cyclops-第61章
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amazed how your words can be manipulated over a telephone to another party without your detecting the change。 As a matter of fact； the National Security Agency has the same type of equipment on board a ship。〃
〃So the Russians have caught up with us；〃 said Brogan。
〃Their technology is probably cruder than ours； but it seems they've gone a step further and expanded it on a grander scale。〃
The woman intelligence official looked at Pitt。 〃You said the island is supplied by submarine。〃
〃So Raymond LeBaron informed me；〃 said Pitt。 〃And what little I saw of the shoreline didn't include a docking area。〃
Sandecker played with one of his cigars but didn't light it。 He pointed one end at Brogan。 〃Appears the Soviets have gone to unusual lengths to throw your Cuban surveillance off the track； Martin。〃
〃The fear of exposure came out during the interrogation；〃 said Pitt。 〃Velikov insisted we were agents on your payroll。〃
〃Can't really blame the bastard；〃 said Brogan。 〃Your entrance must have shocked the hell out of him。〃
〃Mr。 Pitt； could you describe the people at the dinner party when you entered？〃 asked a scholarly…looking man in an argyle sweater。
〃Roughly I'd say there were sixteen women and two dozen men
〃You did say women？〃
〃I did。〃
〃What type？〃 asked the only woman in the room。
Pitt had to ask。 〃Define type。〃
〃You know；〃 she answered seriously。 〃Wives； nice single ladies； or hookers？〃
〃Definitely not hookers。 Most were in uniform； probably part of Velikov's staff。 The ones wearing wedding rings appeared to be wives of the Cuban civilians and military officers who were present。〃
〃What in hell is Velikov thinking？〃 Brogan asked no one in particular。 〃Cubans and their wives at a top…secret installation？ None of this makes any sense。〃
Sandecker stared pensively at the tabletop。 〃Makes sense to me； if Velikov is using Cayo Santa Maria for something besides electronic espionage。〃
〃What are you hinting at； Jim？〃 asked Brogan。
〃The island would make a perfect base of operations for the overthrow of the Castro government。〃
Brogan looked at him in astonishment。 〃How do you know about that？〃
〃The President briefed me；〃 Sandecker replied loftily。
〃I see。〃 But it was clear Brogan didn't see。
〃Look； I realize this is all highly important；〃 said Pitt； 〃but every minute we spend speculating puts Jessie； Al； and Rudi that much closer to death。 I expect you people to pull out all the stops to save them。 You can begin by notifying the Russians that you're aware of their captivity because of my rescue。〃
Pitt's demand was met with an odd quiet。 Nobody except Sandecker looked at him。 The CIA people； especially； avoided his eyes。
〃Forgive me；〃 said Brogan stonily。 〃I don't think that would be a smart move。〃
Sandecker's eyes suddenly flashed with anger。 〃Watch what you say； Martin。 I know there's a Machiavellian plot jelling in your mind。 But take warning； my friend。 You've got me to deal with； and I'm not about to let my friends be literally thrown to the sharks。〃
〃We're looking at a high…stakes game；〃 said Brogan。 〃Keeping Velikov in the dark may prove most advantageous。〃
〃And sacrifice several lives for an intelligence gamble？〃 said Pitt bitterly。 〃No way。〃
〃Please bear with me a moment；〃 Brogan pleaded。 〃I'll agree to leak a story saying we know the LeBarons and your NUMA people are alive。 Next； we'll accuse the Cubans of imprisoning them in Havana。〃
〃How can Velikov be expected to fall for something he knows is crap？〃
〃I don't expect him to fall for it。 He's no cretin。 He'll smell a rat and wonder how much we know about his island。 And that's all he can do wonder。 We'll also muddy the waters by claiming our knowledge es from photographic evidence showing your inflatable boat washed up on the main island of Cuba。 That should take the pressure off our captives and keep Velikov guessing。 The piece de resistance will be the discovery of Pitt's body by a Bahamian fisherman。〃
〃What in hell are you proposing？〃 Sandecker demanded。
〃I haven't thought it through yet；〃 Brogan admitted。 〃But the basic idea is to sneak Pitt back on the island。〃
As soon as Pitt's debriefing had concluded； Brogan returned to his office and picked up the phone。 His call went through the usual batting order of buffers before the President came on。
〃Please make it quick； Martin。 I'm about to leave for Camp David。〃 〃We've just finished interrogating Dirk Pitt。〃
〃Could he fill in any pieces？〃
〃Pitt gave us the intelligence breakthrough we discussed。〃
〃Velikov's headquarters？〃
〃He led us straight to the mother lode。〃
〃Nice work。 Now your people can launch an infiltration operation。〃 〃I think a more permanent solution would be in order。〃
〃You mean offset its threat by exposing its existence to the world press？〃
〃No。 I mean go in and destroy it。〃
The president had a light breakfast after reaching Camp David。 The weather was unseasonably warm； there was Indian summer in the air； and he was dressed in cotton slacks and short…sleeved sweater。
He sat in a large wing chair with several file folders in his lap and studied the personal histories of the 〃inner core。〃 After reading the last file he closed his eyes； pondering his options； wondering what he would say to the men who were waiting in the camp's main dining room。
Hagen entered the study and stood quietly until the President opened his eyes。
〃Ready when you are； Vince。〃
The President slowly pushed himself from the chair。 〃Might as well get on with it then。〃
They were waiting around the long dining table as the President had arranged。 No guards were present； none were required。 These were honorable men who had no intent to mit crime。 They respectfully rose to their feet as he entered the room； but he waved them down。
Eight were present and accounted for General Fisher； Booth； Mitchell； and Busche sat on one side of the table opposite Eriksen； Senator Porter； and Dan Fawcett。 Hudson was seated by himself at the far end。 Only Raymond LeBaron was missing。
They were dressed casually； sitting fortably like golfers in a clubhouse； relaxed； supremely confident and showing no signs of tension。
〃Good morning； Mr。 President；〃 greeted Senator Porter cheerfully。 〃To what do we owe the honor of this mysterious summons？〃
The President cleared his throat。 〃You all know why I've brought you here。 So we don't have to play games。〃
〃You don't want to congratulate us？〃 asked Clyde Booth sarcastically。
〃Tributes may or may not be offered；〃 said the President coldly。 〃That will depend。〃
〃Depend on what？〃 Gunnar Eriksen demanded rudely。
〃I believe what the President is fishing for；〃 said Hudson； 〃is our blessing for allowing the Russians to claim a share of the moon。〃
〃That and a confession of mass murder。〃
The tables were turned。 They just sat there； eyes with the look of fish in a freezer； staring at the President。
Senator Porter； a fast thinker； launched his attack first。 〃Execution gangland style or Arsenic and Old Lace poison in the tea？ If I may ask； Mr。 President； what in hell are you talking about？〃
〃A small matter of nine dead Soviet cosmonauts。〃
〃Those lost during the early Soyuz missions？〃 asked Dan Fawcett。
〃No；〃 answered the President。 〃The nine Russians who were killed on the Selenos lunar probes。〃
Hudson gripped the edge of the table and stared as if he had been electrocuted。 〃The Selenos spacecraft were unmanned。〃
〃The Russians wanted the world to think so； but in reality they each carried three men。 We have one of the crews on ice in the Walter Reed hospital morgue； if you care to examine the remains。〃
No one would have thought it to look at them。 They considered themselves moral…minded citizens doing a job for their country。 The last thing any of them expected to see in a mirror was the reflection of a cold…blooded killer。 To say that the President had his audience in the palm of his hand would be an understatement。
Hagen sat fascinated。 This was all news to him。
〃If yo
