tc.redrabbit-第80节

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gh　it。　There　was　still　concern　about　KGB　and　the　Pope；　but；　aside　from　the　Rabbit；　he　had　nothing　new　to　report；　and　it　was　only　hope　that　told　him　the　Flopsy　had　anything　to　report　on　that　subject。　A　lot　of　interest　in　last　week's　Politburo　meeting；　but　for　that　he'd　have　to　wait　for　his　sources　to　report　in。　Questions　about　Leonid　Brezhnev's　health；　but　while　they　knew　the　names　of　his　physicians…a　whole　team　of　them…none　of　them　talked　to　CIA　directly。　You　could　see　the　picture　on　TV　and　know　that　Leonid　Ilyich　wasn't　going　to　be　running　the　marathon　in　the　next　Olympics。　But　people　like　that　could　linger　for　years；　good　news　and　bad　news。　Brezhnev　wasn't　going　to　be　doing　anything　new　and　different；　but；　as　he　became　increasingly　irrational；　there　was　no　telling　what　dumbass　things　he　might　try…damned　sure　he　wasn't　going　to　be　pulling　out　of　Afghanistan。　He　didn't　care　a　rap　about　the　lives　of　young　Russian　soldiers；　not　when　he　heard　Death's　footsteps　approaching　his　own　door。　The　succession　was　of　interest　to　CIA；　but　it　was　fairly　settled　that　Yuriy　Vladimirovich　Andropov　would　be　the　next　guy　at　the　seat　at　the　head　of　the　table；　absent　a　sudden　death　or　a　major　foot　put　wrong　in　a　political　sense。　Andropov　was　too　canny　a　political　operator　for　that；　however。　No；　he　was　the　current　czarevich；　and　that　was　that。　Hopefully；　he　wouldn't　be　too　vigorous…and　he　wouldn't　if　the　stories　about　his　liver　disease　were　true。　Every　time　Foley　saw　him　on　Russian　TV；　he　looked　for　the　yellow　tinge　on　his　skin　that　announced　that　particular　ailment…but　makeup　could　hide　that；　if　they　used　makeup　on　their　political　chieftains。。。　Hmm；　how　to　check　that？　he　wondered。　Something　to　send　back　to　the　Science　and　Technology　Directorate　at　Langley；　maybe。
　　　Zaitzev　took　his　seat；　after　relieving　Kolya　Dobrik；　and　looked　over　his　message　traffic。　He　decided　to　memorize　as　much　as　possible；　and　so　he　took　a　little　longer　than　usual　forwarding　the　messages　to　their　end…recipients。　There　was　one　from　Agent　CASSIUS　again；　routed　for　political…intelligence　people　upstairs；　and　also　at　the　U。S。…Canada　Institute；　where　the　academicians　read　the　tea　leaves　for　The　Centre　as　a　backup。　There　was　one　from　NEPTUNE；　requesting　money　for　the　agent　who　was　giving　KGB　such　good　munications　intelligence。　NEPTUNE　suggested　the　sea；　didn't　it？　Zaitzev　searched　his　memory　for　previous　signals　from　that　source。　Wasn't　it　mainly　about　the　American　navy？　And　he　was　the　reason　he　worried　about　American　signals　security。　Surely　KGB　was　paying　him　a　huge　amount　of　money；　hundreds　of　thousands　of　dollars　in　American　cash；　something　KGB　had　a　problem　getting　ahold　of…it　was　far　easier　for　the　Soviet　Union　to　pay　in　diamonds；　since　it　could　mine　for　diamonds　in　eastern　Siberia。　They'd　paid　some　Americans　in　diamonds；　but　they'd　been　caught　by　the　vigilant　American　FBI；　and　KGB　had　never　tried　to　negotiate　their　release。。。　so　much　for　loyalty。　The　Americans　tried　to　do　that；　he　knew；　but　most　of　the　time　the　people　they　tried　to　get　out　had　already　been　executed…a　thought　that　stopped　his　thoughts　cold　in　their　tracks。
