rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第27节

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in　stepped　in。〃
　After　a　moment's　silence；　Richardson　said；　〃Assuming　that　Beria　got　away　clean；　we　still　have　a　problem。　Kirov　and　Smith　will　be　all　over　Telegin…　her　movements；　contacts；　the　works。　She　may　have　left　footprints。〃
　Price　paced　along　Richardson's　museum…quality　Oriental　rug。　〃I'll　head　for　Fort　Meade。　A　shooting　in　a　Moscow　train　station？　Hell；　that's　a　terrorist　act；　NSA　territory。　Nobody　will　raise　an　eyebrow　when　I　get　people　working　on　this。〃
　〃What　about　Smith？〃　Richardson　asked。
　〃He's　army；　so　you　start　checking。　He's　got　to　be　working　for　someone；　and　as　far　as　I'm　concerned；　he's　making　way　too　many　connections。　First　Yuri　Danko；　now　showing　up　in　Russia。。。〃
　〃Randi　Russell　is　CIA　undercover　in　Moscow。〃
　〃I　don't　think　that　Smith　flew　seven　thousand　miles　for　a　piece　of　ass；　Frank。　We　need　to　know　who's　issuing　him　his　marching　orders…　then　we　cut　him　off　at　the　knees！〃
　
　
　The　first　thing　Randi　Russell　noticed　when　she　deactivated　the　alarm　and　opened　the　door　to　Bay　Digital　was　that　she　was　not　alone　Although　the　security　system　indicated　no　intrusion；　she　caught　the　faint　odor　of　clove　tobacco　smoke。
　〃Carrot　Top；　is　that　you？〃　she　called　out。
　〃I'm　in　here；　Randi。〃
　Sighing；　Randi　locked　the　door　behind　her。　She'd　e　in　early；　hoping　to　use　the　peace　and　quiet　to　catch　up　on　some　reports。
　〃Where　in　here？〃
　〃The　file　room。〃
　〃Damn！〃
　Gritting　her　teeth；　Randi　marched　to　the　very　back　of　the　office。　The　file　room　was　really　a　large；　walk…in　vault　where　the　latest　puter　equipment　was　kept。　Theoretically；　she　was　the　only　one　with　the　bination。
　Randi　stepped　into　the　temperature…controlled　chamber　where　she　found　the　intruder　busy　downloading　the　latest　video　game　from　the　confidential　files　of　a　Japanese　electronics　pany。
　〃Carrot　Top；　I　warned　you　about　that；〃　she　said；　trying　to　sound　severe。
　Sasha　Rublev…　nicknamed　Carrot　Top　for　his　mass　of　wiry；　reddish…orange　hair…　beamed　at　her。　Tall　and　lanky；　with　liquid　green　eyes　that　Randi　knew　drove　girls　crazy；　he　was　all　of　seventeen　years　old…　and　undoubtedly　Russia's　premier　puter　genius。
　〃Sasha；　one　of　these　days　you'll　trip　an　alarm　and　you'll　be　calling　me　from　the　local　militia　precinct。〃
　Sasha　feigned　hurt。　〃Randi；　how　could　you　possibly　think　that？　Your　security　is　very　good；　but。。。〃
　A　cakewalk　for　someone　like　you。
　Randi　had　discovered　Sasha　Rublev　at　a　puter　seminar　Bay　Digital　hosted　for　Moscow　University　students。　The　gangly　teenager　had　caught　her　attention　not　only　because　he　was　the　youngest　person　in　the　room　but　because　he　was　quietly　working　at　a　laptop；　hacking　his　way　into　the　Russian　Central　Bank's　mainframe　to　check　on　the　level　of　gold　reserves。
