tc.redrabbit-第116节

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　　　〃You　all　speak　English？〃　he　asked；　and　got　nods。　〃It　is　a　short　way　to　the　border；　just　five　kilometer。　You　will　hide　in　boxes　here。　Please　make　no　noise。　Is　important。　You　understand？　Make　no　noise。〃　He　got　more　nods；　noting　that　the　man…definitely　not　an　Englishman；　he　could　see…translated　to　his　wife。　The　man　took　the　child；　Kovacs　saw　also。　With　his　cargo　hidden　away；　he　closed　the　tailgate　and　walked　forward。
　　　〃Five　thousand　d…mark　for　this；　eh？〃　Istvan　asked。
　　　〃That　is　correct；〃　Hudson　agreed。
　　　〃I　should　ask　more；　but　I　am　not　a　greedy　man。〃
　　　〃You　are　a　trusted　rade；　my　friend；〃　Hudson　assured　him；　briefly　wishing　that　he　had　a　pistol　in　his　belt。
　　　The　Volvo's　big　diesel　lit　up　with　a　rumbling　roar　and　the　truck　jerked　off；　back　to　the　main　road；　with　Jani　at　the　large；　almost　flat　steering　wheel。
　　　It　didn't　take　long。
　　　And　that　was　a　good　thing　for　Ryan；　crouching　in　the　cardboard　box　in　the　back。　He　could　only　guess　how　the　Russians　felt；　like　unborn　babies　in　a　horrible　womb；　one　with　loaded　guns　outside　it。
　　　Ryan　was　afraid　even　to　smoke　a　final　cigarette；　fearing　someone　might　smell　the　smoke　over　the　pungent　diesel　exhaust；　which　was　altogether　unlikely。
　　　〃So；　Istvan；〃　Hudson　asked　in　the　cab；　〃what　is　the　routine？〃
　　　〃Watch。　We　usually　travel　at　night。　Is　more…dramatic；　you　say？　I　know　the　Hatar…rseg　here　many　years　now。　Captain　Budai　Laszlo　is　good　man　to　do　business　with。　He　has　wife　and　little　daughter；　always　want　present　for　daughter　Zsoka。　I　have；〃　Kovacs　promised；　holding　up　a　paper　bag。
　　　The　border　post　was　sufficiently　well　lighted　that　they　could　see　it　three　kilometers　off；　and　blessedly　there　was　little　traffic　this　time　of　night。　Jani　drove　up　normally；　slowing　and　stopping　there　when　the　private　of　the　border　guards；　the　Hatar…rseg；　waved　for　them　to　halt。
　　　〃Is　Captain　Budai　here？〃　Kovacs　asked　at　once。　〃I　have　something　for　him。〃　The　private　headed　into　the　guardhouse　and　returned　instantly　with　a　more　senior　man。
　　　〃Laszlo！　How　are　you　this　cold　night？〃　Kovacs　called　in　Magyar；　then　jumped　down　from　the　cab　with　the　paper　shopping　bag。
　　　〃Istvan；　what　can　I　say；　it　is　dull　night；〃　the　youngish　captain　replied。
　　　〃And　your　little　Zsoka；　she　is　well？〃
　　　〃Her　birthday　is　next　week。　She　will　be　five。〃
　　　〃Excellent！〃　the　smuggler　observed。　He　handed　over　the　bag。　〃Give　her　these。〃
　　　〃These〃　were　a　pair　of　candy…apple…red　Reebok　sneakers　with　Velcro　closures。
　　　〃Lovely；〃　Captain　Budai　observed；　with　genuine　pleasure。　He　took　them　out　to　look　at　them　in　the　light。　Any　female　child　in　the　world　loved　the　things；　and　Laszlo　was　as　happy　as　his　daughter　would　be　in　four　days。　〃You　are　a　good　friend；　Istvan。　So；　what　do　you　transport　tonight？〃
　　　〃Nothing　of　value。　I'm　making　a　pickup　this　morning　in　Beograd；　though。　Anything　you　need？〃
　　　〃My　wife　would　love　some　tapes　for　the　Walkman　you　got　her　last　month。〃　The　amazing　thing　about　Budai　was　that　he　was　not　an　overly　greedy　man。　That　was　one　of　the　reasons　Kovacs　liked　to　travel　across　the　border　on　his　watch。
