tc.redrabbit-第133节

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turer；　Motorola。　Brand　new；　and　they　are　encrypted。　Lapel　microphones　and　earpieces。〃
　　　Ryan　looked　at　his。　The　earpiece　was　clear　plastic；　curled　up　like　a　phone　cord；　and　nearly　invisible。　That　was　good　news。　〃Batteries？〃
　　　〃Brand　new；　and　two　sets　of　replacements　for　each。　Good　to　know　that　Her　Majesty　is　well　looked　after。〃
　　　〃Okay；　so　nobody　can　listen　in；　and　we　can　swap　information；〃　Ryan　said。　It　was　one　more　piece　of　good　news　set　against　a　big　black　pile　of　the　bad　sort。　〃What's　the　plan　for　the　day？〃
　　　〃Back　to　the　piazza；　do　some　more　looking；　and　hope　we　see　our　friend　Strokov。〃
　　　〃And　if　we　do？〃　Ryan　asked。
　　　〃We　follow　him　back　to　his　acmodations　and　try　to　see　if　there's　a　way　to　speak　with　the　chap　this　evening。〃
　　　〃If　we　get　that　far；　just　talk　to　him？〃
　　　〃What　do　you　suppose；　Sir　John？〃　Sharp　replied　with　a　cold　look。
　　　You　really　willing　to　go　that　far；　Mr。　Sharp？　Jack　didn't　ask。　Well；　the　bastard　was　a　multiple　murderer；　and　as　civilized　as　the　Brits　were；　under　all　the　good　manners　and　world…class　hospitality；　they　knew　how　to　do　business；　and　while　Jack　wasn't　entirely　sure　that　he'd　be　able　to　go　all　the　way；　these　guys　probably　didn't　have　his　inhibitions。　Ryan　figured　he　could　live　with　that；　as　long　as　he　wasn't　the　trigger　man　himself。　Besides；　they'd　probably　give　him　a　chance　to　change　countries　first。　Better　a　talking　defector　than　a　silent　corpse。
　　　〃Would　that　give　anything　away？〃
　　　Sharp　shook　his　head。　〃No。　He's　the　chappie　who　killed　Georgiy　Markov；　remember？　We　can　always　say　it　is　a　case　of　visiting　Her　Majesty's　justice　on　someone　who　needed　to　learn　about　it。〃
　　　〃We　don't　approve　of　murder　at　home；　Jack；〃　John　Sparrow　advised。　〃It　would　indeed　be　a　pleasure　to　have　him　answer　for　that。〃
　　　〃Okay。〃　Ryan　could　live　with　that；　too。　He　was　certain　his　dad　would　approve。
　　　Oh；　yeah。
　　　The　rest　of　the　day；　they　all　played　tourist　and　tested　their　radios。　It　turned　out　that　the　radios　worked　both　inside　and　outside　the　basilica；　and；　better　yet；　inside　to　outside　the　immense　stone　structure。　Each　man　would　use　his　own　name　as　an　identifier。　It　made　more　sense　than　setting　up　numbers　or　code　names　that　they'd　all　have　to　remember…one　more　confusing　factor　that　they　wouldn't　need　if　the　shit　hit　the　fan。　All　the　while；　they　looked　around　for　the　face　of　Boris　Strokov；　hoping　for　a　miracle；　and　reminding　themselves　that　miracles　did　occasionally　happen。　People　really　did　hit　the　lottery…they　had　one　in　Italy；　too…and　the　football　pools　every　week；　and　so　it　was　possible；　just　damned　unlikely；　and　this　day；　it　did　not　happen。
　　　Nor　did　they　find　a　better　or　more　likely　place　from　which　to　take　a　shot　at　a　man　in　a　slow…moving　vehicle。　It　seemed　to　them　all　that　Ryan's　first　impression　of　the　tactical　realities　of　the　place　was　correct。　That　felt　good　to　Jack　until　he　realized　that　if　he'd　blown　it；　then　it　was　his　fault；　not　theirs。
　　　〃You　know；〃　Ryan　said　to　Mick　King…Sharp　was　back　doing　Deputy…Chief…of…Mission　business　for　the　British　ambassador…〃more　than　half　the　crowd　is　going　to　be　in　the　middle　there。〃
