jamesclavell.noblehouse-第168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！



　〃Unfortunately　no。　They　could　be　hired　assassins　…　from　any　point　of　the　pass。　Of　course　if　he　hadn't　slipped　ashore　mysteriously　he'd　still　be　a　useful　operative　of　the　。。。　of　whatever　department　he　served。〃
　〃He　was　just　a　seaman　and　a　good　man。　I　thought　Hong　Kong　was　safe。〃
　〃Did　you　pass　on　the　assassins'　photographs　and　information　about　their　phone　call　to　your　KGB　superiors？〃
　〃I'm　not　KGB；　piss　on　KGB！　Yes；　the　information　was　passed　on　。。。　by　my　superior；〃　Suslev　said　irritably。　〃You　know　how　it　is；　Superintendent；　for　God's　sake。　But　Voranski　was　a　good　man　and　his　murderers　must　be　caught。〃
　〃We'll　find　them　soon　enough；〃　Crosse　said　easily。　〃Did　you　know　Voranski　was　in　reality　Major　Yuri　Bakyan；　First　Directorate；　Department　6；　KGB？〃
　They　saw　shock　on　Suslev's　face。　〃He　was　。。。　he　was　just　a　friend　to　me　and　he　came　with　us　from　time　to　time。〃
　〃Who　arranges　that；　Captain？〃　Crosse　said。
　Suslev　looked　at　Brian　Kwok　who　stared　back　at　him　with　unconcealed　distaste。　〃Why're　you　so　angry？　What　have　I　done　to　you？〃
　〃Why's　the　Russian　empire　so　greedy；　particularly　when　it　es　to　Chinese　soil？〃
　〃Politics！〃　Suslev　said　sourly　then　added　to　Crosse；　〃I　don't　interfere　in　politics。〃
　〃You　buggers　interfere　all　the　time！　What's　your　KGB　rank？〃
　〃I　don't　have　one。〃
　Crosse　said；　〃A　little　cooperation　could　go　a　long　way。　Who　arranges　your　crews；　Captain　Suslev？〃
　Suslev　glanced　at　him。　Then　he　said；　〃A　word　in　private；　eh？〃
　〃Certainly；〃　Crosse　said。　〃Wait　here；　Brian。〃
　Suslev　turned　his　back　on　Brian　Kwok　and　led　the　way　down　the　exit　stairs　onto　the　grass。　Crosse　followed。　〃What　do　you　think　of　Noble　Star's　chances？〃　Suslev　asked　genially。
　〃Good。　But　she's　never　raced　in　the　wet。〃
　〃Pilot　Fish？〃
　〃Look　at　him　…　you　can　see　for　yourself。　He　loves　the　wet。　He'll　be　the　favorite。　You　plan　to　be　here　Saturday？〃
　Suslev　leaned　on　the　railings。　And　smiled。　〃Why　not？〃
　Crosse　laughed　softly。　〃Why　not　indeed？〃　He　was　sure　they　were　quite　alone　now。　〃You're　a　good　actor；　Gregor；　very　good。〃
　〃So're　you；　rade。〃
　〃You're　taking　a　hell　of　a　risk；　aren't　you？〃　Crosse　said；　his　lips　hardly　moving　now　as　he　talked。
　〃Yes；　but　then　all　life's　a　risk。　Center　told　me　to　take　over　until　Voranski's　replacement　arrives　…　there　are　too　many　important　contacts　and　decisions　to　be　made　on　this　trip。　Not　the　least；　Sevrin。　And　anyway；　as　you　know；　Arthur　wanted　it　this　way。〃
　〃Sometimes　I　wonder　if　he's　wise。〃
　〃He's　wise。〃　The　lines　around　Suslev's　eyes　crinkled　with　his　smile。　〃Oh　yes。　Very　wise。　I'm　pleased　to　see　you。　Center's　very　very　pleased　with　your　year's　work。　I've　much　to　tell　you。〃
　〃Who's　the　bastard　who　leaked　Sevrin　to　AMG？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　It　was　a　defector。　As　soon　as　we　know；　he's　a　dead　man。〃
