rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第52节

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　〃You'll　be　the　first　to　know；〃　Kirov　assured　him。　〃Good…bye；　Jon　Smith。　I　hope　that　we　will　meet　again；　under　more　pleasant　circumstances。〃
　Smith　waited　until　Kirov　was　onboard　and　the　hatch　was　closed。　By　the　time　the　jet　was　racing　down　the　runway　he　was　in　his　car；　being　waved　through　perimeter　security。　As　he　headed　for　the　highway；　his　thoughts　drifted　from　what　had　been　acplished　to　what　was　still　left　to　do。
　
　In　Moscow　it　was　the　middle　of　the　night；　but　the　lights　were　still　burning　in　the　offices　of　the　Bay　Digital　Corporation。
　In　the　conference　room；　Randi　Russell　was　working　on　her　fourth　cup　of　coffee；　watching　Sasha　Rublev　as　he　worked　to　ferret　out　the　secrets　of　the　laptop　Jon　Smith　had　delivered。　Surrounded　by　hardware　wired　into　the　laptop；　Sasha　had　been　at　his　keyboard　for　over　seven　hours；　downing　the　occasional　Coke　to　maintain　his　energy　level。　Three　times　Randi　had　suggested　they　quit　for　the　night；　but　each　time　Sasha　simply　waved　her　words　away。
　〃I'm　close；〃　he　would　mumble。　〃Just　a　few　more　minutes。〃
　By　now　Randi　had　decided　that　Sasha　did　not　measure　time　like　mere　mortals。
　She　drained　her　coffee；　stared　at　the　dregs；　and　then　said：　〃Okay；　that's　it。　And　this　time　I　mean　it。〃
　Sasha　held　up　one　hand；　kept　typing　with　the　other。　〃Wait　for　it。。。〃
　He　jabbed　a　key　triumphantly　and　slumped　in　his　chair。　〃Look；〃　he　said　proudly。
　Randi　couldn't　believe　her　eyes。　The　big　monitor；　which　had　been　filled　with　nothing　but　a　series　of　unintelligible　symbols　all　evening；　suddenly　morphed　into　a　string　of　deciphered　E…mails。
　〃Sasha；　how…？〃　Randi　shook　her　head。　〃Never　mind。　I'd　never　understand。〃
　Sasha　beamed　at　her。　〃The　person　this　puter　belongs　to　used　CARNIVORE；　your　FBI's　latest　encryption　program。〃　He　looked　at　her　shrewdly。　〃I　thought　no　one　outside　America　had　this。〃
　〃Me　too；〃　Randi　murmured。
　Using　the　mouse；　she　scanned　the　E…mails；　unable　to　believe　what　she　was　reading。
　What　the　hell　is　the　Cassandra　pact？
　
　Returning　to　Bethesda；　Jon　Smith　fixed　himself　a　quick　snack　and　took　it　into　his　study。　The　faint　odor　of　drugs　and　a　broken　man's　fear　hung　in　the　house。　Smith　opened　a　window　and　sat　down　with　the　files　Nathaniel　Klein　had　given　him。
　Travis　Nichols　and　Patrick　Drake。。。　both　U。S。　Army　sergeants。　Both　from　the　same　small　town　in　central　Texas　where　young　men　went　either　into　the　oil　fields　or　the　military。　Seasoned　bat　veterans；　they　had　seen　action　in　Somalia；　the　Gulf；　and　most　recently；　Nigeria。
　Smith's　interest　was　piqued　when　he　read　their　fitness　reports　from　the　Advanced　Warfare　School　at　Fort　Benning；　Georgia。　Nichols　and　Drake　had　graduated　one　and　two　in　their　class；　cold；　hard　men　whose　keen　edge　had　been　further　honed　by　instructors　in　the　blackest　bat　arts。
　Then　they　disappear。。。
　Now　Smith　knew　what　Klein　had　meant　about　the　lapses。　In　each　of　the　last　five　years　there　were　months　where　the　soldiers'　whereabouts　could　not　be　accounted　for。　No　notations　had　been　made　by　manding　officers；　no　ship…out　or　transport　orders　were　available。
