tc.redrabbit-第97节

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A　KGB　officer　wasn't　quite　as　good　as　a　Politburo　member；　but　it　beat　the　hell　out　of　being　a　mere　factory　manager。　It　wasn't　so　much　that　people　dreaded　KGB；　but　that　they　just　didn't　want　to　go　out　of　their　way　to　e　to　the　agency's　adverse　notice。
　　　〃Yes；　of　course；　rade。　If　you　need　anything；　please　call　for　me。　Supper　is　at　eighteen　hours；　and　the　dining　car　is　the　next　one　forward。〃　He　pointed　the　way。
　　　〃How　is　the　food？〃　Irina　decided　to　ask。　Surely；　being　the　wife　of　a　KGB　officer　had　its　advantages。。。
　　　〃It　is　not　bad；　rade；〃　the　conductor　answered　politely。　〃I　eat　there　myself；〃　he　added；　which　said　something；　Oleg　and　Irina　both　thought。
　　　〃Thank　you；　rade。〃
　　　〃Enjoy　your　trip　with　us；〃　he　said；　and　he　took　his　leave。
　　　Oleg　and　Irina　both　took　out　books。　Svetlana　pressed　her　nose　to　the　window　to　watch　the　world　passing　by；　and　so　the　trip　began；　with　only　one　of　them　knowing　the　final　destination。　Western　Russia　is　mostly　a　region　of　rolling　plains　and　distant　horizons；　not　unlike　Kansas　or　eastern　Colorado。　It　was　boring　to　everyone　but　their　zaichik；　for　whom　everything　was　new　and　exciting；　especially　the　cattle　that　were　mainly　munching　on　grass。　Cows；　she　thought；　are　pretty　cool。
　　　Back　in　Moscow；　Nigel　Haydock　thanked　the　bureaucrat　from　the　Transport　Ministry　for　his　splendid　help；　along　with　Paul　Matthews；　and　then　they　made　their　way　off　to　the　British　Embassy。　The　embassy　had　a　photo　lab；　and　the　photographer　went　that　way；　while　Matthews　followed　Nigel　to　his　office。
　　　〃So；　Paul；　is　there　a　useful　story　in　that？〃
　　　〃I　suppose　there　might　be。　Is　it　important　that　there　should　be？〃
　　　〃Well；　it's　valuable　to　me　that　the　Sovs　should　think　I　can　bring　attention　to　the　glory　of　their　country；〃　Haydock　explained　with　a　chuckle。
　　　You　are　a　…6　chap；　aren't　you？　Matthews　thought　without　voicing　his　suspicion。　〃I　suppose　I　can　generate　something。　God　knows　British　Rail　needs　a　boost。　Maybe　this　will　encourage　the　exchequer　to　send　some　more　money　their　way。〃
　　　〃Not　a　bad　idea　at　all；〃　Nigel　agreed。　It　was　clear　that　his　guest　had　his　suspicions　but　had　the　good　grace　to　keep　them　quiet；　perhaps　until　a　later　day；　when　Nigel　was　back　at　a　desk　in　Century　House；　and　they　were　at　a　Fleet　Street　pub。
　　　〃You　want　to　see　our　photos？〃
　　　〃Would　you　mind？〃
　　　〃Not　at　all。　We　throw　most　of　them　away；　as　you　know。〃
　　　〃Excellent；〃　Haydock　announced。　Then　he　reached　into　the　credenza　behind　his　desk。　〃Drink；　Paul？〃
　　　〃Thank　you；　Nigel。　Yes；　a　sherry　would　be　nice。〃
　　　Two　sherries　later；　the　photographer　came　in　with　a　folder　full　of　prints。　Haydock　took　it　and　leafed　through　them。　〃You　do　excellent　work。　You　know；　when　I　use　my　Nikon；　I　never　quite　get　the　light　right。。。〃　he　said。　There；　a　nice　family　shot　of　the　Rabbit…and；　most　important；　Mrs。　Rabbit。　There　were　three；　each　one　better　than　the　last。　He　slid　them　into　his　drawer　and　handed　the　folder　back。　Matthews　took　his　cue。
　　　〃Well；　must　get　back　to　my　office　and　write　this　story　up。　Thanks　for　the　lead；　Nigel。〃