　〃Someone's　betrayed　a　group　of　my　people　to　the　PRC。　The　leak　had　to　e　from　the　AMG　file。　You　read　my　copy。　Who　else　on　your　ship　did？　Someone's　infiltrated　your　operation　here！〃
　Suslev　blanched。　〃I'll　activate　a　security　check　immediately。　It　could　have　e　from　London；　or　Washington。〃
　〃I　doubt　it。　Not　in　time。　I　think　it　came　from　here。　And　then　there's　Voranski。　You're　infiltrated。〃
　〃If　the　PRC　。。。　yes；　it　will　be　done。　But　who？　I'd　bet　my　life　there's　no　spy　aboard。〃
　Crosse　was　equally　grim。　〃There's　always　someone　who　can　be　subverted。〃
　〃You　have　an　escape　plan？〃
　〃Several。〃
　〃I'm　ordered　to　assist　in　any　way。　Do　you　want　a　berth　on　the　Ivanov？〃
　Crosse　hesitated。　〃I'll　wait　until　I've　read　the　AMG　files。　It　would　be　a　pity　after　such　a　long　time　。。。〃
　〃I　agree。〃
　〃It's　easy　for　you　to　agree。　If　you're　caught　you　just　get　deported　and　asked　politely；　please　don't　e　back。　Me？　I　wouldn't　want　to　be　caught　alive。〃
　〃Of　course。〃　Suslev　lit　a　cigarette。　〃You　won't　get　caught；　Roger。　You're　much　too　clever。　You　have　something　for　me？〃
　〃Look　down　there；　along　the　rails。　The　tall　man。〃
　Casually　Suslev　put　his　binoculars　to　his　eyes。　He　took　his　time　about　centering　the　man　indicated；　then　looked　away。
　〃That's　Stanley　Rosemont；　CIA。　You　know　they're　tailing　you？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　I　can　lose　them　if　I　wish　to。〃
　〃The　man　next　to　him's　Ed　Langan；　FBI。　The　bearded　fellow's　Mishauer；　American　Naval　Intelligence。〃
　〃Mishauer？　That　sounds　familiar。　Do　you　have　files　on　them？〃
　〃Not　yet　but　there's　a　deviate　in　the　consulate　who's　having　a　jolly　affair　with　the　son　of　one　of　our　prominent　Chinese　solicitors。　By　the　time　you're　back　on　your　next　trip　he'll　be　happy　to　oblige　your　slightest　wish。〃
　Suslev　smiled　grimly。　〃Good。〃　Again；　casually；　he　glanced　at　Rosemont　and　the　others；　cementing　their　faces　into　his　memory。　〃What's　his　job？〃
　〃Deputy　chief　of　station。　CIA　for　fifteen　years。　OSS　and　all　that。　They've　a　dozen　more　cover　businesses　here　and　safe　houses　everywhere。　I've　sent　a　list　in　microdots　to　32。〃
　〃Good。　Center　wants　increased　surveillance　of　all　CIA　movements。〃
　〃No　problem。　They're　careless　but　their　funding's　big　and　growing。〃
　〃Vietnam？〃
　〃Of　course　Vietnam。〃
　Suslev　chuckled。　〃Those　poor　fools　don't　know　what　they've　been　sucked　into。　They　still　think　they　can　fight　a　jungle　war　with　Korean　or　World　War　Two　tactics。〃
　〃They're　not　all　fools；〃　Crosse　said。　〃Rosemont's　good；　very　good。　By　the　way；　they　know　about　the　Iman　Air　Base。〃
　Suslev　cursed　softly　and　leaned　on　one　hand；　casually　keeping　it　near　his　mouth　to　prevent　any　lip…reading。
　〃。。。　Iman　and　almost　all　about　Petropavlovsk；　the　new　sub　base　at　Korsakov　on　Sakhalin。　。。。〃
