rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第42节

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　〃Something　I　brought　along　from　Moscow；〃　Kirov　said　conversationally。　〃The　blade　has　a　fast…acting　animal　tranquilizer…　Acepromazine。　It　can　bring　down　a　hundred…kilo　boar　in　seconds。　Besides；　if　for　some　reason　your　police　were　to　stop　me；　I　could　explain　away　an　umbrella。　A　gun　would　be　much　harder。〃
　Smith　nodded。　He　might　be　the　bait；　but　Kirov　would　be　the　one　doing　the　close…in　work。　He　was　glad　that　the　Russian　wasn't　going　to　face　Beria　unarmed。
　Smith　slipped　the　SIG…Sauer　into　his　shoulder　holster。　〃All　right；　then。　I'll　give　you　forty　minutes　lead　time；　then　follow　you　in。〃
　
　Moving　along　the　streets　like　a　wraith；　Kirov　studied　the　human　traffic　swirling　around　him。　Like　other　areas　close　to　Washington's　core；　Dupont　Circle　had　undergone　a　revival。　But　tucked　in　between　trendy　cafés　and　designer　boutiques　were　the　Macedonian　bakeries；　Turkish　carpet　shops；　Serbian　emporiums　filled　with　beaten　brass　and　copper　planters；　Greek　restaurants；　and　Yugoslav　coffeehouses。　Kirov　knew　how　strong　the　pull　of　the　familiar　would　be　to　a　man　operating　in　an　unfamiliar　environment；　even　if　that　man　was　a　vicious　killer。　This　ethnic　mix　was　just　the　kind　of　environment　that　Ivan　Beria　would　gravitate　to。　There　he　could　find　familiar　food；　listen　to　music　he　had　grown　up　with；　overhear　accents　he　recognized。　Kirov；　who　could　eavesdrop　in　many　Slavic　languages；　was　also　perfectly　at　home　there。
　Turning　into　an　open…air　quadrangle　bordered　by　shops　and　stalls；　Kirov　took　a　seat　in　the　shade　of　an　umbrella…topped　table。　A　Croat　woman　who　spoke　only　halting　English　took　his　order　for　coffee。　The　Russian　held　back　a　smile　as　he　overheard　her　running　invective　at　the　proprietor。
　Sipping　the　thick；　sweet　coffee；　Kirov　surveyed　the　foot　traffic；　noting　the　women's　colorful　blouses　and　skirts　and　the　men's　baggy　pants　and　leather　jackets。　If　Beria　came　here；　he　would　wear　the　rough；　practical　clothing　of　a　Yugoslav　working　man…　maybe　a　cap；　too；　to　cast　a　shadow　over　his　features。　But　Kirov　had　no　doubt　that　he　would　recognize　him。　In　his　experience；　the　one　aspect　of　his　appearance　an　assassin　could　never　disguise　was　the　eyes。
　Kirov　understood　there　was　a　good　chance　that　given　the　opportunity　Beria　would　recognize　him　as　well。　But　Beria　had　no　reason　to　think　that　Kirov　was　in　the　United　States。　His　primary　concern　would　be　to　avoid　the　police；　as　sparse　as　the　patrols　were　in　the　area。　He　wouldn't　expect　a　face　from　the　past；　so　far　from　home。　By　the　same　token；　Kirov　did　not　expect　to　see　Beria　strolling　up　to　the　nearest　pastry　shop　to　buy　a　snack。　He　might　know　where　the　assassin　was　likely　to　venture　out；　but　he　had　no　idea　where　he　was　at　that　moment。
　With　hooded　eyes；　Kirov　surveyed　the　changing　scene　around　him。　He　also　scanned　the　entrances　and　exits　to　the　quadrangle；　where　people　appeared　from　and　disappeared　to。　He　noted　the　signs　posted　in　the　shop　windows　indicating　the　business　hours；　and　made　a　mental　note　to　check　the　alleys　and　the　delivery　bays。
