bl.necroscope2-第76节

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　would　all　like　to　have　my；　shall　we　say；　guardian　angel？　Why；　an　army　of　men　with　my　talent　would　be　quite　invulnerable！
　〃So　you　see　how　important　I　am。　And　yet　what　am　I　but　a　shrunken　little　man；　whose　lifespan　is　destined　to　be　short？　And　so　while　I　live　I　want　power。　I　want　to　be　great；　for　however　short　a　span。　And　because　it　will　be　short；　I　want　it　now。〃
　〃And　with　Krakovitch　gone；　you'll　be　the　boss　here。〃　Dolgikh　nodded。
　Gerenko　smiled　his　withered　smile。　〃That　for　a　start。　But　then　es　the　integration　of　E…Branch　and　the　KGB。　Brezhnev　would　be　against　it；　of　course；　but　alas　the　Party　Leader　is　rapidly　being　a　mumbling；　crumbling　cretin。　He　can't　last　long。　And　Andropov；　because　he　is　strong；　has　many　enemies。　How　long　will　he　last；　do　you　think？　Which　means　that　eventually；　possibly；　even　probably　…〃
　〃You'll　have　it　all！〃　Dolgikh　could　see　the　logic…of　it。　〃But　by　then；　surely；　you　too　will　have　made　enemies。　Leaders　always　climb　to　the　top　over　the　bodies　of　dead　leaders。〃
　〃Ah！〃　Gerenko's　smile　was　sly；　cold；　and　not　entirely　sane。　〃But　this　time　it　will　be　different。　What　do　I　care　for　enemies？　Sticks　and　stones　will　not　break　my　bones！　And　I　shall　weed　them　out；　one　by　one；　until　there　are　no　more。　And　I　shall　die　small　and　wrinkled；　but　also　great　and　very　powerful。　So　whatever　you　do；　Theo　Dolgikh；　make　sure　you're　my　friend；　not　my　enemy。　。
　Dolgikh　said　nothing　for　a　moment　but　let　all　that　Gerenko　had　said　sink　in。　The　man　was　obviously　a　megalomaniac！　Tactfully；　Dolgikh　changed　the　subject。　〃You　said　there'd　likely　be　more　work　for　me。　What　sort　of　work？〃
　〃As　soon　as　we　are　sure　that　we　can　learn　everything　we　desire　to　know　from　Alec　Kyle；　then　Krakovitch；　his　man　Gulharov；　and　the　other　British　agent；　Quint；　will　bee　quite　expendable。　At　the　moment；　when　Krakovitch　wants　something　done；　he　speaks　to　me　and　I　in　turn　pass　on　his　request　to　Brezhnev。　Not　directly　to　Brezhnev　but　through　one　of　his　men…a　mere　lackey；　but　a　powerful　lackey。　The　Party　Leader　is　keen　on　E…Branch　and　so　Krakovitch　usually　gets　what　he　wants。　Witness　this　unheard　of　liaison　between　British　and　Soviet　espers！
　〃But　of　course　I'm　also　working　for　Andropov。　He；　too；　knows　everything　that　is　happening。　And　he　has　already　instructed　me　that　when　the　time　es　you　are　the　tool　I　shall　throw…into　Krakovitch's　machinery。　E…Branch　has　been　soundly　beaten；　almost　destroyed；　by　INTESP　once　before。　Brezhnev　wants　to　know　how　and　why；　and　so　does　Andropov。　We　had　a　mighty　weapon　in　Boris　Dragosani；　but　their　weapon；　a　youth　called　Harry　Keogh；　was　mightier。　What　gave　him　his　power？　What　were　his　powers？　And　right　now：　we　know　that　with　the　aid　of　INTESP　Krakovitch　has　destroyed　something　in　Romania。　I　have　been　through　Krakovitch's　files　and　I　think　I　know　what　he　destroyed：　the　same　thing　which　gave　Dragosani　his　powers！　Krakovitch　sees　it　as　a　great　evil；　but　I　see　it　only　as　another　tool。　A　powerful　weapon。　That　is　why　the　British　are　so　eager　to　help　Krakovitch：
　the　fool　is　systematically　destroying　a　possible　route　for　future　Soviet　supremacy！〃