　Randi　knew　at　once　that　Rublev　was　an　undiscovered　prodigy。　Over　cheeseburgers　and　Cokes；　she　was　amazed　to　learn　that　this　son　of　a　Moscow　subway　conductor　possessed　an　IQ　that　was　off　the　charts　but；　because　of　the　bureaucracy；　remained　mired　in　the　antiquated　high　school　system。　Eventually　she　got　permission　from　Sasha's　family　for　him　to　work　for　Bay　Digital　a　few　hours　a　week　and　on　weekends。　As　the　bond　between　mentor　and　mentee　grew；　Randi　gave　him　access　to　some　of　the　most　advanced　equipment　in　the　office；　in　return　for　Sasha's　solemn　promise　not　to　misuse　it。　But　like　a　playful　puppy；　Sasha　insisted　on　bringing　her　gifts…　information　whose　sources　she　didn't　want　to　know　about。
　〃Okay；〃　she　said。　〃What's　so　important　that　it　couldn't　wait　until　I　got　in？〃
　〃The　shooting　at　the　railroad　station。〃
　〃I　was　listening　to　the　news　on　the　way　in。　What　about　it？〃
　Sasha's　fine…boned　fingers　danced　over　the　keyboard。　〃They're　saying　it　was　the　work　of　Chechen　rebels。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃So　why　shut　down　the　Moscow　airport？〃
　Randi　stared　over　his　shoulder　at　the　screen。　Sasha　had　hacked　his　way　into　the　Federal　Security　Service's　mainframe　and　was　reading　the　latest　traffic　about　the　imminent　shutdown　of　Sheremetevo　Airport。
　〃The　Chechens　are　targeting　the　airport？〃　he　asked　skeptically。　〃I　think　not。　Something　big　is　happening；　Randi。　And　the　FSS　doesn't　want　anyone　to　know。〃
　Randi　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Close　the　link；〃　she　said　quietly。
　〃Why？　I'm　using　five　cutouts。　Even　if　they　pick　up　on　the　intrusion；　they'll　think　that　it's　ing　from　Bombay。〃
　〃Sasha。。。〃
　Mindful　of　her　tone；　he　quickly　closed　the　laptop。
　〃Randi；　you　look　worried。　Don't　be。　The　cutouts　are…〃
　〃It's　not　the　cutouts；　Sasha。　It's　what　you　said：　why　close　the　airport？〃
　
　
　The　logistics　of　shutting　down　a　major　airport　are　the　stuff　of　nightmares。　Smith　and　Kirov　arrived　to　find　hundreds　of　bewildered　travelers　milling　around　in　the　concourse；　besieging　the　check…in　counters；　seeking　explanations　from　harried　airline　employees　who　had　none　to　offer。　Armed　militia　were　stationed　at　every　entrance　and　exit；　making　the　travelers　virtual　prisoners。　Three…man　patrols　swarmed　through　the　concourse　shops；　lavatories；　and　stockrooms；　checking　the　baggage　and　cargo　areas；　the　employees'　lounges　and　changing　areas；　even　the　chapel　and　the　day…care　center。　Rumors　flew　and　anger　mounted。　As　the　two　bined；　the　level　of　fear　among　those　trapped　in　the　international　terminal　grew　exponentially。
　〃Someone　in　the　surveillance　room　thinks　he　spotted　Beria　on　the　tape；〃　Kirov　told　Smith　as　they　threaded　their　way　through　the　concourse。
　〃I　sure　as　hell　hope　so；〃　Smith　replied　as　the　two　men　headed　for　the　airport's　security　mand　post。
　Smith　and　Kirov　burst　into　the　security　mand　room；　which　resembled　a　large　television　studio。　In　front　of　a　twenty…foot　console　sat　six　technicians　monitoring　the　ninety　cameras　strategically　placed　throughout　the　plex。　The　cameras　were　on　timers　and　were　operated　by　remote　control。　With　a　few　taps　of　the　keyboard；　technicians　could　focus　or　shift　them　to　cover　a　particular　area。
　Above　the　console　were　wall…mounted　screens　that　offered　the　security　director　a　real…time；　bird's…eye　view　of　the　terminal。　Hidden　away　in　a　temperature…controlled　area　were　the　video　machines；　faithfully　recording　everything　that　the　cameras　picked　up。
