rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第47节

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　〃Would　you　like　a　hand　with　the　tests？〃
　〃Appreciate　the　thought；　but　no　thanks。〃　Reed　took　back　the　log。　〃Well；　I'd　better　go　open　up　the　Factory。〃
　The　Factory　was　the　crew's　nickname　for　the　Spacelab。
　On　the　monitor；　Megan　watched　Reed　maneuver　his　way　to　the　mid…deck；　then　float　into　the　tunnel　that　connected　to　the　Spacelab。　It　never　failed　to　amaze　her　that　only　the　curved　walls　of　the　tunnel　and　its　outer　skin　separated　Reed　from　the　frozen　waste　of　space。
　Megan　turned　to　Bill　Karol。　〃Who　sent　that　transmission？〃
　Karol　checked　his　screen。　〃There's　no　name　attached；　just　a　number。〃
　Steadying　herself；　Megan　read　over　his　shoulder。　The　six…digit　number　was　familiar　but　she　couldn't　grasp　why。
　〃Someone　was　in　a　hurry；〃　Stone；　the　pilot；　said　laconically。　〃Probably　a　last…minute　snafu　in　the　ground　lab。〃
　〃But　you　said　this　didn't　e　through　mission　control；〃　Megan　said。
　〃What　I　meant　was　that　there　wasn't　any　of　the　usual　chatter。　But　hell；　Megan；　who　else　could　have　sent　it？〃
　As　the　two　men　returned　to　their　duties；　Megan　backed　away。　Something　was　not　right。　A　moment　ago　she'd　remembered　where　she'd　seen　that　number　before。　It　was　Dylan　Reed's　NASA　ID。　How　could　he　possibly　have　sent　a　message　to　himself？
　As　soon　as　Dylan　Reed　entered　the　Spacelab；　he　overrode　the　circuits　that　controlled　the　cameras'　recording　activity　at　the　Biorack。　Pulling　back　the　Velcro　strap　on　one　of　his　pants　pockets；　he　removed　the　stubby；　titanium　cylinder　that　Bauer　had　given　him　less　than　twenty…four　hours　ago。　Although　the　tube　had　been　carefully　sealed；　Reed　understood　that　he　was　dealing　with　a　〃hot〃　product　that　had　been　left　unrefrigerated　for　too　long。　He　opened　the　freezer　and　slipped　the　tube　next　to　the　maise　cells　and　nematode　worm　specimens；　then　reset　the　cameras。
　Relieved　that　the　variola　was　secure；　Reed　began　to　prepare　the　Biorack　for　the　procedures　he　would　carry　out。　At　the　same　time；　he　tried　to　fathom　what　had　happened　back　on　earth　to　cause　Bauer　to　move　up　the　schedule　so　dramatically。　The　last　he'd　heard；　Beria　had　been　set　in　motion　to　remove　Smith。　Since　Bauer　had　been　able　to　transmit　his　message；　and　there　had　been　no　emergency　relays　from　ground　control　indicating　any　unusual　developments；　the　logical　conclusion　was　that　Beria　had　run　into　a　problem…　serious　enough　for　Bauer　to　act。
　Reed　knew　that　Bauer　would　not　contact　him　again　unless　it　was　absolutely　necessary。　The　pilot　and　the　flight　mander　would　not　be　suspicious　about　one　message　lacking　the　usual　NASA　doublespeak；　a　second　would　be　challenged　and　investigated。　Since　at　the　moment　Reed　had　no　way　of　contacting　Bauer；　he　had　to　rely　on　blind　faith　and　finish　the　work　the　old　Swiss　had　begun。
　Reed　would　have　preferred　to　be　rested　for　his　task。　As　it　was；　he　would　have　to　ignore　the　liftoff　fatigue　and　pace　himself　for　the　grueling　session　ahead。　As　he　slipped　his　feet　into　the　restraints　embedded　in　the　floor　in　front　of　the　Biorack；　he　estimated　the　amount　of　time　the　job　would　take。　If　his　calculations　were　right；　the　rest　of　the　crew　would　be　having　their　dinner　just　as　he　was　finishing　up。　They　would　all　be　in　one　place；　just　as　he　wanted。
