rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第32节

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　He　hurried　back　to　his　seat；　settled　in；　and　pulled　a　blanket　over　himself。
　Treloar　remembered　meeting　Smith　in　Houston。　He　had　made　the　mistake　of　revealing　that　he　had　overheard　Reed　talking　about　Venice　and　Smith。　Reed　had　warned　him　that　Smith　was　not　his　business。　He　had　assured　Treloar　that　there　was　no　reason　why　the　doctor　should　ever　again　cross　Treloar's　path。
　Then　what's　he　doing　here？　Is　he　following　me？
　The　questions　pounded　at　Treloar　as　he　glanced　down　at　his　carry…on；　tucked　beside　the　bulkhead。　In　his　mind's　eye；　he　saw　the　shiny　canister；　and　inside；　the　ampoules　with　their　deadly　golden…yellow　liquid。　Too　paralyzed　to　move；　he　tried　to　rein　in　his　panic。
　Think　logically！　I　f　Smith　knew　about　the　smallpox；　would　he　have　allowed　you　to　get　onboard　in　London？　Of　course　not！　You'd　be　in　chains　right　now。　So　he　doesn't　know。　His　being　here　is　a　coincidence。　It　must　be！
　His　reasoning　calmed　him　a　little；　but　as　soon　as　one　set　of　questions　was　answered；　another　popped　up：　Maybe　Smith　was　aware　that　he　was　carrying　the　virus；　but　there　hadn't　been　time　to　safely　arrest　him　in　London。　Maybe　the　British　had　refused　to　go　along。　Maybe　Smith　was　allowing　him　to　get　back　home　because　he　needed　the　time　to　establish　a　controlled　situation　at　Dulles。　They　would　fall　on　him　as　soon　as　he　disembarked。。。。
　Treloar　pulled　the　blanket　up　closer　under　his　chin。　Back　in　the　sunshine　and　safety　of　Houston；　Reed's　plan　had　sounded　so　easy；　so　perfect。　Yes；　there　was　an　element　of　danger；　but　it　was　infinitesimally　small　pared　to　the　rewards　he　stood　to　reap。　And　before　the　danger；　there　had　been　the　delights　of　Moscow。
　Treloar　shook　his　head。　He　had　memorized　what　it　was　he　was　supposed　to　do　upon　arrival　at　Dulles。　Now；　Smith's　unexplained　presence　had　turned　a　careful　plan　to　ashes。　Guidance；　explanations；　reassuring　words　were　needed。
　Reaching　out　from　under　the　blanket；　Treloar　pulled　out　the　inflight　phone。　At　this　point　in　the　operation；　munications　were　strictly　forbidden。　But　with　Smith　only　a　few　feet　away　that　rule　no　longer　applied。　Treloar　fumbled　with　his　credit　card　and　scanned　it　in　the　slot　cut　into　the　hand　unit。　Seconds　later；　the　transaction　was　approved　and　he　was　on…line。
　
　The　room　next　to　Randi's　office　had　been　set　up　as　a　small　conference　center；　plete　with　the　latest　audio…visual　equipment；　flatscreen　monitors；　and　a　professional　video/DVD…editing　unit　that　rivaled　anything　found　in　Disney's　animation　department。　On　most　Friday　afternoons；　the　staff　would　get　together；　eat　junk　food；　and　watch　the　latest　movies　on　DVD　courtesy　of　Amazon。
　Sitting　next　to　Sasha　Rublev；　Randi　watched　as　the　gangly　teenager　used　the　editing　and　enhancement　software　to　massage　the　blurred　image　of　the　face　on　the　tape。　Sasha　hadn't　moved　from　the　puter　for　hours。　Every　now　and　again　he　stopped　just　long　enough　to　chug　down　a　Coke；　then；　fortified；　he'd　return　to　his　task。