　〃What　do　you　have？〃　Kirov　demanded。
　The　security　director　pointed　to　one　of　the　monitors。　The　black…and…white　picture　showed　two　men　sitting　at　a　refreshment　counter。
　〃The　image　is　poor；〃　he　conceded。　〃But　that　appears　to　be　your　man。
　Kirov　moved　in　for　a　closer　look。　〃That's　him　all　right。〃　He　turned　to　Smith。　〃What　do　you　think？　You　saw　him　at　close　distance。〃
　Smith　studied　the　image。　〃It's　him。　Do　you　think　he's　talking　to　the　man　beside　him？〃
　Kirov　turned　to　the　director。　〃Can　you　enhance　the　image？〃
　The　director　shook　his　head。　〃I've　done　as　much　as　possible　with　the　equipment　I　have。〃
　〃Do　you　have　any　other　shots　of　them　together？〃　Smith　asked。
　〃That's　the　only　one。　The　cameras　are　on　timers。　They　captured　only　that　one　shot　of　Beria　before　moving　to　another　sector。〃
　Smith　took　Kirov　aside。　〃General；　I　realize　that　Beria　is　our　principal　target；　but　we　need　to　know　who　that　guy　is。　What　if　your　service　were　to　scan　the　tape？〃
　Kirov　pointed　to　the　blurred　faces　on　the　screen。　〃Look　at　how　the　light　falls。　And　that　column　there…　there's　nothing　we　can　do　to　improve　the　photograph。　We　don't　have　the　software。〃
　Smith　tried　another　tack：　〃You　know　Beria　better　than　anyone　else。　Has　he　ever　worked　with　a　partner？〃
　〃Never。　Beria　has　always　been　a　solo　operator。　That　is　one　of　the　reasons　he　has　eluded　capture：　he　leaves　no　one　we　can　connect　him　to。　I　think　he's　using　the　other　man　for　cover。〃
　Something　about　the　picture　refused　to　let　Smith　go。
　〃General；　I　may　be　able　to　get　the　tape　enhanced。〃
　〃At　your　embassy？〃　Kirov　asked。
　Smith　shrugged。　〃What　do　you　say？〃
　Kirov　considered。　〃Very　well。〃
　〃Telegin…　did　she　have　a　laptop　or　a　cell　phone？〃
　〃Both。〃
　〃I　can　check　them　too。〃
　Kirov　nodded。　〃I'll　have　a　security　officer　escort　you　to　my　building。　Both　items　are　in　the　kitchen。〃
　〃Which　brings　me　to　my　last　question；〃　Smith　said。　〃What　if　Beria　isn't　in　the　terminal？〃
　Kirov's　eyes　widened　as　he　grasped　the　implications　of　Smith's　words。　〃I　need　the　designations　and　destinations　of　the　last　three　flights　that　left　before　shutdown；〃　he　told　the　director。
　Smith　looked　at　the　time　imprinted　on　the　videotape；　then　at　the　screen　where　the　security　director　was　pulling　up　the　departures　schedule。
　〃Swissair　101；　Air　France　612；　American　1710。　Beria　could　have　made　it　onboard　any　one　of　them。〃
　〃Get　me　the　tapes　of　the　cameras　that　cover　the　jetways　to　those　flights；〃　Kirov　snapped。　〃And　the　passenger　manifests。〃
　As　the　director　hurried　away；　Kirov　turned　to　Smith。　〃It's　possible　Beria　made　those　flights；　Jon；　but　unlikely。　The　odds　are　that　he　got　out　of　the　airport　but　is　still　in　the　city。〃
　Smith　knew　what　Kirov　was　intimating。　There　were　three　airliners；　with　a　bined　load　of　over　a　thousand　people；　headed　into　Western　Europe。　Was　Smith　prepared　to　create　a　series　of　international　incidents　on　the　possibility　that　Beria　was　onboard　one　of　those　planes？
　〃And　if　the　situation　were　reversed；　General？〃　Smith　asked。　〃If　the　destination　wasn't　Zurich；　Paris；　or　London；　but　Moscow？　Wouldn't　you　want　to　know？　Or　would　you　be　okay　with