tc.redrabbit-第109节

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can't　dissimulate　while　asleep。　It　was　an　important　fact　in　Ryan's　personal　universe。
　　　There　was　no　use　turning　on　the　bedside　radio。　Hungarian…actually　Magyar…was　a　language　probably　found　on　the　planet　Mars。　For　damned　sure；　it　didn't　belong　on　Planet　Earth。　He'd　not　heard　one；　not　even　one；　word　that　he　recognized　from　English；　German；　or　Latin；　the　three　languages　he'd　studied　at　one　time　or　another　in　his　life。　The　locals　also　spoke　as　quickly　as　a　machine　gun；　adding　to　the　difficulty　on　his　part。　Had　Hudson　dropped　him　off　anywhere　in　this　city；　he　would　have　been　unable　to　find　his　way　back　to　the　British　Embassy；　and　that　was　a　feeling　of　vulnerability　he　hadn't　had　since　he　was　four　years　old。　He　might　as　well　have　been　on　an　alien　planet；　and　having　a　diplomatic　passport　wouldn't　help；　since　he　was　accredited　by　the　wrong　country　to　this　alien　world。　Somehow　he'd　not　fully　considered　that　on　the　way　in。　Like　most　Americans；　he　figured　that　with　a　passport　and　an　American　Express　card　he　could　safely　travel　the　entire　world　in　his　shorts；　but　that　world　was　only　the　capitalist　world；　where　somebody　would　speak　enough　English　to　point　him　to　a　building　with　the　American　flag　on　the　roof　and　U。S。　Marines　in　the　lobby。　Not　in　this　alien　city。　He　didn't　know　enough　to　find　the　men's　room…well；　he'd　found　one　in　a　bar　the　previous　day；　Ryan　admitted　to　himself。　The　feeling　of　helplessness　was　hovering　at　the　border　of　his　consciousness　like　the　proverbial　monster　under　the　bed；　but　he　was　a　grown…up　American　male　citizen；　over　thirty；　formerly　a　missioned　officer　in　the　U。S。　Marine　Corps。　It　wasn't　the　way　he　usually　felt　about　things。　And　so　he　watched　the　numbers　change　on　his　digital　clock　radio；　bringing　him　closer　to　his　personal　date　with　destiny；　whatever　the　hell　that　was　going　to　be；　one　red…lit　number　at　a　time。
　　　Andy　Hudson　was　already　up　and　about。　Istvan　Kovacs　was　preparing　for　one　of　his　normal　smuggling　runs；　this　time　bringing　Reebok　running　shoes　into　Budapest　from　Yugoslavia。　His　hard　cash　was　in　a　steel　box　under　his　bed；　and　he　was　drinking　his　morning　coffee　and　listening　to　music　on　the　radio　when　a　knock　on　the　door　made　him　look　up。　He　walked　to　answer　it　in　his　underwear。
　　　〃Andy！〃　he　said　in　surprise。
　　　〃Did　I　wake　you；　Istvan？〃
　　　Kovacs　waved　him　inside。　〃No；　I've　been　up　for　half　an　hour。　What　brings　you　here？〃
　　　〃We　need　to　move　our　package　tonight；〃　Hudson　replied。
　　　〃When；　exactly？〃
　　　〃Oh；　about　two　in　the　morning。〃
　　　Hudson　reached　into　his　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　wad　of　banknotes。　〃Here　is　half　of　the　agreed　sum。〃　There　was　no　point　in　paying　this　Hungarian　what　they　were　really　worth。　It　would　alter　the　whole　equation。
　　　〃Excellent。　Can　I　get　you　some　coffee；　Andy？〃
　　　〃Yes；　thank　you。〃
　　　Kovacs　waved　him　to　the　kitchen　table　and　poured　a　cup。　〃How　do　you　want　to　go　about　it？〃
　　　〃I　will　drive　our　package　to　near　the　border；　and　you　will　take　them　across。　I　presume　you　know　the　border　guards　at　the　crossing　point。〃
