jamesclavell.noblehouse-第197节

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　〃You're　sure？〃
　〃Yes。　Even　I　didn't　know　until　a　few　days　ago　when　Center　told　me　to　take　over　from　Voranski；〃　Suslev　said；　the　twisted　truth　ing　easily。
　〃You're　sure？　Roger　almost　hit　the　roof！　Metkin's　supposed　to　be　your　political　missar；　and　a　major；　KGB。　Is　he？〃
　〃Yes；　but　it's　ridic…　〃
　〃Why　the　devil　didn't　he　or　you　or　someone　tell　us　you've　an　operation　going　so　we　could　have　been　prepared　in　case　of　a　foul…up！　I'm　head　of　Sevrin　and　now　you're　operating　here　without　liaising　or　keeping　me　advised。　It　was　always　agreed。　Voranski　always　told　us　in　advance。〃
　〃But；　rade；〃　Suslev　said　placatingly；　〃I　didn't　know　anything　about　a　pickup。　Metkin　does　what　he　wants。　He's　the　chief；　the　senior　man　on　the　ship。　I'm　not　party　to　everything　…　you　know　that！〃　Suslev　was　suitably　apologetic　and　irritable；　keeping　up　his　perpetual　cover　that　he　was　not　the　real　arbiter　of　Sevrin。　〃I　can't　think　what　possessed　Metkin　to　have　made　a　pickup　himself。　Stupid！　He　must've　been　mad！　Thank　God　he's　a　dedicated　man　and　his　lapel's　poisoned　so　there's　no　n…　〃
　〃They　got　him　intact。〃
　Suslev　gasped；　now　in　real　shock。　He'd　expected　Metkin　to　be　long　since　dead。　〃You're　sure？〃
　〃They　got　him　intact。　They　got　his　real　name；　rank　and　serial　number　and　right　now　he's　on　an　RAF　transport　under　heavy　guard　heading　for　London。〃
　Suslev's　mind　blanked　out　for　a　moment。　He　had　cunningly　set　up　Metkin　to　take　over　from　the　agent　who　should　have　made　the　pickup。　For　months　now　he　had　found　Metkin　increasingly　critical　of　him　and　nosy　and　therefore　dangerous。　Three　times　in　the　last　year　he　had　intercepted　private　reports　to　Center；　written　by　his　number　two；　criticizing　the　easy　way　he　ran　his　ship　and　his　job；　and　his　liaison　with　Ginny　Fu。　Suslev　was　sure　Metkin　was　preparing　a　trap　for　him；　maybe　even　trying　to　guarantee　his　retirement　to　the　Crimea　…　a　plum　posting　…　by　pulling　off　some　coup；　like；　for　example；　whispering　to　Center　that　he　suspected　there　was　a　security　leak　aboard　the　Ivanov　and　that　it　must　be　Suslev。
　Suslev　shuddered。　Neither　Metkin；　nor　Center　nor　any　of　the　others　would　need　proof；　just　suspicion　would　damn　him。
　〃It's　definite　Metkin's　alive？〃　he　asked；　thinking　through　this　new　problem。
　〃Yes。　You're　absolutely　sure　he　knows　nothing　about　Sevrin？〃
　〃Yes。　Yes；　I've　already　told　you。〃　Suslev　sharpened　his　voice。　〃You're　the　only　one　who　knows　all　the　members　of　Sevrin；　eh？　Even　Crosse　doesn't　know　them　all；　does　he？〃
　〃No。〃　Plumm　went　to　the　refrigerator　and　took　out　the　bottle　of　water。　Suslev　poured　himself　a　vodka；　delighted　that　Sevrin　had　so　many　important　safety　valves　within　it：　Plumm　not　aware　that　Roger　Crosse　was　a　KGB　informer　on　the　side　。。。　Crosse　alone　knowing　Suslev's　own　real　position　in　Asia　but　neither　Crosse　nor　Plumm　knowing　his　longtime　connection　with　deVille　。。。　none　of　the　other　members　knowing　each　other　。。。　and　none　of　them　aware　of　Banastasio　and　the　guns　or　of　the　real　extent　of　the　Soviet　thrust　into　the　Far　East。