　All　the　while　Randi　had　been　nothing　more　than　a　silent　observer。　She　was　fascinated　how　Sasha　coaxed　pixel　after　pixel　out　of　what　appeared　to　be　nothing　more　than　a　smudge。　Little　by　little　the　image　of　a　man's　face　came　into　focus。
　Sasha　made　one　final　pass　at　the　keyboard；　then　rolled　his　head　to　work　out　the　kinks　in　his　neck。
　〃That's　it；　Randi；〃　he　said。　〃I　can't　get　it　any　better。〃
　Randi　squeezed　his　shoulder。　〃You　did　great。〃
　She　stared　at　the　picture　of　a　fleshy　face　punctuated　by　puffy　cheeks　and　thick　lips。　The　eyes　were　the　most　startling　features：　large　and　egg…shaped；　they　seemed　to　bulge　from　their　sockets。
　〃He's　an　ugly　man。〃
　Randi　started　at　the　sound　of　Sasha's　voice。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃He　looks　like　a　troll。　There's　something　evil　about　him。〃　He　paused。　〃The　train　station。。。？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Randi　replied　truthfully。　She　gave　Sasha　a　quick　hug。　〃Thank　you。　You've　been　a　great　help。　I　need　a　couple　minutes　to　finish　up　in　here　and　then　we'll　go　get　us　some　Egg　McMuffins。　Okay？〃
　Sasha　pointed　to　the　laptop　and　the　cell　phone　on　the　conference　table。　〃What　about　those？〃
　Randi　smiled。　〃Maybe　later。〃
　As　soon　as　she　was　alone；　Randi　established　a　secure　E…link　with　the　embassy's　senior　foreign　service　officer　who　was；　in　fact；　the　CIA　station　chief。　As　soon　as　he　acknowledged　her；　she　fired　off　an　urgent　request　for　any　and　all　information　about　the　man　whose　photo　would　follow。
　Randi　fed　a　printout　of　the　image　into　the　fax　machine　and；　checking　her　watch；　thought　that　she　should　get　a　reply　in　about　thirty　minutes。　As　she　reached　for　her　purse；　she　thought　of　Jon　Smith　and　wondered　why　this　〃ugly〃　man　was　so　important　to　him。
　
　〃Stay　calm；　Adam。　Just　stay　calm。〃'
　Adam　Treloar　sat　jammed　into　the　corner　of　his　spacious　window　seat。　He　was　grateful　for　the　privacy　afforded　in　the　first…class　cabin　and　the　drone　of　the　engines。　Nonetheless　he　spoke　in　whispers。
　〃What　am　I　supposed　to　do；　Price？〃　he　demanded。　〃Smith　is　onboard　this　plane。　I　saw　him！〃
　Anthony　Price　swiveled　his　chair　to　face　the　windows　fitted　with　bulletproof；　one…way　glass。　He　chose　a　random　point　in　the　sky　and　fixed　his　gaze　on　it。　Then　he　emptied　his　mind　of　everything　except　the　issue　at　hand。
　〃But　he　hasn't　seen　you；　has　he？〃　he　said；　trying　to　sound　as　reassuring　as　possible。　〃And　he　won't。　Not　as　long　as　you're　careful。〃
　〃But　what's　he　doing　here　in　the　first　place？〃
　Price　would　have　dearly　loved　to　know　that。
　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　he　said　carefully。　〃As　soon　as　we're　through　I'll　start　checking。　But　remember：　Smith　is　not　your　concern。　And　there　is　absolutely　no　reason　for　him　to　be　interested　in　you。〃
　〃Don't　lie　to　me！〃　Treloar　hissed。　〃You　think　I　don't　know　about　Smith's　role　in　the　Hades　horror？〃
　〃Smith　is　no　longer　with　USAMRIID；〃　Price　replied。　〃And　here's　something　you　may　not　know：　his　fiancée　was　killed　during　Hades。　Her　sister　works　in　Moscow　for　a　venture　capital　firm。〃
　〃Are　you　saying　Smith　was　there　for　personal　reasons？〃
　〃Could　well　be。〃
　〃I　don't　know。。。〃　Treloar　muttered。　〃I　don't　like　coincidence。〃
