tc.redrabbit-第85节

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e　lining　in　his　coat；　and　maybe　even　wear　the　shapka　Mary　Pat　had　bought　him。　He　had　to　start　thinking　about　what　would　happen　after　they　got　the　Rabbit　out。　If　BEATRIX　worked　all　the　way；　he'd　have　to　maintain　his　cover　activities　for　a　time…or　maybe　switch　to　driving　to　the　embassy；　a　change　in　routine　that　the　Russians　would　not　note　as　unusual。　He　was　an　American；　after　all；　and　Americans　were　famous　for　driving　everywhere。　The　metro　was　getting　tedious。　Too　crowded；　often　with　people　who　didn't　know　what　a　shower　was　for。　The　things　he　did　for　his　country；　Foley　thought。　No；　he　corrected　himself；　the　things　he　did　against　his　country's　enemies。　That　was　what　made　it　worthwhile。　Giving　the　big　of　Bear　a　bellyache…maybe　even　stomach　cancer；　he　mused；　walking　to　his　apartment。
　　　〃Yes；　Alan？〃　Charleston　asked；　looking　up　from　his　desk。
　　　〃This　is　a　major　operation；　I　take　it？〃　Kingshot　asked。
　　　〃Major　in　its　objective；　yes；〃　the　Director　General　confirmed。　〃As　routine　as　possible　in　its　operation。　We　only　have　three　people　in　Budapest；　and　it　would　not　be　overly　brilliant　to　fly　in　a　goon　squad。〃
　　　〃Anyone　else　going？〃
　　　〃Jack　Ryan；　the　American；〃　Sir　Basil　said。
　　　〃He's　no　field　officer；〃　Kingshot　objected　immediately。
　　　〃It's　fundamentally　an　American　operation；　Alan。　They　reasonably　requested　that　one　of　their　people　go　along　to　observe。　In　return；　we'll　have　a　day　or　two　to　debrief　their　Rabbit　at　a　safe　house　of　our　choosing。　He　will　doubtless　have　a　good　deal　of　useful　information；　and　we'll　get　the　first　chance　to　speak　with　him。〃
　　　〃Well；　I　hope　this　Ryan　fellow　doesn't　queer　the　pitch　for　us。〃
　　　〃Alan；　he's　shown　himself　to　be　fairly　levelheaded　in　time　of　trouble；　hasn't　he？〃　Sir　Basil　asked；　reasonable　as　ever。
　　　〃Must　be　his　Marine　training；〃　Kingshot　observed　with　dark　generosity。
　　　〃And　he's　very　clever；　Alan。　He's　been　giving　us　excellent　work　on　his　analysis　project。〃
　　　〃If　you　say　so；　sir。　To　get　the　three　bodies；　I　need　to　get　some　help　from　Special　Branch；　and　then　spend　time　on　my　knees　hoping　for　something　dreadful　to　happen。〃
　　　〃What　are　you　thinking？〃
　　　Kingshot　explained　his　nascent　operational　concept。　It　was　really　the　only　way　to　make　something　like　this　happen。　And；　as　Sir　Basil　had　observed　earlier　in　the　day；　it　was　as　grisly　as　an　autopsy。
　　　〃How　likely　is　such　a　thing　to　happen？〃　Basil　asked。
　　　〃I　need　to　talk　with　the　police　to　answer　that　one。〃
　　　〃Who's　your　contact　there？〃
　　　〃Chief　Superintendent　Patrick　Nolan。　You've　met　him。〃
　　　Charleston　closed　his　eyes　for　a　moment。　〃The　huge　chap；　arrests　rugby　forwards　for　light　exercise？〃
　　　〃That's　Nolan。　They　call　him　'Tiny'　on　the　force。　I　think　he　eats　barbells　with　his　porridge。　Am　I　free　to　discuss　this　Operation　BEATRIX　with　him？〃
　　　〃Just　in　terms　of　our　needs；　Alan。〃
　　　〃Very　good；　sir；〃　Kingshot　agreed；　and　left　the　room。
　　　〃You　want　what？〃　Nolan　asked　over　a　pint　in　a　pub　a　block　from　New　Scotland　Yard；　just　after　four　in　the　afternoon。