　Experienced　in　the　ways　of　the　military；　Smith　could　guess　where　Nichols　and　Drake　had　disappeared。　Scattered　throughout　the　army　were　special　units。　The　most　public　of　these　were　the　Rangers。　But　there　were　others；　whose　members　were　culled　from　the　most　experienced　and　battle…hardened　troops。　In　Vietnam；　they　had　been　known　as　LRRPs…Long　Range　Reconnaissance　Patrols；　in　other　parts　of　the　world；　they　had　no　designation　whatsoever。
　Smith　was　aware　of　three　such　outfits　but　suspected　there　were　more。　He　knew　no　one　in　any　of　them；　and　didn't　have　the　time　or　the　resources　to　start　a　hunt　from　scratch。　There　was　only　one　way　to　go：　with　the　phone　number　that　Peter　Howell　had　coaxed　from　the　dying　Travis　Nichols's　lips。
　For　the　next　hour；　Smith　considered　one　plan　of　action　after　another。　From　each　one　he　took　away　a　detail　or　two　that；　when　strung　together；　formed　a　coherent　whole。　Then　he　went　over　it　again　and　again；　probing　for　weaknesses；　eliminating　questions；　trying　to　give　himself　the　best　possible　advantage。　He　knew　that　the　minute　he　made　the　call　to　that　as　yet　unknown　person　at　the　other　end　of　a　number　that　didn't　exist；　his　life　would　hang　on　his　every　word　and　action。
　Outside；　the　insects　and　birds　began　their　nocturnal　litany。　As　Smith　rose　to　close　the　window；　his　phone　rang。
　〃Jon；　it's　Randi。〃
　〃Randi！　What　time　is　it　over　there？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I've　lost　track。　Listen；　Sasha　broke　through　the　laptop's　firewalls。　All　the　E…mails…　and　everything　else…　are　in　the　clear。〃
　By　her　tone；　Smith　knew　that　Randi　wanted　an　explanation。
　〃I　need　what　you　have；　Randi；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃No　questions　asked。　Not　now。〃
　〃Jon；　you　asked　me　to　do　you　a　favor。　I　did。　From　the　little　I've　read；　this　stuff's　explosive。　There　are　references　to　Bioaparat　and　to　something　called　the　Cassandra　pact…〃
　〃But　I　haven't　seen　any　of　that；〃　Smith　said　urgently。　〃That's　why　I　need　it…　to　try　to　find　out　what's　going　on。〃
　〃You　have　to　tell　me　one　thing；〃　Randi　replied。　〃This　'situation；'　whatever　it　is；　is　it　localized　in　Russia？　Or　has　something　gotten　out？〃
　Smith　had　e　up　against　Randi's　single…mindedness　before。　He　knew　she　wasn't　vying　for　glory；　she　was　an　intelligence　agent　trying　to　do　her　job。　Somehow　he　had　to　convince　her　that　his　interests　and　hers　were　the　same。
　〃Something　has　gotten　out；〃　he　said。
　She　stared　at　him。　〃Not　like　Hades；　Jon。　Not　again！〃
　〃It　isn't　like　that　at　all；〃　Smith　assured　her。　〃We　have　a　situation　here　at　home。　Believe　me；　all　stops　have　been　pulled　out　on　this。　The　orders　e　from　the　highest　level。　Do　you　understand？　The　highest　level。〃　He　allowed　his　words　to　sink　in。　〃What　you've　done　will　help　me　enormously；〃　he　continued。　〃Please　believe　me：　there's　nothing　more　you　can　do　on　your　end。　At　least　not　right　now。〃
　〃So　I　take　it　you　don't　want　me　to　signal　Langley。〃
　〃It's　the　last　thing　I　want　you　to　do。　I'm　asking　you　to　trust　me；　Randi。　Please。〃
　After　a　moment's　hesitation；　she　replied；　〃It's　not　a　matter　of　trust；　Jon。　I　just　don't　want。。。　I　couldn't　bear　to　stand　by　and　let　another　situation　like　Hades　develop。〃