　　　〃My　pleasure；　Paul。　See　your　own　way　out？〃
　　　〃Not　a　problem；　old　man。〃　And　Matthews　and　his　photographer　disappeared　into　the　corridor。　Haydock　returned　his　attention　to　the　photos。　Mrs。　Rabbit　was　typically　Russian；　with　her　round；　Slavic　face…she　could　have　had　a　million　identical　sisters　throughout　the　Soviet　Union。　She　needed　to　lose　a　few　pounds　and　get　a　makeover　in　the　West。　。。　if　they　make　it　that　far；　he　cautioned　himself。　Height；　about　five　feet　four　or　so；　weight；　about　a　hundred　forty　pounds；　not　at　all　unpleasant。　The　child；　he　saw；　was　darling　with　her　lively　blue　eyes　and　happy　expression…too　young　to　learn　to　hide　her　feelings　behind　a　blank　mask；　as　nearly　all　the　adults　here　did。　No；　children　were　the　same　everywhere　in　their　innocence　and　insatiable　curiosity。　But；　most　important；　they　now　had　high…quality　photos　of　the　Rabbit　family。
　　　The　courier　was　on　the　top　floor；　near　the　office　of　the　Ambassador；　Sir　John　Kenny。　Haydock　passed　him　a　manila　envelope　sealed　by　metal　clasp；　glue；　and　wax　over　the　flap。　The　address　on　the　front　designated　the　Foreign　Office　box　that　went　straight　to　Century　House　across　the　Thames　from　Whitehall。　The　courier's　bag　was　an　expensive　leather　attache　case　with　the　coat　of　arms　of　the　Royal　House　of　Windsor　embossed　on　both　sides。　There　was　also　a　pair　of　handcuffs　for　him　to　secure　it　to　his　wrist；　despite　the　stern　rules　of　the　Vienna　Convention。　The　Queen's　Messenger　had　a　car　waiting　to　take　him　to　Sheremetyevo　International　Airport　for　the　British　Airways　737　afternoon　return　flight　to　Heathrow。　The　photos　would　be　in　Sir　Basil's　hand　before　he　went　home　for　the　evening；　and　surely　some　Century　House　experts　would　be　staying　late　that　night　to　go　over　them。　That　would　be　the　last　official　check　to　see　if　the　Rabbit　was　genuine。　His　face　would　be　pared　with　those　of　known　KGB　field　and　security　officers…and　if　there　was　a　hit；　then　Ed　and　Mary　Foley　were　in　for　a　bad　time。　But　Haydock　didn't　expect　that　to　happen。　He　agreed　with　his　CIA　counterparts。　This　one　looked　and　felt　real。　But　then；　so　did　good　Directorate　Two　people；　didn't　they？　His　last　stop　was　at　munications　to　get　a　quick　message　off　to　SIS　Headquarters　that　an　important　message　was　en　route　via　courier　on　Operation　BEATRIX。　That　would　perk　up　everyone's　eyeballs；　and　an　SIS　man　would　be　waiting　at　the　mailroom　in　Whitehall　for　this　particular　envelope。　As　laggardly　as　a　government　bureaucracy　could　be；　Haydock　thought；　when　you　had　something　important　to　do；　it　usually　got　done　quickly；　at　least　in　the　SIS。
　　　The　flight　took　two　hours　and　twenty　minutes…a　little　late　due　to　adverse　winds…before　arriving　at　Heathrow's　Terminal　Three。　There；　a　Foreign　Office　representative　whisked　the　courier　off　to　downtown　London　in　a　black　Jaguar　saloon　car；　and　the　Queen's　Messenger　made　his　delivery　and　went　off　to　his　own　office。　Before　he　even　got　there；　an　SIS　officer　had　taken　the　package　and　hustled　down　to　Westminster　Bridge　and　across　the　Thames。
　　　〃You　have　it？〃　Sir　Basil　asked。