　　　But　there　was　no　turning　back　now；　and　CIA　was　petent　enough　that　KGB　feared　it；　and　didn't　that　mean　that　he　was　in　good　hands？
　　　Then　he　remembered　one　other　thing　he　had　to　do　today。　In　his　drawer　was　a　pad　of　contact　reports。　Mary　had　suggested　he　report　their　meeting；　and　so　he　did。　He　described　her　as　pretty；　in　her　late　twenties　or　early　thirties；　mother　of　a　fairly　nice　little　son；　and　none　too　bright…very　American　in　mannerisms；　he　wrote…with　modest　language　skills；　good　vocabulary　but　poor　syntax　and　pronunciation；　which　made　her　Russian　understandable　but　stilted。　He　didn't　make　an　evaluation　of　her　likelihood　to　be　an　intelligence　officer；　which；　he　figured；　was　the　smart　thing　to　do。　After　fifteen　minutes　of　writing；　he　walked　it　over　to　the　department　security　officer。
　　　〃This　was　a　waste　of　time；〃　he　said；　handing　it　to　the　man；　a　captain　passed　over　for　promotion　twice。
　　　The　security　officer　scanned　it。　〃Where　did　you　meet　her？〃
　　　〃It's　right　there。〃　He　pointed　to　the　contact　form。　〃I　took　my　zaichik　for　a　walk　in　the　park；　and　she　showed　up　with　her　little　boy。　His　name　is　Eddie；　actual　name　is　evidently　Edward　Edwardovich…Edward　Junior；　as　the　Americans　say　it…age　four；　I　think　she　said；　a　nice　little　boy。　We　talked　a　few　minutes　about　not　very　much；　and　the　two　of　them　walked　away。〃
　　　〃Your　impression　of　her？〃
　　　〃If　she　is　a　spy；　then　I　am　confident　of　the　victory　of　socialism；〃　Zaitzev　replied。　〃She　is　rather　pretty；　but　far　too　skinny；　and　not　overly　bright。　What　I　suppose　is　a　typical　American　housewife。〃
　　　〃Anything　else？〃
　　　〃It's　all　there；　rade　Captain。　It　took　longer　to　write　that　up　than　it　did　to　speak　with　her。〃
　　　〃Your　vigilance　is　noted；　rade　Major。〃
　　　〃I　serve　the　Soviet　Union。〃　And　Zaitzev　headed　back　to　his　desk。　It　was　a　good　idea　on　her　part；　he　thought；　to　cross　this　t　so　assiduously。　There　might　have　been　a　shadow　on　her；　after　all；　and　if　not；　then　there　would　be　a　new　entry　in　her　KGB　file；　reported　by　a　KGB　officer；　certifying　that　she　was　no　threat　to　world　socialism。
　　　Back　at　his　desk；　he　returned　to　making　extra…careful　mental　notes　of　his　daily　work。　The　more　he　gave　CIA；　the　better　he'd　be　paid。　Maybe　he　would　take　his　daughter　to　that　Disney　Planet　amusement　park；　and　maybe　his　little　zaichik　would　enjoy　herself　there。　His　signals　included　other　countries；　too；　and　he　memorized　those　as　well。　One　code…named　MINISTER　in　England　was　interesting。　He　was　probably　in　their　Foreign　Ministry；　and　provided　excellent　political/diplomatic　intelligence　that　they　loved　upstairs。
　　　Foley　took　an　embassy　car　for　the　drive　to　the　British　Embassy。　They　were　cordial　enough　once　he　showed　his　ID；　and　Nigel　came　down　to　meet　him　in　the　grand　foyer；　which　was　indeed　quite　grand。
　　　〃Hello；　Ed！〃　He　gave　a　hearty　handshake　and　a　smile。　〃e　this　way。〃　They　went　up　the　marble　stairs　and　then　right　to　his　office。　Haydock　closed　the　door　and　pointed　him　to　a　leather　chair。
　　　〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　　　〃We　got　a　Rabbit；〃　Foley　said；　skipping　the　preliminaries。
