rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第41节

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　〃This　is　Reed。　That　potential　problem　we　talked　about？　It's　real。〃　He　paused。　〃Hear　me　out；　but　I　think　you'll　agree：　we　have　to　activate　the　solution。〃
　
　
　CHAPTER　NINETEEN
　　
　A　Secret　Service　sedan　was　waiting　for　Jon　Smith　when　he　stepped　out　of　Ronald　Reagan　National　Airport。　Halfway　to　Camp　David；　the　call　he　had　been　expecting　came　through。
　〃Peter；　how　are　you？〃
　〃Still　in　Venice。　I　have　some　interesting　news　for　you。〃
　Without　going　into　the　details　of　his　interrogation　of　Dionetti；　Peter　Howell　told　Smith　about　the　Swiss　connection…　Herr　Weizsel　at　the　Offenbach　Bank　in　Zurich。
　〃Would　you　like　me　to　have　a　chat　with　the　Swiss　gnome；　Jon？〃
　〃Better　hold　off　on　that　until　I　get　back　to　you。　What　about　Dionetti？　We　don't　want　him　sounding　any　alarms。〃
　〃He　won't　be　doing　that；〃　Howell　assured　him。　〃He　has　a　severe　case　of　food　poisoning　and　is　expected　to　be　in　the　hospital　for　at　least　a　week。　Plus　he　knows　that　I　have　all　his　financial　records　and　can　ruin　him　with　one　phone　call。〃
　Howell　didn't　think　it　necessary　to　delve　into　details。
　〃I'll　stay　put　until　I　hear　from　you；〃　Howell　said。　〃If　necessary；　I　can　be　in　Zurich　in　two　hours。〃
　〃I'll　keep　you　posted。〃
　The　driver　dropped　Smith　off　at　Rosebud；　where　Klein　was　waiting　for　him。
　〃Good　to　have　you　back；　Jon。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Thank　you。　Any　word　on　the　smallpox？〃
　Klein　shook　his　head。　〃But　have　a　look　at　this。〃　He　passed　Smith　a　rolled…up　sheet　of　paper。
　The　ink　sketch　contained　some　of　Beria's　features　but　wasn't　precise　enough　to　clearly　define　the　assassin。　Beria's　appearance　was　nondescript　to　begin　with…　a　major　advantage　for　a　hired　killer。　The　posite　reflected　a　man　who　could　have　been　just　about　anyone。　It　would　be　sheer；　blind　luck　if　law　enforcement　stumbled　across　him…　which　was　precisely　what　Klein　wanted　Beria's　handlers　to　believe。　With　a　few　cosmetic　changes　to　his　appearance；　Beria　was　perfectly　safe：　his　controllers　would　continue　to　believe　that　his　usefulness　outweighed　his　potential　liability。
　Rolling　up　the　sheet；　Smith　tapped　it　against　his　palm。　He　thought　that　Klein　was　taking　an　enormous　risk：　by　denying　law　enforcement　access　to　the　true　likeness　of　Beria；　he　was　effectively　limiting　the　hunt。　But　on　the　other　end　of　the　scale　was　a　collateral　benefit：　when　the　posite　hit　the　street　and　Beria's　controllers　saw　it；　they　would　not　be　spooked。　Investigation　of　Treloar's　death　would　be　expected。　That　an　eyewitness　had　provided　police　with　a　general　description　would　not　be　seen　as　suspicious。　Smith　did　not　think　that　the　controllers　would　bee　careless；　but　they　would　remain　relaxed；　presuming　no　immediate　threat　to　their　long…range　plans。
　〃How'd　it　go　in　Houston？〃　Klein　asked。
　〃Treloar　was　damn　careful；〃　Smith　said。　〃Whatever　contacts　he　made；　he　was　meticulous　in　covering　up　his　tracks。〃
　〃Nonetheless　you　acplished　your　primary　mission。〃
　〃I've　chummed　the　waters；　sir。　Whoever　was　running　Treloar　knows　I'm　snooping。〃　He　paused。　〃Is　the　president　going　along　with　your　remendation　about　the　vaccine；　sir？〃