　　　〃Works　for　us；　Jack。　Only　a　fool　would　take　the　shot　from　in　there；　unless　he　plans　to　have　Scotty　beam　him　up　to　the　starship　Enterprise。　No　escape　possible　from　that　place。〃
　　　〃True；〃　Jack　agreed。　〃What　about　inside　somewhere；　get　the　Pope　on　the　way　to　the　car？〃
　　　〃Possible；〃　Mick　agreed。　〃But　that　would　mean　that　somehow　Strokov　or　someone　under　his　control　is　already　inside　the　Papal　administration…household；　whatever　one　calls　it…and　is　thus　free　to　make　his　killing　whenever　he　wishes。　Somehow　I　think　that　infiltrating　that　organization　would　be　difficult。　It　would　mean　maintaining　a　difficult　psychological　disguise　for　an　extended　period　of　time。　No。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　would　discount　that　possibility。〃
　　　〃Hope　you're　right；　man。〃
　　　〃So　do　I；　Jack。〃
　　　They　all　left　at　about　four；　each　catching　a　separate　cab　to　within　a　few　blocks　of　the　Brit　Embassy　and　walking　the　rest　of　the　way。
　　　Dinner　was　quiet　that　night。　Each　of　them　had　his　own　worries；　and　everyone　hoped　that　whatever　the　hell　Colonel　Strokov　of　the　DS　had　in　mind；　it　wasn't　for　this　week；　and　that　they　could　all　fly　back　to　London　the　following　evening　none　the　worse　off　for　the　experience。　One　thing　Ryan　had　learned：　Experienced　field　spooks　that　they　were；　they　were　no　more　fortable　with　this　mission　than　he　was。　It　was　good　not　to　be　alone　in　his　anxiety。　Or　was　that　just　schadenfreude？　What　the　hell；　was　this　how　it　felt　the　night　before　D…Day？　No；　there　was　no　German　Army　waiting　for　them。　Their　job　was　to　prevent　a　possible　murder；　and　the　danger　was　not　even　to　themselves。　It　was　to　someone　else　who　either　didn't　know　or　didn't　care　about　the　danger　to　himself；　and　so　they　had　assumed　responsibility　for　his　life。　Mick　King　had　gotten　it　right　from　his　first　impression　the　day　before。　It　was　a　pig　of　a　mission。
　　　〃More　stuff　from　the　Rabbit；〃　Moore　reported　at　the　usual　evening　get…together。
　　　〃What's　that？〃
　　　〃Basil　says　there's　a　deep…penetration　agent　in　their　Foreign　Office；　and　the　Rabbit　gave　them　enough　information　to　narrow　him　down　to　four　potential　individuals。　'Five'　is　already　looking　at　them。　And　he　gave　them　some　more　on　this　CASSIUS　guy　over　here。　He's　been　working　for　them　just　over　ten　years。　Definitely　a　senior　aide　to　a　senator　on　the　Intelligence　mittee…sounds　like　a　political　adviser。　So　it's　probably　somebody　who's　been　briefed　in　and　has　a　clearance。　That　cuts　it　down　to　eighteen　people　for　the　Bureau　to　check　out。〃
　　　〃What's　he　giving　them；　Arthur？〃　Greer　asked。
　　　〃Sounds　like　whatever　we　tell　The　Hill　about　KGB　operations　gets　back　to　Dzerzhinskiy　Square　in　less　than　a　week。〃
　　　〃I　want　that　son　of　a　bitch；〃　Ritter　announced。　〃If　that's　true；　then　we've　lost　agents　because　of　him。〃　And　Bob　Ritter；　whatever　his　faults；　looked　after　his　agents　like　a　mama　grizzly　bear　with　her　cubs。
　　　〃Well；　he's　been　doing　this　long　enough　that　he's　probably　pretty　fortable　in　his　fieldcraft。〃
　　　〃He　told　us　about　a　Navy　guy…NEPTUNE；　wasn't　it？〃　Greer　remembered。