　If　Beria　had　to　e　out　to　perform　his　wet　work；　this　was　an　area　he　would　feel　fortable　in。　This　might　cause　him　to　feel　that　he　had　the　upper　hand；　and　a　confident　man　could　sometimes　be　a　blind　one。
　
　Three…quarters　of　a　mile　from　where　Kirov　was　contemplating　the　possible　takedown　zone；　Ivan　Beria　opened　the　door　to　his　two…bedroom　apartment　on　the　top　floor　of　a　building　that　specialized　in　short…term　leases　to　the　city's　white…collar　transients。
　Facing　him　was　the　driver　of　the　Lincoln；　a　big；　silent　man　with　a　nose　that　had　been　broken　at　least　several　times　and　a　deformed　left　ear　that　resembled　a　tiny　cauliflower。　Beria　had　met　such　men　before。　fortable　with　violence　and　unerringly　discreet；　they　were　the　perfect　messengers　for　the　principals　who　hired　him。
　Motioning　the　driver　inside；　Beria　locked　the　door　and　accepted　the　proffered　envelope。　He　tore　it　open　and　quickly　read　the　contents；　written　in　Serb。　Stepping　away；　he　smiled　to　himself。　The　principals　always　underestimated　the　number　of　people　who　had　to　be　eliminated。　In　this　case；　Beria　had　already　been　paid　for　the　Russian　guard　and　the　American　scientist。　Now　he　was　being　asked　to　remove　one　more。
　Turning　to　the　driver；　he　said；　〃Picture。〃
　Silently；　the　driver　took　back　the　letter　and　handed　over　a　picture　of　ion　Smith；　taken　by　a　security　camera。　The　subject　was　facing　the　lens；　his　face　free　of　shadows。　The　resolution　was　very　good。
　Beria　smiled　thoughtfully。　〃When？〃
　The　driver　held　out　his　hand　for　the　picture。　〃As　soon　as　possible。　You　must　be　ready　to　go　the　minute　you're　called。〃
　The　driver　raised　his　eyebrows；　silently　asking　if　there　was　anything　else。　Beria　shook　his　head。
　After　the　driver　left；　Beria　went　into　the　bedroom　and　removed　a　digitally　encrypted　satellite　phone　from　his　pack。　A　moment　later；　he　was　speaking　to　a　Herr　Weizsel　at　the　Offenbach　Bank　in　Zurich。　The　account　in　question　had　just　been　fattened　by　two　hundred　thousand　American　dollars。
　Beria　thanked　the　banker　and　hung　up。　The　Americans　are　in　a　hurry。
　
　
　Naked；　Dr。　Karl　Bauer　stepped　out　of　the　final　decontamination　room。　On　the　bench　of　the　changing　room　were　underclothes；　socks；　and　a　shirt。　A　freshly　pressed　suit　hung　on　the　door　hook。
　A　few　minutes　later；　Bauer　was　dressed　and　on　his　way　to　the　glass…enclosed　mezzanine　where　his　chief　of　staff；　Maus　Jaunich；　waited。
　Jaunich　gave　a　slight　bow　and　held　out　his　hand。　〃Magnificent　work；　Herr　Direktor。　I　have　never　seen　anything　like　it。〃
　Bauer　shook　his　hand　and　acknowledged　the　pliment。　〃Nor　are　we　likely　to　witness　something　like　that　ever　again。〃
　After　resting；　Bauer　had　returned　to　the　laboratory。　Even　though　he　had　worked　through　most　of　the　night；　he　felt　elated　and　full　of　energy。　He　knew　from　experience　that　this　was　only　the　adrenaline　flowing　through　his　system　and　that　fatigue　would　inevitably　catch　up　to　him。　Nonetheless；　Jaunich　was　right：　it　had　been　magnificent　work。　Using　his　laserlike　concentration；　he　had　applied　a　lifetime　of　knowledge　and　experience　into　taking　the　first　steps　that　would　transform　an　already　deadly　virus　into　an　unstoppable；　microscopic　firestorm。　Now　he　felt　almost　cheated　because　he　would　be　unable　to　take　those　last　few　steps　toward　pletion。