　　　〃You　heard　me；　Tiny；〃　Kingshot　said。　He　lit　a　cigarette　to　fit　in　with　the　rest　of　the　bar's　patrons。
　　　〃Well；　I　must　say　I've　heard　a　lot　of　strange　things　in　my　time　with　the　Yard；　but　never　that。〃　Nolan　was　a　good　six…four　and　two　hundred　thirty　pounds；　very　little　of　it　fat。　He　spent　at　least　an　hour；　three　times　a　week；　in　the　Yard's　exercise　room。　He　rarely　carried　a　handgun　on　duty。　He'd　never　needed　one　to　help　a　felon　see　the　futility　of　resistance。　〃Can　you　say　what　this　is　for？〃　he　asked。
　　　〃Sorry；　not　allowed　to。　All　I　can　say　is　that's　it's　a　matter　of　some　importance。〃
　　　A　long　pull　on　his　beer。　〃Well；　you　know　that　we　do　not　keep　such　things　in　cold　storage；　even　in　the　Black　Museum。〃
　　　〃I　was　thinking　a　traffic　smash。　They　happen　all　the　time；　don't　they？〃
　　　〃Yes；　they　do；　Alan；　but　not　to　a　family　of　three。〃
　　　〃Well；　how　often　do　such　things　happen？〃　Kingshot　asked。
　　　〃Perhaps　twenty　such　incidents　in　an　average　year；　and　their　occurrence　is　wholly　irregular。　You　cannot　depend　on　it　in　any　given　week。〃
　　　〃Well；　we'll　just　have　to　hope　for　good　luck；　and　if　it　doesn't　happen；　then　it　simply　does　not　happen。〃　That　would　be　an　inconvenience。　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　to　enlist　the　help　of　the　Americans。　They　killed　at　least　fifty　thousand　people　per　year　on　their　highways。　He'd　suggest　that　to　Sir　Basil　in　the　morning；　Kingshot　decided。
　　　〃Good　luck？　Not　sure　I'd　call　it　that；　Alan；〃　Nolan　pointed　out。
　　　〃You　know　what　I　mean；　Tiny。　All　I　can　say　is　that　it's　bloody　important。〃
　　　〃And　if　it　happens　out　on　the　M4；　then　what？〃
　　　〃We　collect　the　bodies…〃
　　　〃And　the　survivors　of　the　deceased？〃　Nolan　asked。
　　　〃We　substitute　weighted　bags　for　the　bodies。　The　condition　of　the　corpses　will　preclude　an　open…casket　ceremony；　won't　it？〃
　　　〃Yes；　there　is　that。　Then　what？〃
　　　〃We'll　have　our　people　deal　with　the　bodies。　You　really　do　not　need　to　know　the　details。〃　The　SIS　had　a　close　and　cordial　relationship　with　the　Metropolitan　Police；　but　it　went　only　so　far。
　　　Nolan　finished　his　pint。　〃Yes；　I'll　leave　the　nightmares　to　you；　Alan。〃　He　managed　not　to　shiver。　〃I　should　start　keeping　my　eyes　open　at　once；　is　it？〃
　　　〃Immediately。〃
　　　〃And　we　should　consider　taking　the　leavings　from　more　than　one　such　incident？〃
　　　〃Obviously。〃　Kingshot　nodded。　〃Another　round？〃
　　　〃Good　idea；　Alan；〃　Nolan　agreed。　And　his　host　waved　to　the　barman。　〃You　know；　someday　I'd　love　to　know　what　you　are　using　me　for。〃
　　　〃Someday　after　we're　both　retired；　Patrick。　You'll　be　pleased　to　know　what　you　are　helping　with。　That　I　can　promise　you；　old　man。〃
　　　〃If　you　say　so；　Alan。〃　Nolan　conceded　the　point。　For　now。
　　　〃What　the　hell？〃　Judge　Moore　observed；　reading　the　latest　dispatch　from　Moscow。　He　handed　the　fresh　copy　over　to　Greer；　who　scanned　it　and　passed　it　along　to　Mike　Bostock。
　　　〃Mike；　your　boy　Foley　has　a　lively　imagination；〃　the　Admiral　mented。
　　　〃This　sounds　more　like　Mary　Pat。　She's　the　cowboy…well；　cowgirl；　I　suppose　you'd　say。　It　is　original；　guys。〃
　　　〃Original　isn't　the　word；〃　the　DCI　said；　rolling　his　eyes　somewhat。　〃Okay；　Mike；　is　it　doable？〃
