jamesclavell.noblehouse-第263节

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n　pressed　the　button　for　the　elevator　to　the　vaults；　stifling　a　nervous　yawn。　〃Christ；　I'm　bushed。〃
　〃You　architected　the　Ho…Pak　takeover；　didn't　you？〃
　〃Yes；　yes　I　did；　but　if　it　hadn't　been　for　your　smashing　coup　with　General　Stores；　I　don't　think　Paul'd　。。。　well；　that　certainly　helped。　Smashing　coup；　Ian；　if　you　can　pull　it　off。〃
　〃It's　in　the　bag。〃
　〃What　Japanese　bank's　backing　you　with　the　2　million？〃
　〃Why　did　you　force　Richard　Kwang's　advance　resignation？〃
　〃Eh？〃　Johnjohn　stared　at　him　blankly。　The　elevator　arrived。　They　got　into　it。　〃What？〃
　Dunross　explained　what　Phillip　Chen　had　told　him。　〃That's　not　exactly　cricket。　A　director　of　the　Victoria　being　made　to　sign　an　undated　resignation　like　a　two…cent　operation？　Eh？〃
　Johnjohn　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃No；　that　wasn't　part　of　my　plan。〃　His　tiredness　had　vanished。　〃I　can　see　why　you'd　be　concerned。〃
　〃Pissed　off　would　be　the　correct　words。〃
　〃Paul　must　have　planned　just　a　holding　situation　till　the　chief　es　back。　This　whole　operation's　precedent…setting　so　you　c…　〃
　〃If　I　get　Tiptop's　money　for　you；　I　want　that　torn　up　and　a　free　vote　guaranteed　to　Richard　Kwang。〃
　After　a　pause；　Johnjohn　said；　〃I'll　support　you　on　everything　reasonable　…　till　the　chief　es　back。　Then　he　can　decide。〃
　〃Fair　enough。〃
　〃How　much　is　the　Royal　Belgium…First　Central　backing　you　for？〃
　〃I　thought　you　said　a　Japanese　bank？〃
　〃Oh　e　on；　old　chum；　everyone　knows。　How　much？〃
　〃Enough；　enough　for　everything。〃
　〃We　still　own　most　of　your　paper；　Ian。〃
　Dunross　shrugged。　〃It　makes　no　difference。　We　still　have　a　major　say　in　the　Victoria。〃
　〃If　we　don't　get　China's　money；　First　Central　won't　save　you　from　a　crash。〃
　Again　Dunross　shrugged。
　The　elevator　doors　opened。　Dim　lights　in　the　vaults　cast　hard　shadows。　The　huge　grille　in　front　of　them　seemed　like　a　cell　door　to　Dunross。　Johnjohn　unlocked　it。
　〃I'll　be　about　ten　minutes；〃　Dunross　said；　a　sheen　to　his　forehead。　〃I've　got　to　find　a　particular　paper。〃
　〃All　right。　I'll　unlock　your　box　for　y…　〃　Johnjohn　stopped；　his　face　etched　in　the　overhead　light。　〃Oh；　I　forgot；　you've　your　own　master　key。〃
　〃I'll　be　as　quick　as　I　can。　Thanks。〃　Dunross　walked　into　the　gloom；　turned　the　corner　and　went　unerringly　to　the　far　bank　of　boxes。　Once　there　he　made　sure　he　was　not　being　followed。　All　his　senses　were　honed　now。　He　put　the　two　keys　into　their　locks。　The　locks　clicked　back。
　His　fingers　reached　into　his　pocket　and　he　took　out　AMG's　letter　that　gave　the　numbers　of　the　special　pages　spread　throughout　the　files；　then　a　flashlight；　scissors　and　a　butane　Dunhill　cigarette　lighter　that　Penelope　had　given　him　when　he　still　smoked。　Quickly　he　lifted　the　false　bottom　of　the　box　away　and　slid　out　the　files。
　I　wish　to　Christ　there　was　some　way　I　could　destroy　them　now　and　have　done　with　it；　he　thought。　I　know　everything　that's　in　them；　everything　important；　but　I　have　to　be　patient　and　wait。　Sometime　soon；　they　…　whoever　they　are；　along　with　SI；　the　CIA　and　the　PRC　…　they　won't　be　following　me。　Then　I　can　safely　fetch　the　files　and　destroy　them。
　Following　AMG's　instructions　with　great　care；　he　flicked　the　lighter　and　waved　it　back　and　forth　just　under　the　bottom　right　quadrant　of　the　first　special　page。　In　a　moment；　a　meaningless　jumble　of　symbols；　letters　and　numbers　began　to　appear。　As　the　heat　brought　them　forth；　the　type　in　this　quadrant　began　to　vanish。　Soon　all　the　lettering　had　gone；　leaving　just　the　code。　With　the　scissors　he　cut　off　this　quarter　neatly　and　put　that　file　aside。　AMG　had　written：　〃The　paper　cannot　be　traced　to　the　files；　tai…pan；　nor　I　believe；　the　information　read　by　any　but　the　highest　in　the　land。〃
　A　slight　noise　startled　him　and　he　looked　off。　His　heart　was　thumping　in　his　ears。　A　rat　scurried　around　a　wall　of　boxes　and　vanished。　He　waited　but　there　was　no　more　danger。