　Wheels　within　wheels　within　wheels　and　now　Metkin；　one　of　the　faulty　wheels；　gone　forever。　It　had　been　so　easy　to　drop　the　honey　to　Metkin　that　safe　acquisition　of　the　carrier's　armament　manifest　would　guarantee　promotion　for　the　agent　involved。　〃I'm　surprised　they　caught　him　alive；〃　he　said；　meaning　it。
　〃Roger　told　me　they　had　the　poor　bugger　pinioned　and　a　neck　collar　on　him　before　he　could　get　his　teeth　into　the　lapel。〃
　〃Did　they　find　any　evidence　on　him？〃
　〃Roger　didn't　say。　He　had　to　work　so　damned　fast。　We　thought　the　best　thing　to　do　was　to　whisk　Metkin　out　of　Hong　Kong　as　quickly　as　possible。　We　were　petrified　he　knew　about　us；　being　so　senior。　It'll　be　easier　to　deal　with　him　in　London。〃　Plumm's　voice　was　grave。
　〃Crosse　will　resolve　Metkin。〃
　〃Perhaps。〃　Uneasily　Plumm　drank　some　more　water。
　〃How　did　SI　get　to　know　about　the　pickup？〃　Suslev　asked；　wanting　to　find　out　how　much　Plumm　knew。　〃There　must　be　a　traitor　aboard　my　ship。〃
　〃No。　Roger　said　the　leak　came　through　an　informer　MI…6　has　aboard　the　carrier。　Even　the　CIA　didn't　know。〃
　〃Kristos！　Why　the　hell　did　Roger　have　to　be　so　efficient？〃
　〃It　was　Armstrong。　SI　has　checks　and　balances。　But　so　long　as　Metkin　knows　nothing　there's　no　harm！〃
　Suslev　felt　the　Englishman's　scrutiny。　He　kept　his　face　guileless。　Plumm　was　no　fool。　The　man　was　strong；　cunning；　ruthless；　a　secret　protégé　and　selectee　of　Philby's。　〃I'm　certain　Metkin　knows　nothing　that　could　damage　us。　Even　so；　Center　should　be　informed　at　once。　They　can　deal　with　it。〃
　〃I've　already　done　that。　I　asked　for　Priority　One　help。〃
　〃Good；〃　Suslev　said。　〃You've　done　very　well；　rade。　You　and　Crosse。　Acquiring　Crosse　for　the　cause　was　a　brilliant　coup。　I　must　congratulate　you　again。〃　Suslev　meant　the　pliment。　Roger　Crosse　was　a　professional　and　not　an　amateur　like　this　man　and　all　the　others　of　Sevrin。
　〃Perhaps　I　acquired　him；　perhaps　he　acquired　me。　I'm　not　sure　sometimes；〃　Plumm　said　thoughtfully。　〃Or　about　you；　rade。　Voranski　I　knew。　We'd　done　business　over　the　years　but　you；　you're　a　new；　untried　quantity。〃
　〃Yes。　It　must　be　difficult　for　you。〃
　〃You　don't　seem　too　upset　about　the　loss　of　your　superior。〃
　〃I'm　not。　I　must　confess　I'm　not。　Metkin　was　mad　to　put　himself　in　such　danger。　That　was　totally　against　orders。　To　be　frank　。。。　I　think　there　have　been　security　leaks　from　the　Ivanov。　Metkin　was　the　only　long…term　member　of　the　crew；　apart　from　Voranski；　who　had　access　ashore。　He　was　considered　to　be　beyond　reproach　but　you　never　know。　Perhaps　he　made　other　mistakes；　a　loose　tongue　in　a　bar；　eh？〃
　〃Christ　protect　us　from　fools　and　traitors。　Where　did　AMG　get　his　information？〃
　〃We　don't　know。　As　soon　as　we　do；　that　leak　will　be　plugged。〃
　〃Are　you　going　to　be　Voranski's　permanent　replacement？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　have　not　been　told。〃
　〃I　don't　like　change。　Change　is　dangerous。　Who　killed　him？〃
　〃Ask　Crosse。　I　want　to　know　too。〃　Suslev　watched　Plumm　back。　He　saw　him　nod；　apparently　satisfied。　〃What　about　Sinders　and　the　AMG　papers？〃　he　asked。
　〃Roger's　covered　everything。　No　need　to　worry。　He's　sure　we'll　get　to　look　at　them。　You'll　have　your　copy　tomorrow。〃　Again　Plumm　watched　him。　〃What　if　we're　named　in　the　reports？〃