　
　Nathaniel　Klein's　eyes　were　as　hard　and　flat　as　river　rock。　Sitting　in　Rosebud's　living　room；　he　listened　without　ment　as　Smith　presented　his　account　of　how　Beria　had　been　taken　and　the　details　of　the　subsequent　interrogation。
　〃A　known　killer　is　connected　to　a　Swiss　bank　and　one　of　its　principal　officers；〃　he　murmured。
　Smith　indicated　the　cassette　on　the　coffee　table。　〃Beria　gave　up　a　lot　more　than　that。　Some　of　the　top　people　in　Russia　and　Eastern　Europe　have　had　him　on　their　payrolls。　Events　that　seemed　to　make　no　sense　to　us　can　all　be　traced　back　to　assassinations　and　blackmail　that　Beria　was　a　party　to。〃
　Klein　grunted。　〃Fine。　We　have　a　lot　of　dirt　and　one　day　it　might　be　useful。　But　there　won't　be　a　'one　day'　unless　we　find　the　smallpox！　Where　are　Beria　and　Kirov　right　now？〃
　〃At　a　secure　location。　Beria's　heavily　sedated。　Kirov's　watching　him。　The　general　forwarded　a　request：　he'd　like　to　bring　Beria　back　to　Moscow…　quietly…　as　soon　as　possible。〃
　〃We　can　certainly　arrange　that…　as　long　as　you're　sure　he　has　nothing　left　to　tell　us。〃
　〃I'm　sure；　sir。〃
　〃In　that　case；　I'll　arrange　transport　at　Andrews。〃
　Klein　rose　and　paced　in　front　of　the　picture　window。　〃Unfortunately；　taking　Beria　didn't　solve　our　problem。　You　know　how　notorious　the　Swiss　are　about　keeping　their　financial　dealings　secret。　The　president　might　be　able　to　get　them　to　open　up　the　Offenbach　Bank　without　disclosing　why　we　need　their　cooperation；　but　it's　a　long　shot。〃
　〃This　can't　be　a　government…to…government　operation；　sir；〃　Smith　said　quietly。　〃We　don't　have　the　time；　and　like　you；　I　suspect　that　the　Swiss　would　stonewall　us。〃　He　paused。　〃But　Herr　Weizsel　might　be　more　forthing。　I　have　Peter　Howell　standing　by　in　Venice。〃
　Klein　glanced　at　Smith　and　understood　what　it　was　he　was　really　talking　about。　He　took　a　moment　to　weigh　the　risks。
　〃All　right；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃But　make　sure　that　he　understands　there　can't　be　any　exposure　or　ebacks。〃
　Smith　went　into　the　small　room　that　had　bee　Klein's　nerve　center　at　Camp　David　and　made　the　call。
　〃Peter；　Zurich　is　a　go。〃
　〃I　thought　it　might　be；〃　the　Englishman　replied。　〃I'm　booked　on　the　early　evening　flight。〃
　〃Peter；　I　got　to　Beria。　He　gave　up　Weizsel　but　that's　it。　I　need　to　know　the　name　of　the　paymaster。〃
　〃If　Weizsel　knows；　so　will　you。　I'll　talk　to　you　from　Zurich；　Jon。〃
　〃Good。　Now；　do　you　happen　to　have　a　tape　recorder　handy？　I　have　something　that　might　be　useful。。。。〃
　Smith　walked　back　into　the　living　room　and　told　Klein　that　Peter　Howell　was　on　his　way　to　Switzerland。　〃Has　there　been　any　word　on　the　Lincoln；　sir？〃
　Klein　shook　his　head。　〃As　soon　as　you　called　to　say　that　you　had　Beria；　I　reached　out　to　a　contact　in　the　D。C。　metropolitan　police　force。　He　put　the　car　on　the　hot　sheets；　making　it　look　like　it　had　been　involved　in　a　legitimate　hit…and…run。　Nothing　so　far。　And　nothing　on　the　driver　either。〃　He　paused。　〃At　first　I　thought　that　there　was　a　logical　explanation　for　the　NASA　sticker　on　the　car。　Now。。。〃