　　　〃What　groups？〃
　　　〃The　Bee　Gees；　I　think　she　called　them。　For　me；　some　show　tunes；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　　　〃Anything　in　particular？　The　music　from　American　movies；　like　Star　Wars；　perhaps。〃
　　　〃I　have　that　one；　but　not　the　new　one；　the　Empire　Attacks　Back；　perhaps？〃
　　　〃Done。〃　They　shook　hands。　〃How　about　some　Western　coffee？〃
　　　〃What　kind？〃
　　　〃Austrian　or　American；　maybe？　There's　a　place　in　Beograd　that　has　American　Folgers　coffee。　It　is　very　tasty；〃　Kovacs　assured　him。
　　　〃I　have　never　tried　that。〃
　　　〃I'll　get　you　some　and　you　can　try　it…no　charge。〃
　　　〃You　are　a　good　man；〃　Budai　observed。　〃Have　a　good　night。　Pass；〃　he　concluded；　waving　to　his　corporal。
　　　And　it　was　just　that　easy。　Kovacs　walked　back　around　and　climbed　into　his　truck。　He　wouldn't　have　to　part　with　the　present　he　had　for　Sergeant　Kerekes　Mikaly；　and　that　was　good；　too。
　　　Hudson　was　surprised。　〃No　paper　check？〃
　　　〃Laszlo　just　runs　the　name　through　the　teletype　to　Budapest。　Some　people　there　are　also　on　my　payroll。　They　are　more　greedy　than　he　is；　but　is　not　major　expense。　Jani；　go；〃　he　said　to　the　driver；　who　started　up　and　pulled　across　the　line　painted　on　the　pavement。　And　just　that　easily；　the　truck　left　the　Warsaw　Pact。
　　　In　the　back；　Ryan　had　rarely　felt　so　good　to　feel　a　vehicle　start　to　move。　It　stopped　again　in　a　minute；　but　this　was　a　different　border。
　　　And　going　into　Yugoslavia；　Jani　handled　it；　just　trading　a　few　words　with　the　guard；　not　even　killing　the　engine；　before　being　waved　forward　and　into　the　semi…munist　country。　He　drove　three　kilometers　before　being　told　to　pull　off　onto　a　side　road。　There；　after　a　few　bumps；　the　Volvo　stopped。　Yugoslavian　border　security；　Hudson　saw；　was　sod…all。
　　　Ryan　was　already　out　of　his　cardboard　box　and　standing　at　the　back　when　the　canvas　cover　was　flipped　aside。
　　　〃We're　here；　Jack；〃　Hudson　said。
　　　〃Where　is　that　exactly？〃
　　　〃Yugoslavia；　my　lad。　The　nearest　town　is　Legrad；　and　here　we　part　pany。〃
　　　〃Oh？〃
　　　〃Yes；　I'm　turning　you　over　to　Vic　Lucas。　He's　my　counterpart　in　Belgrade。　Vic？〃　Hudson　beckoned。
　　　The　man　who　came　into　view　might　have　been　Hudson's　twin；　except　for　the　hair；　which　was　black。　He　was　also　two　or　three　inches　taller；　Jack　decided　on　second　inspection。　He　went　forward　to　get　the　Rabbits　out　of　the　boxes。　That　happened　in　a　hurry；　and　Ryan　helped　them　down；　hand　ing　the　little　girl…remarkably；　still　asleep…to　her　mother；　who　looked　more　confused　than　ever。
　　　Hudson　walked　them　to　a　car；　a　station　wagon…〃estate　wagon〃　to　the　Brits…which　would　at　least　have　ample　room　for　everyone。
　　　〃Sir　John…Jack；　that　is…well　done；　and　thanks　for　all　your　help。〃
　　　〃I　didn't　do　shit；　Andy；　but　you　handled　this　pretty　damned　well；〃　Ryan　said；　taking　his　hand。　〃e　see　me　in　London　for　a　pint　sometime。〃
　　　〃That　I　shall　do；〃　Hudson　promised。
　　　The　estate　wagon　was　a　British　Ford。　Ryan　helped　the　Rabbits　into　their　seats　and　then　took　the　right…front　again。
　　　〃Mr。　Lucas；　where　do　we　go　now？〃
　　　〃To　the　airport。　Our　flight　is　waiting；〃　the　Belgrade　COS　replied。
　　　〃Oh？　Special　flight？〃