　〃He's　been　talking　to　the　drug　panies；〃　Mein　replied。　〃They're　ing　onboard。〃
　Given　the　circumstances；　it　was　vital　that　the　major　pharmaceutical　panies　realign　their　production　facilities　in　order　to　produce　as　much　smallpox　vaccine　as　possible　in　as　short　a　time　as　possible。　Even　if　the　stolen　smallpox　was　genetically　altered；　the　current　vaccine　might　prove　at　least　partially　effective。　But　to　manufacture　the　necessary　amount　would　mean　stopping　the　flow　of　other　products。　The　losses　incurred　would　be　staggering；　as　would　those　related　to　manufacturing　the　vaccine。　That　the　president　had　already　agreed　to　underwrite　the　panies'　losses　was　only　half　the　battle。　The　panies　would　want　to　know　why　the　vaccine　was　needed　so　urgently；　and　where　such　a　large　outbreak　had　occurred。　Since　it　was　impossible　to　hold　back　such　information…　it　would　inevitably　find　its　way　to　the　media…　the　location　of　the　alleged　epidemic　had　to　be　remote；　yet　fairly　populated。
　〃We　decided　to　use　the　Indonesian　archipelago；〃　Klein　said。　〃The　internal　chaos　in　that　region　has　pretty　much　closed　off　all　ining　and　outgoing　traffic。　There　are　no　tourists　left；　and　Jakarta　has　banned　foreign　media　from　the　country。　Our　play　is　that　there　have　been　sporadic　outbreaks　of　smallpox；　leading　to　the　possibility　that　the　virus　can　multiply　and　spread　if　left　unconfined。　Thus　the　need　for　such　a　large　amount　on　such　short　notice。〃
　Smith　considered。　〃I　like　it；〃　he　said　finally。　〃The　current　Indonesian　regime　is　a　pariah　in　the　eyes　of　most　governments。　But　there　will　be　panic　when　word　leaks。〃
　〃Can't　be　helped；〃　Mein　replied。　〃Whoever　has　the　smallpox　will　put　it　to　use　very　soon…　a　matter　of　weeks；　if　not　days。　As　soon　as　we　identify　and　take　down　the　conspirators…　and　recover　the　virus…　we　can　spin　the　story　to　indicate　that　the　initial　diagnoses　and　reports　were　wrong。　It　wasn't　smallpox　after　all。〃
　〃God　willing　that　will　be　the　case。〃
　Smith　turned　as　Major…General　Kirov；　dressed　in　mufti；　entered　the　room。　He　was　startled　by　the　Russian's　appearance。
　The　fit；　middle…aged　Kirov　had　morphed　into　a　slightly　seedy…looking　individual　in　a　well…worn；　off…the…rack　suit。　His　tie　and　shirt…front　were　dotted　with　food　and　coffee　stains；　his　thin…soled　shoes　were　as　badly　scuffed　as　his　cheap　briefcase。　His　hair…　now　a　wig…　was　long　and　unruly；　a　touch　of　makeup…　expertly　and　judiciously　applied…　added　an　alcoholic's　redness　to　his　eyes　and　deepened　the　dark　crescents　under　them。　Kirov　had　re…created　himself　in　the　image　of　a　man　who　was　unfortable　for　the　eye　to　dwell　on。　He　reflected　failure；　dissolution；　and　hopelessness…　the　attributes　of　a　failing　salesman　that　the　smart　set；　living　and　working　in　the　chic　area　around　Dupont　Circle；　wouldn't　care　to　acknowledge。
　〃My　pliments　on　your　makeover；　General；〃　Smith　said。　〃Even　I　had　to　look　twice。〃
　〃Let's　hope　the　same　is　true　for　Beria；〃　Kirov　replied　somberly。