　〃Treloar　was　NASA；〃　Smith　said。　〃Why　wouldn't　he　have　had　a　car　waiting　to　pick　him　up　at　Dulles？　He　wasn't　expecting　to　be　followed　or　chased。〃
　〃But　then　that　same　vehicle　trailed　you；　didn't　it？〃　He　looked　at　Smith　carefully。　〃And　something　else　that's　connected　to　NASA。　Dr。　Dylan　Reed　had　a　late…night　visit　from　an　individual　we　haven't　been　able　to　identify。〃
　Smith　glanced　at　Mein　sharply。　He　knew　that　Klein　lived　in　a　world　where　secrets　were　shared　only　when　absolutely　necessary。　Now　the　head　of　Covert…One　was　admitting　that　he　had　a　source　right　in　the　heart　of　NASA。
　〃Megan　Olson；〃　Smith　said。　〃At　this　point；　with　the　launch　so　close；　it　can't　be　anyone　else。　You　should　have　told　me；　sir。〃
　〃There　was　no　need　for　you　to　know　about　Megan；〃　Klein　replied。　〃By　the　same　token；　she　doesn't　know　about　you。〃
　〃Why　tell　me　now？〃
　〃Because　we　still　don't　have　any　lead　on　the　smallpox。　You'll　recall　that　I　believed　it　was　in　the　D。C。　area　because　that's　where　Treloar　flew　in。〃
　〃Right。　From　London；　he　could　have　gone　anywhere。〃
　〃Now　I'm　thinking　that　perhaps　there's　a　connection　between　Treloar　and　Reed。〃
　〃Is　that　why　Megan　is　down　there；　to　watch　Reed？〃　Smith　demanded。
　〃Why　don't　you　tell　me　if　there's　anything　you　know　about　Reed　that　might　indicate　he　could　be　involved　in　something　like　this。〃
　Smith　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　know　Reed　all　that　well。　But　his　reputation　at　USAMRIID　was　sterling。　Do　you　want　me　to　go　back　and　see　what　I　can　find？〃
　〃No　time；〃　Klein　replied。　〃I　need　you　for　something　else。　If　we　don't　solve　this　mystery；　there'll　be　plenty　of　time　to　investigate　Reed　when　the　shuttle　es　home。〃
　Klein　picked　up　two　dossiers。　〃These　are　the　files　on　the　two　soldiers　Howell　encountered　at　Palermo。〃
　〃They　look　pretty　thin；　sir；〃　Smith　observed。
　〃Don't　they？　The　records　have　been　sanitized。　Dates；　locations；　assignments；　chain　of　mand…　a　lot　unaccounted　for。　And　the　phone　number　Nichols　gave　up　doesn't　exist。〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃Not　officially。　Jon；　I　haven't　done　more　because　I　don't　know　what　we're　dealing　with　here。　But　we　must　find　out　where　this　military　thread　leads。　I　want　you　to　do　exactly　what　you　did　in　Houston：　touch　the　web　and　see　what　kind　of　spider　crawls　out。〃
　
　Three　hours　after　leaving　Venice；　Peter　Howell　checked　into　Zurich's　Dolder　Grand　Hotel。
　〃Do　you　have　any　messages　for　me？〃　he　asked　the　front　desk　clerk。
　Howell　was　handed　a　thick　vellum　envelope。　Opening　it；　he　found　a　single　sheet　of　scented　notepaper　with　an　address　written　on　it。　Although　the　message　was　unsigned；　Howell　knew　its　author…　an　octogenarian　grande　dame　who　had　been　involved　in　espionage　ever　since　World　War　II。
　How　on　earth　can　Weizsel　afford　to　dine　at　Swan's　Way　on　a　banker's　salary？　Howell　wondered；　and　thought　it　might　be　a　good　idea　to　find　out。
　After　changing　into　a　business　suit；　Howell　took　a　taxi　into　the　heart　of　the　city's　financial　district。　By　now　it　was　eight　o'clock　and　the　area　was　deserted　except　for　several　brightly　lighted　storefronts。　One　of