　　　And　that　said　it　all。　Haydock　knew　that　Foley　was　a　spook…a　〃cousin〃　in　the　British　terminology。
　　　〃Why　are　you　telling　me？〃
　　　〃We're　going　to　need　your　help　getting　him　out。　We　want　to　do　that　through　Budapest；　and　our　station　there　just　got　burned　down。　How's　your　shop　there？〃
　　　〃The　chief　is　Andy　Hudson。　Former　officer　in　the　Parachute　Regiment；　able　chap。　But　do　back　up；　Edward。　What　can　you　tell　me；　and　why　is　this　so　important？〃
　　　〃He's　a　walk…in；　I　guess　you'd　say。　He　seems　to　be　a　munications　guy。　He　feels　real　as　hell；　Nigel。　I've　requested　permission　to　bust　him　right　out；　and　Langley　has　green…lighted　it。　Pair　of　fives；　man；〃　he　added。
　　　〃So；　high　priority　and　high　reliability　on　this　chappie？〃
　　　Foley　bobbed　his　head。　〃Yep。　Want　the　good　news？〃
　　　〃If　there　is　any。〃
　　　〃He　says　our　ms　may　be　promised；　but　your　new　system　hasn't　been　cracked　yet。〃
　　　〃Good　to　hear。　So；　that　means　I　can　municate　freely；　but　you　cannot？〃
　　　Another　nod。　〃I　learned　this　morning　that　a　munications　aid　is　on　its　way　to　me…perhaps　they　ginned　up　a　couple　of　pads　for　me　to　use。　I'll　find　out　later　today；　maybe。〃
　　　Haydock　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　lit　up　a　smoke；　a　low…tar　Silk　Cut。　He'd　switched　to　them　to　make　his　wife　happy。
　　　〃You　have　a　plan？〃　the　Brit　spook　asked。
　　　〃I　figure　he　takes　the　train　to　Budapest。　For　the　rest　of　it；　well。。。〃　Foley　outlined　the　idea　he　and　Mary　Pat　had　figured　out。
　　　〃That　is　creative；　Edward。〃　Haydock　thought。　〃When　did　you　read　up　on　MINCEMEAT？　It's　part　of　the　syllabus　at　our　academy；　you　know。〃
　　　〃Back　when　I　was　a　kid。　I　always　thought　it　was　pretty　clever。〃
　　　〃In　the　abstract；　not　a　bad　idea…but；　you　know；　the　pieces　you　need　are　not　something　you　pick　up　at　the　ironmongers。〃
　　　〃I　kinda　figured　that；　Nigel。　So；　if　we　want　to　make　the　play；　better　that　we　get　moving　on　it　right　quick。〃
　　　〃Agreed。〃　Haydock　paused。　〃Basil　will　want　to　know　a　few　things。　What　else　can　I　tell　him？〃
　　　〃He　ought　to　get　a　hand…carried　letter　from　Judge　Moore　this　morning。　All　I　can　really　say　is；　this　guy　looks　pretty　real。〃
　　　〃You　said　he's　a　munications　officer…in　The　Centre；　is　it？〃
　　　〃Yep。〃
　　　〃That　could　be　very　valuable　indeed；〃　Haydock　agreed。　〃Especially　if　he's　a　mail　clerk。〃　He　pronounced　it　clark。　The　invocation　of　the　name　of　Foley's　training　officer　almost　caused　him　to　smile。。。　but　not　quite。
　　　It　was　a　slower　nod　this　time；　with　Foley's　eyes　locked　in　on　his　host。　〃That's　what　we're　thinking；　guy。〃
　　　It　finally　got　home。　〃Bloody　hell；〃　Haydock　breathed。　〃That　would　be　valuable。　And　he's　just　a　walk…in？〃
　　　〃Correct。　A　little　more　plicated　than　that；　but　that's　what　it　es　down　to；　bud。〃
　　　〃Not　a　trap；　not　a　false…flag？〃
　　　〃I've　thought　about　that；　of　course；　but　it　just　doesn't　make　sense；　does　it？〃　Foley　asked。　The　Brit　knew　he　was　Agency；　but　didn't　know　he　was　Station　Chief。　〃If　they've　ID'd　me；　why　tip　their　hand　this　early？〃
　　　〃True；〃　Nigel　had　to　agree。　〃That　would　be　clumsy。　So；　Budapest；　is　it？　Easier　than　out　of　Moscow…at　least　there's　that。〃
　　　〃There's　bad　news；　too。　His　wif