　〃No　one　does。　And　it　won't　happen。〃
　〃Will　you　at　least　keep　me　posted？〃
　〃As　much　as　I　can；〃　Smith　replied　truthfully。　〃Things　are　moving　fast　here。〃
　〃All　right。　But　remember　your　promise。〃
　〃You　won't　hear　it　on　CNN。〃
　〃I'll　ship　you　the　contents　now。　What　do　you　want　me　to　do　with　the　laptop？〃
　Smith　considered　his　options。　By　all　rights　he　should　have　the　puter　returned　to　Kirov。　But　what　if　Lara　Telegin　wasn't　the　only　traitor？　He　couldn't　run　the　risk　that　somehow　vital　secrets　would　fall　into　the　wrong　hands。
　〃I'm　sure　that　you　have　a　secure　safe；〃　he　said。　〃Preferably　something　tamperproof。〃
　〃I　have　one　of　the　new　flash　vaults。　Anyone　trying　to　get　in　is　in　for　a　nasty　surprise。〃
　〃Good。　One　last　thing：　the　cell　phone。〃
　〃It　had　a　bunch　of　numbers　in　its　memory…　all　on　the　Russian　military　exchange。　I'll　send　you　copies。〃
　Hearing　a　ping！；　Smith　turned　to　his　monitor　as　an　ining　message　scrolled　across　the　screen。
　〃I'm　receiving　your　feed；〃　he　said。
　〃I　hope　it's　what　you　need。〃　Randi　hesitated；　then　added；　〃Good　luck；　Jon。　I'll　be　thinking　of　you。〃
　Smith　turned　his　attention　to　the　screen　and　scanned　the　E…mails　one　by　one。　The　sender　was　code…named　Sphinx；　the　receiver；　Mephisto。
　As　he　continued　to　read；　the　enormity　of　what　was　referred　to　as　the　Cassandra　pact　grew　before　his　eyes。　Lara　Telegin…　Sphinx…　had　been　in　contact　with　Mephisto　for　over　two　years；　feeding　him　top…secret　information　on　Bioaparat；　its　personnel　and　security。　The　most　recent　notes　mentioned　Yuri　Danko　and　Ivan　Beria　by　name。
　Who　were　you　feeding？　Who　is　Mephisto？
　Smith　worked　his　way　deeper　into　the　E…mails。　Suddenly　he　spotted　something　and　scrolled　back。　It　was　a　congratulatory　note。　Mephisto　had　been　awarded　a　citation。　There　was　a　reference　to　a　ceremony　on　a　certain　date。
　Veterans　Day。。。
　Using　his　USAMRIID　access　code；　Smith　got　into　the　Pentagon　site　and　punched　in　the　date。　Instantly　the　specifics　of　the　ceremony　appeared；　including　pictures。　There　was　a　shot　of　President　Castilla　holding　the　citation。　And　the　soldier　who　was　about　to　receive　it。
　
　〃Are　you　absolutely　sure？〃　Klein　asked。
　Smith　thought　Klein　sounded　tired；　but　maybe　it　was　just　the　connection。
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　replied。　〃The　E…mail　refers　to　a　specific　date。　There　was　only　that　one　ceremony。　Only　one　such　citation　was　awarded。　There's　no　mistake。〃
　〃I　see。。。。　Given　this　new　development；　have　you　e　up　with　a　way　to　proceed？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　It　had　taken　Smith　two　hours　to　revise　the　plan　he'd　e　up　with　prior　to　Randi　Russell's　call。　Quickly　he　gave　Klein　the　details。
　〃It　sounds　awfully　dangerous；　Jon；〃　Klein　said　softly。　〃I'd　feel　a　whole　lot　better　if　you　weren't　going　in　alone。〃
　〃Believe　me；　I'd　like　to　have　Peter　Howell　around　but　there's　no　time　to　get　him　here。　Besides；　I　need　him　in　Europe。〃
　〃And　you're　sure　you　want　to　proceed　immediately？〃
　〃As　long　as　you　can　get　those　items　I　mentioned；　I'll　be　ready。〃
　〃Consider　it　done。　And　Jon；　you　will　be　wearing　a　transmitter；　won't　you？〃
　Smith　h