　Smith　was　glad　to　have　the　burly　Russian　by　his　side。　After　the　debacle　at　Bioaparat　and　Moscow；　Kirov　had　convinced　the　Russian　president　to　send　him　to　the　United　States　to　help　with　the　hunt　for　Ivan　Beria。　Klein　had　thought　that　Kirov；　who　had　spent　a　year　in　Washington　and　knew　the　ethnic　districts　well；　would　be　invaluable。　He　had　argued　as　much　to　the　president；　who　had　concurred　with　Potrenko　and　allowed　Kirov　to　e　over。
　But　in　Kirov's　hard；　bright　eyes　Smith　saw　the　real　reason　why　the　general　was　here。　Kirov　had　been　betrayed　by　a　woman　he'd　loved　and　trusted；　who　had　been　corrupted　by　unknown　forces　linked　to　a　killer　he'd　let　slip　away。　Kirov　badly　needed　to　make　amends；　to　regain　his　honor　as　a　soldier。
　〃How　do　you　want　to　proceed；　Jon？〃　Kirov　asked。
　〃I　need　to　stop　at　home；〃　Smith　replied。　〃After　you　get　settled　in；　we　can　go　to　Dupont　Circle。〃
　Since　no　one　at　the　Russian　embassy　was　aware　of　Kirov's　presence　in　the　city；　Smith　had　suggested　that　the　general　stay　with　him　and　use　the　Bethesda　house　as　the　base　for　their　hunt　for　Beria。
　〃Are　you　sure　you　don't　want　long…range　cover？〃　Klein　asked。
　As　much　as　Klein　trusted　Kirov's　abilities　and　instincts；　he　was　still　reluctant　to　put　both　men　out　in　the　field　without　cover。　True；　Smith　had　gone　to　Houston　to　find　a　trail　that　Treloar　might　have　left　behind。　But　his　real　intention　had　been　to　touch　the　tendrils　of　the　web　that　still　linked　Treloar　to　the　conspirators；　his　controllers。　By　letting　them　know　that　he　was　ready　to　investigate　the　very　heart　of　where　Treloar　had　lived　and　worked；　Smith　hoped　to　provoke　a　response　that　would　force　the　controllers　to　e　after　him。。。。　Which　meant　bringing　Beria　out　of　his　hole。
　〃We　can't　take　the　chance　that　Beria　would　spot　the　cover；　sir；〃　Smith　replied。
　〃Mr。　Klein；〃　Kirov　said；　〃I　understand…　and　share…　your　concern。　But　I　promise　you　I　will　not　let　anything　happen　to　Jon。　I　have　a　distinct　advantage　over　any　cover　you　might　provide。　I　know　Beria。　If　he's　wearing　a　disguise；　I'll　see　through　it。　There　are　characteristics　and　mannerisms　that　he　won't　be　able　to　hide。〃　He　turned　to　Smith。
　〃You　have　my　word。　If　Beria　is　out　there；　if　he　es　for　you；　he　is　ours。〃
　
　
　Ninety　minutes　later；　Smith　and　Kirov　arrived　at　Smith's　ranchstyle　home　in　Bethesda。　As　Smith　walked　him　through　the　house；　Kirov　noted　the　paintings；　wall　hangings；　and　objets　from　cultures　around　the　world。　The　American　was　indeed　a　well…traveled　man。
　While　Smith　showered　and　changed；　Kirov　made　himself　fortable　in　the　guest　bedroom。　They　met　in　the　kitchen　where；　over　coffee；　they　pored　over　a　large…scale　map　of　Washington；　focusing　on　the　multiethnic　neighborhood　around　Dupont　Circle。　Since　Kirov　was　already　familiar　with　the　area；　a　plan　came　together　quickly。
　〃I　know　we　didn't　talk　about　this　with　Klein；〃　Smith　said　as　they　got　ready　to　leave。　〃But。。。〃　He　held　out　a　SIG…Sauer　pistol。
　Kirov　looked　at　it　then　shook　his　head。　He　went　into　the　bedroom　and　came　back　with　what　looked　like　an　ordinary　black　umbrella。　He　held　it　at　a　forty…five　degree　angle；　moved　his　thumb　along　the　handle；　and　suddenly；　a　one…inch　blade　popped　out　of　the　tip。
　〃Something　I　brought　along　from　Moscow；〃　Kirov　said　conver