　　　〃Yes；　it　will　be　Captain　Budai　Laszlo。　I've　done　business　with　him　for　years。　And　Sergeant　Kerekes　Mihaly；　good　lad；　wants　to　go　to　university　and　be　an　engineer。　They　do　twelve…hour　shifts　at　the　crossing　point；　midnight　to　noon。　They　will　already　be　bored；　Andy；　and　open　to　negotiation。〃　He　held　up　his　hand　and　rubbed　a　thumb　over　his　forefinger。
　　　〃What　is　the　usual　rate？〃
　　　〃For　four　people？〃
　　　〃Do　they　need　to　know　our　package　is　people？〃　Hudson　asked　in　return。
　　　Kovacs　shrugged。　〃No；　I　suppose　not。　Then　some　pairs　of　shoes。　The　Reeboks　are　very　popular；　you　know；　and　some　Western　movie　tapes。　They　already　have　all　the　tape…player　machines　they　need；〃　Kovacs　explained。
　　　〃Be　generous；〃　Hudson　suggested；　〃but　not　too　generous。〃　Mustn't　make　them　suspicious；　he　didn't　have　to　add。　〃If　they　are　married；　perhaps　something　for　their　wives　and　children。。。〃
　　　〃I　know　Budai's　family　well；　Andy。　That　will　not　be　a　problem。〃　Budai　had　a　young　daughter；　and　giving　something　for　little　Zsoka　would　cause　no　problems　for　the　smuggler。
　　　Hudson　made　a　calculation　for　distance。　Two　and　a　half　hours　to　the　Yugoslav　border　should　be　about　right　at　that　time　of　night。　They'd　be　using　a　small　truck　for　the　first　part　of　the　journey。　Istvan　would　handle　the　rest　in　his　larger　truck。　And　if　anything　went　wrong；　Istvan　would　expect　to　be　shot　by　the　British　Secret　Service　officer。　That　was　one　benefit　of　the　world…famous　James　Bond　movies。　But；　more　to　the　point；　five　thousand　d…mark　went　a　very　long　way　in　Hungary。
　　　〃I　will　be　driving　to　what　destination？〃
　　　〃I　will　tell　you　tonight；〃　Hudson　answered。
　　　〃Very　well。　I　shall　meet　you　at　Csurgo　at　two　tomorrow　morning　without　fail。〃
　　　〃That　is　very　good；　Istvan。〃　Hudson　finished　his　coffee　and　stood。　〃It　is　good　to　have　such　a　reliable　friend。〃
　　　〃You　pay　me　well；〃　Kovacs　observed；　defining　their　relationship。
　　　Hudson　was　tempted　to　say　how　much　he　trusted　his　agent；　but　that　wasn't　strictly　true。　Like　most　field　spooks；　he　didn't　trust　anybody…not　until　after　the　job　was　pleted。　Might　Istvan　be　in　the　pay　of　the　AVH？　Probably　not。　No　way　they　could　afford　five　thousand　West　German　marks　on　anything　approaching　a　regular　basis；　and　Kovacs　liked　the　good　life　too　much。　If　the　munist　government　of　this　country　ever　fell；　he'd　be　among　the　first　to　bee　a　millionaire；　with　a　nice　house　in　the　hills　of　Pest　on　the　other　side　of　the　Danube；　overlooking　Buda。
　　　Twenty　minutes　later；　Hudson　found　Ryan　at　the　front　of　the　line　in　the　embassy　canteen。
　　　〃Like　your　eggs；　I　see；〃　the　COS　observed。
　　　〃Local；　or　do　you　truck　it　in　from　Austria？〃
　　　〃The　eggs　are　local。　The　farm　products　here　are　actually　quite　good。　But　we　like　our　English　bacon。〃
　　　〃Developed　a　taste　for　it　myself；〃　Jack　reported。　〃What's　happening？〃　he　asked。　Andy's　eyes　had　a　certain　excitement　in　them。
　　　〃It's　tonight。　First　we　go　to　the　concert　hall；　and　then　we　make　our　pickup。〃
　　　〃Giving　him　a　heads…up？〃
　　　Hudson　shook　his　head。　〃No。　He　might　act　differently。　I　prefer　to　avoid　that　plication。〃
　　　〃What　if　he's　not　ready？　What　if　he　has　second　thoughts？〃　Jack　worried。