　〃Then　he's　a　traitor？〃　Dolgikh's　eyes　narrowed。　The　Soviet　Union　was　all。　Power　struggles　within　the　structure　were　only　to　be　expected；　but　treachery　of　this　sort　was　something　else。　〃No。〃　Gerenko　shook　his　head。　〃He's　a　dupe。　Now　listen：　At　this　very　moment　Krakovitch；　Gulharov　and　Quint　are　stalled　at　a　crossing…point　on　the　Moldavian　horder。　I　organised　that　through　Andropov。　I　know　where　they　want　to　go；　and　very　shortly　I'll　be　sending　you　to　deal　with　them　there。　When　exactly　rather　depends　on　how　much　we　get　from　Kyle。　But　in　any　case　we　must　stop　them　from　doing　any　more　damage。　Which　means　that　time　is　of　the　essence；　they　can't　be　stalled　forever；　and　soon　must　be　allowed　to　proceed。　Also；　they　know　the　location　of　whatever　it　is　they're　seeking；　and　we　do　not。　Not　yet。　Tomorrow　morning　you　will　be　there　to　follow　them　to　their　destination；　their　ultimate　destination。　At　least　I　hope　so。　。
　Dolgikh　frowned。　〃They've　destroyed　something；　you　say？　And　they'll　do　it　again？　What　sort　of　something？〃
　〃If　you　had　been　in　time　to　follow　them　into　the　Romanian　hills；　you'd　probably　have　seen　for　yourself。　But　don't　worry　about　it。　Let　it　suffice　that　this　time　they　mustn't　succeed。〃
　As　Gerenko　finished　speaking　his　telephone　rang。　He　lifted　it　to　his　ear…and　his　expression　at　once　became　wary；　alert。　〃rade　Krakovitch！〃　he　said。　〃I　was　begin…fling　to　worry　about　you。　I　had　expected　to　hear　from　you　before　now。　Are　you　in　Chernovtsy？〃　He　looked　pointedly　across　his　desk　at　Dolgikh。
　Even　from　where　he　sat；　Dolgikh　could　hear　the　angry；　tinny　clatter　of　Krakovitch's　distant　voice。　Gerenko　began　to　blink　rapidly　and　a　nervous　tic　jerked　the　corner　of　his　mouth。
　Finally；　when　Krakovitch　was　finished；　he　said；　〃Listen；　rade。　Ignore　that　stupid　frontier　guard。　He　isn't　worth　losing　your　temper　over。　Just　stay　exactly　where　you　are　and　in　a　few　minutes　I　shall　have　full　authorisation　phoned　through。　But　first　let　me　speak　to　that　idiot。〃
　He　waited　a　moment；　until　he　heard　the　slightly　tremulous；　inquiring　voice　of　the　border　official；　and　then　very　quietly　said；　〃Listen。　Do　you　recognise　my　voice？　Good！　In　approximately　ten　minutes　I　shall　phone　again　and　tell　you　I　am　the　missioner　for　Frontier　Control　in　Moscow。　Ensure　that　you　and　you　alone　answer　the　phone；　and　that　you　can't　be　overheard。　I　will　order　you　to　let　rade　Krakovitch　and　his　friends　through；　and　you　will　do　so。　Do　you　understand？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　rade！〃
　〃If　Krakovitch　should　ask　you　what　I　have　just　said；　tell　him　I　was　shouting　at　you　and　calling　you　a　fool。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；　rade。〃
　〃Good！〃　Gerenko　put　the　phone　down。　He　looked　at　Dolgikh。　〃As　I　was　saying；　I　couldn't　hold　them　up　forever。　Already　this　affair　is　growing　clumsy；　being　embarrassing。　But　even　though　they'll　now　go　through　to　Chernovtsy；　they　can　do　nothing　tonight。　And　tomorrow　you'll　be　there　to　stop　them　doing　anything。〃
　Dolgikh　nodded。　〃Do　you　have　any　suggestions？〃
　〃In　what　respect？〃
　〃About　how　it　should　be　done？　If　Krakovitch　is　a　traitor；　it　seems　to　me　that　the　easiest　way　of　dealing　with　this　would　be　…〃