　　　〃No；　the　mercial　aircraft　is　experiencing　'technical　difficulties'　at　the　moment。　I　rather　expect　they　will　be　cleared　up　about　the　time　we　get　aboard。〃
　　　〃Good　to　know；〃　Ryan　observed。　Better　this　than　a　real　broken　airplane；　then　he　realized　that　one　more　harrowing　adventure　lay　ahead。　His　hatred　of　flying　was　suddenly　back；　now　that　they　were　in　semi…free　country。
　　　〃Right；　let's　be　off；〃　Lucas　said；　starting　his　engine　and　pulling　off。
　　　Whatever　sort　of　spook　Vic　Lucas　was；　he　must　have　thought　himself　Stirling　Moss's　smarter　brother。　The　car　rocketed　down　the　road　into　the　Yugoslavian　darkness。
　　　〃So；　how　has　your　night　been；　Jack？〃
　　　〃Eventful；〃　Ryan　answered；　making　sure　his　seat　belt　was　properly　fastened。
　　　The　countryside　here　was　better　lit　and　the　road　better　engineered　and　maintained；　or　so　it　seemed；　flashing　by　at　what　felt　like　seventy…five　miles　per　hour；　rather　fast　for　a　strange　road　in　the　dark。　Robby　Jackson　drove　like　this；　but　Robby　was　a　fighter　pilot；　and　therefore　invincible　while　at　the　controls　of　any　transportation　platform。　This　Vic　Lucas　must　have　felt　the　same　way；　calmly　looking　forward　and　turning　the　wheel　in　short；　sharp　increments。　In　the　back；　Oleg　was　still　tense；　and　Irina　still　trying　to　e　to　terms　with　some　new　and　inprehensible　reality；　while　their　little　daughter　continued　to　sleep　like　a　diminutive　angel。　Ryan　was　chain…smoking。　It　seemed　to　help　somewhat；　though　if　Cathy　smelled　it　on　his　breath　there　would　be　hell　to　pay。　Well；　she'd　just　have　to　understand；　Jack　thought；　watching　telephone　poles　flash　by　the　car　like　fence　pickets。　He　was　doing　Uncle　Sam's　business。
　　　Then　Ryan　saw　a　police　car　sitting　by　the　side　of　the　road；　its　officers　sipping　coffee　or　sleeping　through　their　watch。
　　　〃Not　to　worry；〃　Lucas　said。　〃Diplomatic　tags。　I　am　the　senior　political　counselor　at　Her　Britannic　Majesty's　Embassy。　And　you　good　people　are　my　guests。〃
　　　〃You　say　so；　man。　How　much　longer？〃
　　　〃Half　an　hour；　roughly。　Traffic's　been　very　kind　to　us　so　far。　Not　much　truck　traffic。　This　road　can　be　crowded；　even　late　at　night　with　cross…border　trade。　That　Kovacs　chap's　been　working　with　us　for　years。　I　could　make　quite　a　good　living　in　partnership　with　him。　He　often　brings　those　Hungarian　tape　machines　this　way。　They're　decent　machines；　and　they're　giving　the　bloody　things　away；　what　with　the　labor　costs　in　Hungary。　Surprising　they　don't　try　to　sell　them　in　the　West；　though　I　expect　they'd　have　to　pay　the　Japanese　for　the　patent　infringements。　Not　too　scrupulous　about　such　things　on　the　other　side　of　the　line；　you　see。〃　Lucas　took　another　high…speed　turn。
　　　〃Jesus；　guy；　how　fast　do　you　go　in　daylight？〃
　　　〃Not　much　faster　than　this。　Good　night　vision；　you　see；　but　the　suspension　on　this　car　slows　me　down。　American　design；　you　see。　Too　soft　for　proper　handling。〃
　　　〃So　buy　a　Corvette。　Friend　of　mine　has　one。〃
　　　〃Lovely　things；　but　made　out　of　plastic。〃　Lucas　shook　his　head　and　reached　for　a　cigar。　Probably　a　Cuban　one；　Ryan　was　sure。　They　loved　the　things　in　England。
　　　Half　an　hour　later；　Lucas　congratula