　〃But　sometimes　that's　all　it　is；〃　Price　said　soothingly。　〃Adam；　listen　to　me。　I　have　you　flagged　at　Dulles。　You'll　breeze　through　customs　and　immigration。　One　of　our　people　will　be　waiting　for　you　with　a　car。　You're　home　free。　So　just　relax。〃
　〃Just　make　sure　nothing　goes　wrong。　If　they　find…〃
　〃Adam！〃　Price　said　sharply。　〃We　don't　need　to　get　into　that。〃
　〃Sorry。。。〃
　〃Call　me　as　soon　as　you're　in　the　car。　And　don't　worry。〃
　Price　broke　the　connection。　Treloar　had　always　been　the　weak　link　in　the　chain。　But　also　indispensable。　He　was　the　only　member　of　the　pact　who　had　established　a　reason　for　going　to　Russia　on　a　regular　basis。　He　was　also　a　scientist　who　knew　how　to　handle　smallpox。　But　that　didn't　stop　Price；　who　hated　the　weak；　from　despising　him。
　〃Just　make　it　home；　Adam；〃　he　whispered　to　the　sky。　〃Make　it　home　and　you　will　certainly　get　your　just　rewards。〃
　
　CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
　　
　After　leaving　the　Washington　city　limits；　Nathaniel　Klein　drove　along　U。S。　15　until　he　reached　Thurmont；　Maryland。　There　he　took　Route　77；　slipped　past　Hagerstown；　and　followed　Hunting　Creek　until　he　reached　the　Catoctin　Mountain　Park　Visitors　Center。　Skirting　the　forest　ranger's　station；　he　headed　up　two…lane　blacktops　until　he　came　to　a　sign　that　read　NO　STOPPING；　SLOWING；　TURNING　OR　STANDING　HERE。　To　reinforce　the　message；　an　army　Humvee　rattled　off　the　shoulder　and　into　the　middle　of　the　road。
　Klein　pulled　over　his　nondescript　Buick　sedan；　lowered　his　window；　and　held　out　his　ID。　The　officer；　who　had　been　alerted　to　expect　Klein；　scanned　the　card。　Satisfied；　he　instructed　Klein　to　proceed。　As　soon　as　he　was　under　way；　the　car　phone　sounded。
　〃Klein　here。〃
　〃Kirov　in　Moscow。　How　are　you；　sir？〃
　By　the　sounds　of　it；　better　than　you。　But　all　he　said　was；　〃Fine；　General。〃
　〃I　have　information。〃　There　was　a　slight　hesitation；　as　if　the　Russian　was　trying　to　find　the　right　words。　Finally；　they　came　out　in　a　rush：　〃Beria　made　it　to　St。　Petersburg；　just　as　you　suspected。　Frankly；　I　am　at　a　loss　to　understand　how　this　is　possible。〃
　〃You're　sure？〃　Klein　demanded。
　〃Positive。　A　bus　driver　was　stopped　at　a　checkpoint　on　the　Moscow…St。　Petersburg　highway。　He　was　shown　a　photograph　and　identified　Beria。〃
　〃How　far　outside　St。　Petersburg　was　this　checkpoint？〃
　〃A　little　bit　of　luck　here：　only　an　hour。　I　immediately　concentrated　my　resources　in　the　city；　particularly　the　airport。　No　American　carriers　had　left　up　to　that　point。〃
　Klein　breathed　a　little　easier。　Wherever　Beria　was　going；　it　wasn't　here。
　〃But　there　was　a　Finnair　flight　that　left　almost　ten　hours　ago；〃　Kirov　said。　〃It's　carrying　an　American　tour　group。〃
　Klein　closed　his　eyes。　〃And？〃
　〃The　immigration　officer　remembers　the　tour　leader　giving　him　a　stack　of　passports。　He　took　his　time　going　through　them。　One　of　the　names　caught　his　attention　because　it　was　a　Russian　name　on　an　American　passport。　Ivan　Beria　now　calls　himself　John　Strelnikov。　If　the　Finnair　flight　is　on　schedule；　it　will　land　at　Dulles　in　fifteen　minutes。〃
　Klein　stared　through　the　windshield　at　the　lodges　ing　into　view。
　〃General；　I'll　have　to　call　you　back。〃
　〃I　understand。　Godspeed　to　you；　sir。〃
　Klein　drove