　〃No！〃　Gerenko　cut　him　off。　〃That　would　be　hard　to　prove。　And　he　has　the　ear　of　the　Party　Leader；　remember？　We　must　never　leave　ourselves　open　to　question　in　this　matter。〃　He　tapped　a　finger　on　his　desk；　gave　the　problem　a　moment's　thought。　〃Ah！　I　think　I　may　have　it。　I　have　called　Krakovitch　a　dupe…so　let　it　appear。　Let　Carl　Quint　be　the　guilty　party！　Arrange　it　so　that　he　can　be　blamed。　Let　it　be　seen　that　the　British　espers　came　into　Russia　to　discover　what　they　could　of　E…Branch；　and　to　kill　its　head。　Why　not？　They've　damaged　the　branch　before；　haven't　they？　But　on　this　occasion　Quint　will　err　and　bee　a　fatality　of　his　own　strategy。〃
　〃Good！〃　said　Dolgikh。　〃I'm　sure　I'll　work　something　out　along　those　lines。　And…of　course　I'll　be　the　only　witness　。　。
　Light　footsteps　sounded　and　Zek　Foener　appeared　on　the　office　threshold。　She　merely　glanced　coldly　at　Dolgikh；　then　fixed　her　gaze　on　Gerenko。　〃Kyle　is　a　goldmine…the　sane　part　of　him；　anyway！　There　is　nothing　he　doesn't　know；　and　he's　releasing　it　in　a　flood。　He　even　knows　a　good　many…too　many…things　about　us。　Things　I　didn't　know。　Fantastic　things。。。〃　Suddenly　she　looked　tired。
　Gerenko　nodded。　〃Fantastic　things？　I　had　supposed　that　they　would　be。　Is　that　why　you　think　he's　partly　insane？　That　his　mind　is　playing　him　tricks？　Believe　me；　it　isn't！　Do　you　know　what　they　destroyed　in　Romania？〃
　She　nodded。　〃Yes；　but。。。　it's　hard　to　believe。　I　…〃
　Gerenko　held　up　a　warning　hand。　She　understood；　felt　caution　emanating　from　him。　Theo　Dolgikh　was　not　to　know。　Like　most　of　the　other　espers　at　the　Chateau；　Foener　hated　the　KGB。　She　nodded；　and　kept　her　silence。
　Gerenko　spoke　again。　〃And　is　it　the　same　sort　of　thing　that　lies　hidden　in　the　mountains　beyond　Chernovtsy？〃
　Again　she　nodded。
　〃Very　well。〃　Gerenko　smiled　without　emotion。　〃And　now；　my　dear；　you　must　return　to　your　work。　Give　it　total　priority。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　she　answered。　〃I　only　came　away　while　they　were　dosing　him　again。　And　because　I　need　a　break　from。。。〃　She　shook　her　head　dazedly。　Her　eyes　were　wide；　bright　with　strange　new　knowledge。　〃rade；　this　thing　is　utterly　…〃
　Again　Gerenko　held　up　his　child's　hand　in　warning。　〃I　know。〃
　She　nodded；　turned　and　left；　her　footsteps　a　little　uncertain　on　the　descending　stone　stairs。
　〃What　was　all　that　about？〃　Dolgikh　was　mystified。
　〃That　was　the　joint　death　certificate　of　Krakovitch；　Gulharov　and　Quint；〃　Gerenko　answered。　〃Actually；　Quint　was　the　only　one　who　might　have　been　useful…but　no　longer。　Now　you　can　get　on　your　way。　Is　the　branch　helicopter　ready　for　you？〃
　Dolgikh　nodded。　He　began　to　stand　up；　then　frowned　and　said；　〃First　tell　me；　what　will　happen　to　Kyle　when　you　are　finished　with　him？　I　mean；　I'll　take　care　of　that　other　pair　of　traitors；　and　the　British　esper；　Quint；　but　what　of　Kyle？　What　will　bee　of　him？〃
　Gerenko　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃I　thought　that　was　obvious。　When　we　have　what　we　want；　everything　we　want；　then　we'll　dump　him　in　the　British　zone　in　Berlin。　There　he'll　simply　die；　and　their　best　doctors　won't　know　why。〃