　　　〃Here；　sir。〃　The　messenger　passed　over　the　envelope。　Charleston　checked　the　closures　and；　satisfied　that　it　had　not　been　tampered　with；　slit　it　open　with　his　paper　knife。　Then；　for　the　first　time；　he　saw　what　the
　　　Rabbit　looked　like。　Three　minutes　later；　Alan　Kingshot　walked　in。　C　handed　over　the　color　prints。
　　　Kingshot　took　the　top　photo　and　gave　it　a　long　look。　〃So；　this　is　our　Rabbit；　is　it？〃
　　　〃Correct；　Alan；〃　Sir　Basil　confirmed。
　　　〃He　looks　ordinary　enough。　His　wife；　as　well。　The　little　girl　is　rather　cute；〃　the　senior　field　spook　thought　out　loud。　〃On　the　way　to　Budapest　now；　are　they？〃
　　　〃Left　Kiev　Station　five　and　a　half　hours　ago。〃
　　　〃Fast　work　from　Nigel。〃　Kingshot　gave　the　faces　a　closer　look；　wondering　what　information　lay　in　the　brain　behind　the　man's　face；　and　whether　or　not　they'd　get　to　use　it。　〃So；　BEATRIX　goes　forward。　Do　we　have　the　bodies？〃
　　　〃The　male　from　York　is　close　enough。　We'll　need　to　burn　his　face　off；　I'm　afraid；〃　C　observed　distastefully。
　　　〃No　surprise　there；　sir；〃　Kingshot　agreed。　〃What　about　the　other　two？〃
　　　〃Two　candidates　from　America。　Mother　and　daughter　killed　in　a　house　fire　in　Boston；　I　believe。　The　FBI　is　working　on　that　as　we　speak。　We　need　to　get　this　photo　to　them　at　once　to　make　sure　the　bodies　match　up　properly。〃
　　　〃I'll　take　care　of　that　now　if　you　wish；　sir。〃
　　　〃Yes；　Alan；　please　do　that。〃
　　　The　machine　downstairs　was　a　color…photo　transmitter　like　the　one　used　by　newspapers…relatively　new　and；　its　operator　told　Kingshot；　very　easy　to　use。　He　gave　the　photo　only　a　cursory　look。　Transmission　to　an　identical　machine　made　by　Xerox　and　located　at　Langley　took　less　than　two　minutes。　Kingshot　took　the　photo　back　and　returned　to　C's　office。
　　　〃Done；　sir。〃　Sir　Basil　waved　him　to　a　seat。
　　　Charleston　checked　his　watch；　giving　it　five　minutes　because　CIA　headquarters　was　a　large　building；　and　the　munications　people　were　in　the　basement。　Then　he　called　Judge　Arthur　Moore　on　the　secure；　dedicated　line。
　　　〃Afternoon；　Basil；〃　Moore's　voice　said　over　the　digitized　circuit。
　　　〃Hello；　Arthur。　You　have　the　photo？〃
　　　〃Just　got　here。　Looks　like　a　nice　little　family；〃　the　DCI　observed。　〃This　is　from　the　train　station？〃
　　　〃Yes；　Arthur；　they　are　en　route　as　we　speak。　They　will　arrive　in　Budapest　in　about　twenty…no；　nineteen　hours。〃
　　　〃Okay。　Ready　at　your　end；　Basil？〃
　　　〃We　soon　will　be。　There　is　the　matter　of　those　unfortunate　people　from　Boston；　however。　We　have　the　male　body。　It　appears　on　first　inspection　that　it　will　serve　our　needs　quite　well。〃
　　　〃Okay；　I'll　have　the　FBI　expedite　things　here；〃　Moore　replied。　He'd　have　to　get　this　photo　to　the　Hoover　Building　ASAP。　Might　as　well　share　this　grisly　business　with　Emil；　he　thought。
　　　〃Very　good；　Arthur。　I　shall　keep　you　posted。〃
　　　〃Great；　Bas。　See　you。〃
　　　〃Excellent。〃　Charleston　hung　up　his　phone；　then　looked　over　at　Kingshot。　〃Have　our　people　prepare　the　body　for　transport　to　Budapest。〃
　　　〃Timing；　sir？〃
　　　〃Three　days　should　be　about　right；〃　Sir　Basil　thought　out　loud。
　　　〃Right。〃　Kingshot　left　the　room。
　　　C　thought　for　a　moment　and　decided　it　was　time　to　warn　the　American。　He　punched　another　button