　　　〃In　that　case；　it's　a　blown　mission。　And　we　disappear　into　the　mists　of　Budapest；　and　e　tomorrow　morning　many　faces　will　be　red　in　London；　Washington；　and　Moscow。〃
　　　〃You're　pretty　cool　about　this；　buddy。〃
　　　〃In　this　job；　you　take　things　as　they　e。　Getting　excited　about　them　doesn't　help　at　all。〃　He　managed　a　smile。　〃So　long　as　I　take　the　Queen's　shilling　and　eat　the　Queen's　biscuit；　I　shall　do　the　Queen's　work。〃
　　　〃Semper　fi；　man；〃　Jack　observed。　He　added　cream　to　his　coffee　and　took　a　sip。　Not　great；　but　good　enough　for　the　moment。
　　　So　was　the　food　in　the　state…run　cafeteria　next　door　to　the　Hotel　Astoria。　Svetlana　had　chosen　and　positively　inhaled　a　cherry　Danish　pastry；　along　with　a　glass　of　whole　milk。
　　　〃The　concert　is　tonight；〃　Oleg　told　his　wife。　〃Excited？〃
　　　〃You　know　how　long　it　has　been　since　I've　been　to　a　proper　concert？〃　she　retorted。　〃Oleg；　I　shall　never　forget　this　kindness　on　your　part。〃　She　was　surprised　by　the　look　on　his　face；　but　made　no　ment　on　it。
　　　〃Well；　my　dear；　today　we　have　more　shopping　to　do。　Ladies'　things。　You　will　have　to　handle　that　for　me。〃
　　　〃Anything　for　myself？〃
　　　〃To　that　end；　we　have　eight　hundred　and　fifty　econ　rubles；　just　for　you　to　spend；〃　Oleg　Ivan'ch　told　her；　with　a　beaming　smile；　wondering　if　anything　she　bought　would　be　in　use　by　the　end　of　the　week。
　　　〃Your　husband　still　off　on　business？〃　Beaverton　asked。
　　　〃Unfortunately；〃　Cathy　confirmed。
　　　Too　bad；　the　former　Para　didn't　say。　He'd　bee　a　good　student　of　human　behavior　over　the　years；　and　her　unhappiness　with　the　current　situation　was　plain。　Well；　Sir　John　was　doubtless　off　doing　something　interesting。　He'd　taken　the　time　to　do　a　little　research　on　the　Ryans。　She；　the　papers　said；　was　a　surgeon；　just　as　she'd　told　him　weeks　before。　Her　husband；　on　the　other　hand；　despite　his　claim　to　be　a　junior　official　at　the　American　Embassy；　was　probably　CIA。　It　had　been　hinted　at　by　the　London　papers　back　when　he'd　had　that　run…in　with　the　ULS　terrorists；　but　that　supposition　had　never　been　repeated。　Probably　because　someone　had　asked　Fleet　Street…politely…not　to　say　such　a　thing　ever　again。　That　told　Eddie　Beaverton　everything　he　needed　to　know。　The　papers　had　also　said　he　was；　if　not　rich；　certainly　fortably　set；　and　that　was　confirmed　by　the　expensive　Jaguar　in　their　driveway。　So；　Sir　John　was　away　on　secret　business　of　some　sort　or　other。　There　was　no　sense　in　wondering　what；　the　cabdriver　thought；　pulling　up　to　the　miniature　Chatham　train　station。　〃Have　a　good　day；　mum；〃　he　told　her　when　she　got　out。
　　　〃Thanks；　Eddie。〃　The　usual　tip。　It　was　good　to　have　such　a　generous　steady　customer。
　　　For　Cathy　it　was　the　usual　train　ride　into　London；　with　the　pany　of　a　medical　journal；　but　without　the　fort　of　having　her　husband　close　by；　reading　his　Daily　Telegraph　or　dozing。　It　was　funny　how　you　could　miss　even　a　sleeping　man　next　to　you。
　　　〃That's　the　concert　hall。〃
　　　Like　Ryan's　old　Volkswagen　Rabbit；　the　Budapest　Concert　Hall　was　well　made　in　every　detail；　but　little；　hardly　filling　the　city　block　it　sat　upon；　its　architecture　hinting　at　the