　　　〃Nothing　new　there；　but　we'll　be　sure　to　ask　him　about　it。　That　could　be　anybody。　How　careful　is　the　Navy　with　their　crypto　gear？〃
　　　Greer　shrugged。　〃Every　single　ship　has　munications　people；　petty　officers；　and　a　missioned　munications　officer。　They're　supposed　to　destroy　the　setting　sheets　and　circuit　boards　on　a　daily　basis；　and　toss　them　over　the　side…and　not　just　one。　Two　people　have　to　see　it；　supposedly。　And　they're　all　cleared…〃
　　　〃But　only　people　with　clearances　can　fuck　us　in　the　ass；〃　Ritter　reminded　them。
　　　〃Only　the　people　you　trust　with　your　money　can　steal　from　you；〃　Judge　Moore　observed。　He'd　seen　enough　criminal　cases　along　that　score。　〃That's　the　problem。　Imagine　how　Ivan's　going　to　feel　if　he　finds　out　about　the　Rabbit。〃
　　　〃That；〃　Ritter　said；　〃is　different。〃
　　　〃Very　good；　Bob；〃　the　DCI　reacted　with　a　laugh。　〃My　wife　says　that　to　me　all　the　time。　It　must　be　the　war　cry　of　women　all　over　the　world…that's　different。　The　other　side　thinks　they're　the　forces　of　Truth　and　Beauty；　too；　remember。〃
　　　〃Yeah；　Judge；　but　we're　going　to　whip　'em。〃
　　　It　was　good　to　see　such　confidence；　especially　in　a　guy　like　Bob　Ritter；　Moore　thought。
　　　〃Still　thinking　about　THE　MASQUE　OF　THE　RED　DEATH；　Robert？〃
　　　〃Putting　some　ideas　together。　Give　me　a　few　weeks。〃
　　　〃Fair　enough。〃
　　　It　was　just　one　in　the　morning　in　Washington　when　Ryan　awoke　on　Italian　time。　The　shower　helped　get　him　alert；　and　the　shave　got　his　face　smooth。　By　seven…thirty；　he　was　heading　down　for　breakfast。　Mrs。　Sharp　fixed　coffee　in　the　Italian　style；　which　surprisingly　tasted　as　though　someone　had　emptied　an　ashtray　into　the　pot。　Jack　wrote　that　off　to　differing　national　tastes。　The　eggs　and　（English）　bacon　were　just　fine；　as　was　the　buttered　toast。　Someone　had　decided　that　men　going　into　action　needed　full　bellies。　A　pity　the　Brits　didn't　know　about　hash　brown　potatoes；　the　most　filling　of　unhealthy　breakfast　foods。
　　　〃All　ready？〃　Sharp　asked；　ing　in。
　　　〃I　guess　we　all　have　to　be。　What　about　the　rest　of　the　crew？〃
　　　〃We　rendezvous　at　the　front　of　the　basilica　in　thirty…five　minutes。〃　And　it　was　only　a　five…minute　drive　from　there。　〃Here's　a　friend　for　you　to　take　along。〃　He　handed　over　a　pistol。
　　　Jack　took　it　and　slid　the　slide　back。　It　was；　fortunately；　empty。
　　　〃You　may　need　this；　too。〃　Sharp　handed　over　two　loaded　magazines。　Sure　enough；　they　were　hardball…full…metal…jacketed…cartridges；　which　would　go　right　through　the　target；　making　only　a　nine…millimeter　hole　in　and　out。　But　Europeans　thought　you　could　drop　an　elephant　with　them。　Yeah；　sure；　Jack　thought；　wishing　for　a　。45　Colt　M1911A1；　which　was　much　better　suited　for　putting　a　man　on　the　ground　and　leaving　him　there　until　the　ambulance　crew　arrived。　But　he'd　never　mastered　the　big　Colt；　though　he　had；　barely；　qualified　with　it。　It　was　with　a　rifle　that　Ryan　could　really　shoot；　but　nearly　anyone　could　shoot　a　rifle。　Sharp　didn't　provide　a　holster。　The　Browning　Hi…Power　would　have　to　go　in　his　belt；　and　he'd　have　to　keep　his　jacket　buttoned　to　conceal　it。　The　bad　thing　about　carrying　a　pistol　was　that　they　were　heavy　damned　things　to　port　aro