　〃We　knew　from　the　beginning；　didn't　we；　Klaus；〃　he　said；　voicing　his　thought。　〃That　we　would　never　be　able　to　see　this　creation　through　to　the　end。　The　physics　of　this　earth　deny　me　my　ultimate　triumph。　To　plete　it；　I　must　give　it　away。〃　He　paused。　〃Now　it　will　be　up　to　Reed　to　go　where　we　cannot。〃
　〃So　much　trust　in　one　man；〃　Jaunich　murmured。
　〃He　will　do　what　he's　told；〃　Bauer　replied　sharply。　〃And　when　he　returns；　we　will　have　what；　until　now；　we've　only　dreamed　of。〃
　He　patted　the　big　man　on　the　shoulder。　〃It　will　be　all　right；　Klaus。　You'll　see。　Now；　the　transport？〃
　〃The　sample　is　ready　for　shipment；　Herr　Direktor。　The　aircraft　is　standing　by。〃
　Bauer　clapped　his　hands。　〃Good！　Then　you　and　I　must　have　a　celebratory　drink　before　I　leave。〃
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY
　　
　Beneath　the　blaze　of　lights；　she　looked　like　a　sculpture　heralding　in　the　new　millennium。　From　her　vantage　point　three　miles　away；　Megan　Olson　stared　in　awe　at　the　space　shuttle；　mated　to　the　giant　external　tank　and　the　two　slightly　smaller　solid　rocket　boosters。
　It　was　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　on　a　windless；　moonlit　night　at　Cape　Canaveral。　Megan's　nose　tingled　from　the　briny　air　and　her　nerves　trilled　with　anticipation。　Usually；　the　crew　was　up　and　about　by　three　o'clock；　but　Megan　had　been　unable　to　sleep　much　past　midnight。　The　thought　that　in　fewer　than　eight　hours　she　would　be　onboard　the　shuttle；　boring　into　space；　left　her　breathless。
　Megan　turned　and　walked　the　length　of　the　path　that　ran　by　the　ground　floor　of　the　building　where　the　crew　was　quartered。　A　hundred　yards　away；　razor　wire　glittered　atop　the　Cyclone　fence　surrounding　the　pound。　She　heard　the　distant　cough　of　a　security　Jeep　as　it　ground　its　way　around　the　perimeter。　The　security　at　the　Cape　was　both　impressive　and　unobtrusive。　The　uniformed　air　police　were　the　most　visible；　always　a　magnet　for　the　television　cameras。　But　beyond　them　were　the　plainclothes　detachments　that　roved　the　entire　facility　twenty…four　hours　a　day；　making　sure　that　no　one　and　nothing　interfered　with　the　launch。
　Megan　was　about　to　head　back　to　her　room　when　she　heard　footsteps　nearby。　Turning；　she　saw　a　figure　move　from　the　shadows　of　the　building　into　the　light。
　Dylan　Reed？
　It　was　a　standing　joke　that　not　only　did　Reed　not　hear　his　alarm　clock；　but　that　he　could　sleep　through　liftoff　if　allowed　to　do　so。　So　what　was　he　doing　up　and　about　an　hour　before　roll　call？
　Raising　her　arm；　Megan　was　about　to　call　out　to　him　when　a　bright　headlight　appeared　around　the　corner。　Instinctively；　she　drew　back　as　a　sedan　with　the　NASA　logo　on　the　door　slipped　close　to　where　Reed　was　standing。　Staying　in　the　shadows；　Megan　watched　an　older　man　get　out　of　the　car　and　approach　Reed。
　Someone　he　was　expecting。　Who？　And　why　break　the　quarantine？
　Quarantine　was　a　vital　part　of　the　launch　process；　although　this　time　its　duration　had　been　reduced；　of　necessity；　from　the　usual　seven　days。　Allowing　an　outsider　to　e