm　inclined　to　believe。　I　wouldn't　believe；　except　I　saw　Borowitz's　results。　And　how　else　am　I　to　explain　a　couple　of　hundred　Tartar　corpses；　eh？　But　right　now。。。　I've　spent　enough　time　with　you　on　this。　I　have　other　things　to　do。　In　five　more　minutes　I'll　have　your　go…between　on　this　line。　Think　about　it　and　tell　him　what　you　want　done；　anything　you　need。　If　he　can　e　up　with　something　he　will。　He's　had　this　kind　of　assignment　before。　Well；　not　exactly　this　kind！　One　last　thing　〃Yes？〃　Krakovitch's　head　was　whirling。
　〃Let　me　make　it　quite　clear：　I　want　the　answers。　As　soon　as　possible。　But　there　has　to　be　a　limit；　and　that　limit's　a　year。　By　then　the　branch　will　be　working　at　100　percent　efficiency；　and　you　and　I　will　know　everything。　And　we'll　understand　everything。　You　see；　when　we　have　all　the　answers；　Felix；　then　we'll　be　as　smart　as　the　people　who　did　this。　Right？〃
　That　seems　logical；　Party　Leader。〃
　〃It　is；　so　get　to　it。　Good　luck。。。〃　The　phone　emitted　a　continuous　buzzing　tone。
　Krakovitch　replaced　it　carefully　in　its　cradle；　stared　at　it　for　a　moment；　then　started　for　the　door。　In　his　head　he　made　lists…in　loose　order　of　precedence…of　things　to　be　done。　In　the　western　world　such　a　massive　tragedy　could　never　be　covered　up；　but　here　in　the　USSR　it　wouldn't　be　nearly　so　difficult。　Krakovitch　wasn't　sure　whether　that　was　a　good　thing　or　not。
　1。　The　dead　men　had　families。　They　would　now　have　to　be　told　some　sort　of　story…maybe　there　had　been　a　〃castastrophic　accident〃。　That　must　be　his　go…between's　responsibility。
　2。　All　E…Branch　personnel　must　be　recalled　at　once；　including　the　three　who　kne