　　　〃Theoretically；　yes…and　I　like　the　operational　concept。　To　get　a　defector　and　keep　Ivan　ignorant　of　the　fact。　That's　style；　gentlemen；〃　Bostock　said　admiringly。　〃The　ugly　part　is　that　you　need　three　bodies；　one　of　them　a　child。〃
　　　The　three　intelligence　executives　managed　not　to　shudder　at　the　thought。　It　was　easiest；　oddly；　for　Judge　Moore；　who'd　managed　to　get　his　hands　wet　thirty　years　earlier。　But　that　had　been　in　time　of　war；　when　the　rules　were　a　lot　looser。　But　not　loose　enough　for　him　to　keep　from　having　regrets。　That　was　what　had　gotten　him　back　into　the　law。　He　couldn't　take　back　the　things　he'd　done　wrong；　but　he　could　make　sure　they　wouldn't　happen　again。　Or　something　like　that；　he　told　himself　now。　Something　like　that。
　　　〃Why　a　car　crash？〃　Moore　asked。　〃Why　not　a　house　fire？　Doesn't　that　suit　the　tactical　purposes　better？〃
　　　〃Good　point；〃　Bostock　agreed　at　once。　〃Less　physical　trauma　to　have　to　explain　away。〃
　　　〃I'll　shoot　that　off　to　Basil。〃　Even　the　most　brilliant　of　people；　Moore　realized；　could　be　limited　in　their　thinking。　Well；　that　was　why　he　kept　telling　people　to　think　outside　the　box。　And　every　so　often；　someone　managed　to　do　that。　Just　not　often　enough。
　　　〃You　know；〃　Mike　Bostock　said；　after　a　little　thinking。　〃This　will　be　something　if　we　can　pull　it　off。〃
　　　〃'If　can　be　a　very　large　word；　Mike；〃　Greer　cautioned。
　　　〃Well；　maybe　this　time　the　glass　is　half　full；〃　the　Deputy　DDO　suggested。　〃Fine。　The　main　mission　is　getting　this　guy　out；　but　the　goose　can　use　a　little　sauce　once　in　a　while。〃
　　　〃Hmph；〃　Greer　observed　dubiously。
　　　〃Well；　I'll　call　Emil　over　at　the　Bureau　and　see　what　he　has　to　say　about　this；〃　Moore　said。　〃More　his　turf　than　ours。〃
　　　〃And　if　some　lawyer　gets　hold　of　it；　then　what；　Arthur？〃
　　　〃James；　there　are　ways　of　dealing　with　lawyers。〃
　　　A　pistol　is　often　useful；　Greer　didn't　say。　He　nodded　concurrence。　One　bridge　to　cross　at　a　time　was　always　a　good　rule；　especially　in　this　crazy　business。
　　　〃How　did　things　go　today；　honey？〃　Mary　Pat　asked。
　　　〃Oh；　the　usual〃　was　the　reply　for　the　microphones　in　the　ceiling。　More　significant　was　the　double　thumbs…up；　followed　by　the　pass　of　the　note　from　his　coat　pocket。　They　had　a　meeting　place　and　a　time。　MP　would　handle　that。　She　read　the　note　and　nodded。　She　and　Eddie　would　take　another　walk　to　meet　little　Svetlana；　the　zaichik。　Then　it　was　just　a　matter　of　getting　the　Rabbit　out　of　town；　and　since　he　was　KGB；　it　ought　not　to　be　overly　hard。　That　was　one　advantage　of　having　him　work　at　The　Centre。　They　were　taking　out　a　minor　nobleman；　after　all；　not　just　another　muzhik　from　the　widget　factory。
　　　Dinner；　he　saw；　was　steak；　the　usual　celebratory　meal。　MP　was　as　psyched　about　this　as　he　was…probably　more　so。　With　just　a　little　luck；　this　Operation　BEATRIX　would　make　their　reputation；　and　a　good　field　rep　was　something　they　both　wanted。
　　　Ryan　took　the　usual　train　back　to　Chatham。　He'd　missed　his　wife　again；　but　she'd　had　a　routine　day；　so　she'd　probably　left　early；　like　all　the　government…employed　docs　with　whom　she　worked。　He　wondered　if　this　bad　habit　would　carry　over　when　they　went　home　t