　〃Impossible！　Dunross　would　have　told　Roger　at　once　…　or　one　of　his　friends　in　the　police；　probably　Chop　Suey　Kwok；〃　Suslev　said　with　a　sneer。　〃If　not　him；　the　governor。　Automatically　it　would　get　back　to　Roger。　You're　all　safe。〃
　〃Perhaps；　perhaps　not。〃　Plumm　went　to　the　window　and　looked　at　the　brooding　sky。　〃Nothing's　ever　safe。　Take　Jacques。　He's　a　risk　now。　He'll　never　make　tai…pan。〃
　Suslev　let　himself　frown　and　then；　as　though　it　was　a　sudden　idea；　he　said；　〃Why　not　guide　him　out　of　Hong　Kong？　Suggest　to　Jacques　he　ask　to　be　posted　to　。。。　say　Struan's　in　Canada。　He　could　use　his　recent　tragedy　as　an　excuse。　In　Canada　he'll　be　in　a　backwater　and　he'll　die　on　the　vine　there。　Eh？〃
　〃Very　good　idea。　Yes；　that　should　be　easy。　He　has　a　number　of　good　contacts　there　which　might　be　useful。〃　Plumm　nodded。　〃I'll　be　a　lot　happier　when　we've　read　those　files；　and　even　happier　when　you　find　out　how　the　hell　AMG　discovered　us。〃
　〃He　discovered　Sevrin；　not　you。　Listen；　rade；　I　assure　you　you're　safe　to　continue　your　vital　work。　Please　continue　to　do　everything　you　can　to　agitate　the　banking　crisis　and　the　stock　market　crash。〃
　〃No　need　to　worry。　We　all　want　that　to　happen。〃
　The　phone　came　to　life。　Both　men　stared　at　it。　It　only　sounded　once。　One　ring。　The　code；　danger；　leaped　into　their　heads。　Aghast　Suslev　grabbed　the　hidden　gun；　remembering　his　fingerprints　were　on　it　as　he　hurtled　through　the　kitchen　for　the　back　door；　Plumm　close　behind　him。　He　ripped　open　the　door；　letting　Plumm　through　first　onto　the　exit　landing。　At　that　moment　there　was　the　pounding　of　approaching　feet　and　a　crash　against　the　front　door　behind　them　which　held　but　buckled　slightly。　Suslev　closed　the　back　door　silently；　easing　a　bar　into　place。　Another　crash。　He　peered　through　a　crack。　Another　crash。　The　front　locks　shattered。　For　an　instant　he　saw　the　silhouettes　of　four　men　against　the　hall　light；　then　he　fled。　Plumm　was　already　down　the　stairs；　covering　him　from　the　next　landing；　automatic　out；　and　Suslev　went　down　the　steps　three　at　a　time　past　him　to　the　next　landing；　then　turned　to　cover　in　his　turn。　Above　him　the　back　door　buckled　nauseatingly。　Silently　Plumm　ran　past　him　and　again　covered　him　as　they　fled　downward　to　the　next　landing。　Then　Plumm　pulled　away　some　camouflaging　crates　from　the　false　door　exit　that　branched　off　the　main　one。　Footsteps　noisily　raced　up　toward　them　from　downstairs。　Another　crash　against　the　back　door　above。　Suslev　guarded　as　Plumm　squeezed　through　the　opening　into　the　dark　and　he　followed；　pulling　the　partial　door　closed　after　him。　Already　Plumm　had　found　the　flashlight　that　was　waiting　in　a　clip。　Footsteps　raced　closer。　Cautiously　Plumm　led　the　way　downward；　both　men　moving　well　and　silently。　The　footsteps　passed　with　the　sound　of　muffled　voices。　Both　men　stopped　momentarily；　trying　to　hear　what　was　being　said。　But　the　sound　was　too　indistinct　and　muted　and　they　could　not　even　tell　if　it　was　English　or　Chinese。
　Plumm　turned　again　and　led　the　way　downward。　They　hurrie