　Suslev　cursed　again。　〃How　do　they　do　it？〃
　〃Traitors。〃　Crosse　smiled　thinly。
　〃Why　are　you　a　double　agent；　Roger？〃
　〃Why　do　you　ask　me　that　every　time　we　meet？〃
　Suslev　sighed。　He　had　specific　orders　not　to　probe　Crosse　and　to　help　him　every　way　he　could。　And　although　he　was　KGB　controller　of　all　Far　Eastern　espionage　activities；　it　was　only　last　year　that　even　he　had　been　allowed　into　the　secret　of　Crosse's　identity。　Crosse；　in　KGB　files；　had　the　highest　secret　classification；　an　importance　on　the　level　of　a　Philby。　But　even　Philby　didn't　know　that　Crosse　had　been　working　for　the　KGB　for　the　last　seven　years。
　〃I　ask　because　I'm　curious；〃　he　said。
　〃Aren't　your　orders　not　to　be　curious；　rade？〃
　Suslev　laughed。　〃Neither　of　us　obeys　orders　all　the　time；　no？　Center　enjoyed　your　last　report　so　much　I've　been　told　to　tell　you　your　Swiss　account　will　be　credited　with　an　extra　bonus　of　50；000　on　the　fifteenth　of　next　month。〃
　〃Good。　Thank　you。　But　it's　not　a　bonus；　it's　payment　for　value　received。〃
　〃What　does　SI　know　about　the　visiting　delegation　of　Parliament？〃
　Crosse　told　him　what　he　had　told　the　governor。　〃Why　the　question？〃
　〃Routine　check。　Three　are　potentially　very　influential　…　Guthrie；　Broadhurst　and　Grey。〃　Suslev　offered　a　cigarette。　〃We're　maneuvering　Grey　and　Broadhurst　into　our　World　Peace　Council。　Their　anti…Chinese　sentiments　help　us。　Roger；　would　you　please　put　a　tail　on　Guthrie。　Perhaps　he　has　some　bad　habits。　If　he　was　promised；　perhaps　photographed　with　a　Wanchai　girl；　it　might　be　useful　later；　eh？〃
　Crosse　nodded。　〃I'll　see　what　can　be　done。〃
　〃Can　you　find　the　scum　who　murdered　poor　Voranski？〃
　〃Eventually。〃　Crosse　watched　him。　〃He　must　have　been　marked　for　some　time。　And　that's　ominous　for　all　of　us。〃
　〃Were　they　Kuomintang？　Or　Mao's　bandits？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　Crosse　smiled　sardonically。　〃Russia　isn't　very　popular　with　any　Chinese。〃
　〃Their　leaders　are　traitors　to　munism。　We　should　smash　them　before　they　get　too　strong。〃
　〃Is　that　policy？〃
　〃Since　Genghis　Khan。〃　Suslev　laughed。　〃But　now　。。。　now　we　have　to　be　a　little　patient。　You　needn't　be。〃　He　jerked　a　thumb　backward　at　Brian　Kwok。　〃Why　not　discredit　that　matyeryebyets！　I　don't　like　him　at　all。〃
　〃Young　Brian's　very　good。　I　need　good　people。　Inform　Center　that　Sinders；　of　MI…6；　arrives　tomorrow　from　London　to　take　delivery　of　the　AMG　papers。　Both　MI…6　and　the　CIA　suspect　AMG　was　murdered。　Was　he？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　He　should　have　been；　years　ago。　How　will　you　get　a　copy？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I'm　fairly　certain　Sinders'll　let　me　read　them　before　he　goes　back。〃
　〃And　if　he　doesn't？〃
　Crosse　shrugged；　〃We'll　get　to　look　at　them　one　way　or　another。〃
　〃Dunross？〃
　〃Only　as　a　last　res