　In　a　moment　he　was　calm　again。　Now　the　next　file。　Again　ciphers　appeared　and　the　lettering　vanished。
　Dunross　worked　steadily　and　efficiently。　When　the　flame　began　to　fade　he　was　prepared。　He　refilled　the　lighter　and　continued。　Now　the　last　file。　He　cut　out　the　quarter　carefully　and　pocketed　the　eleven　pieces　of　paper；　then　slid　the　files　back　into　their　hiding　place。
　Before　he　relocked　the　box　he　took　out　a　deed　for　camouflage　and　laid　it　beside　AMG's　letter。　Another　hesitation；　then；　shielding　AMG's　letter　with　his　body；　he　put　the　flame　to　it。　The　paper　twisted　as　it　flared　and　burned。
　〃What're　you　doing？〃
　Dunross　jerked　around　and　stared　at　the　silhouette。　〃Oh；　it's　you。〃　He　began　breathing　again。　〃Nothing；　Bruce。　Actually　it's　just　an　ancient　love　letter　that　shouldn't　have　been　kept。〃　The　flame　died　and　Dunross　pounded　the　ash　to　dust　and　scattered　the　remains。
　〃Ian；　are　you　in　trouble？　Bad　trouble？〃　Johnjohn　asked　gently。
　〃No；　old　chum。　It's　just　the　Tiptop　mess。〃
　〃You're　sure？〃
　〃Oh　yes。〃　Wearily　Dunross　smiled　back　and　took　out　a　handkerchief　to　wipe　his　forehead　and　hands。　〃Sorry　to　put　you　to　all　this　trouble。〃
　He　walked　off　firmly；　Johnjohn　following。　The　gate　clanged　after　them。　In　a　moment　the　elevator　sighed　open　and　sighed　closed　and　now　there　was　silence　but　for　the　scurry　of　the　rats　and　the　slight　hiss　of　the　air　conditioner。　A　shadow　moved。　Silently　Roger　Crosse　came　from　behind　a　tall　bank　of　boxes　and　stood　in　front　of　the　tai…pan's　section。　Unhurried；　he　took　out　a　tiny　Minox　camera；　a　flashlight　and　a　bunch　of　skeleton　keys。　In　a　moment；　Dunross's　box　was　open。　His　long　fingers　reached　into　it；　found　the　false　partment　and　brought　out　the　files。　Very　satisfied　he　put　them　in　a　tidy　pile；　clipped　the　flashlight　into　its　socket　and；　with　practiced　skill；　began　to　photograph　the　files；　page　by　page。　When　he　came　to　one　of　the　special　pages　he　peered　at　it　and　the　missing　section。　A　grim　smile　flickered　over　him。　Then　he　continued；　making　no　sound。
　
　
　SUNDAY
　
　71
　
　6：30　A。M。：
　Koronski　came　out　of　the　foyer　of　the　Nine　Dragons　Hotel　and　hailed　a　taxi；　giving　the　driver　directions　in　passable　Cantonese。　He　lit　a　cigarette　and　slouched　back　in　the　seat；　keeping　a　professional　watch　behind　him　in　the　unlikely　chance　that　he　was　being　followed。　There　was　no　real　risk。　His　papers　as　Hans　Meikker　were　flawless；　his　cover　as　a　sporadic　foreign　journalist　for　a　West　German　magazine　syndicate　real；　and　he　visited　Hong　Kong　frequently　as　a　routine。　His　eyes　reassured　him；　then　he　turned　to　watch　the　multitudes；　wondering　who　was　to　be　chemically　debriefed；　and　where。　He　was　a　short；　well…fed；　nondescript　man；　his　glasses　rimless。
　Behind　him；　fifty　yards　or　so；　ducking　in　and　out　of　the　traffic　was　a　small；　battered　Mini。　Tom　Connochie；　the　senior　CIA　agent；　was　in　the　back；　one　of　his　assistants；　Roy　Wong；　driving。
　〃He's　going　left。〃
　〃Sure。　I　see　him。　Relax；　Tom；　you're　making　me　nervous　for　chrissake。〃　Roy　Wong　was　third…generation　American；　a　B。A。　Lit。；　and　CIA　for　four　years；　assigned　to　Hong　Kong。　He　drove　expertly；　Connochie　watching　carefully　…　crumpled　and　very　tired。　He　had　been　up　most　of　the　night　with　Rosemont　trying　to　sort　out　the　flood　of　top…secret　instructions；　requests　and　orders　that　the　intercepted　Thomas　K。　K。　Lim's　letters　had　generated。　Just　after　midnight　they'd　been　tipped　by　one　of　their　hotel　informants　that　Hans　Meikker　had　just　checked　in　for　two　days　from　Bangkok。　He　had　been　on　their　list　for　years　as　a　possible　security　risk。
　〃Son　of　a　bitch！〃　Roy　Wong　said　as　a　traffic　jam　blossomed　in　the　narrow；　screeching　street　near　the　bustling　intersections　of　Mong　Kok。
　Connochie　craned　out　of　the　side　window。　〃He's　screwed　too；　Roy。　About　twenty　cars　ahead。〃
　In　a　moment　the　jam　began　to　ease；　then　closed　in　again　as　an　overladen　truck　stalled。　By　the　time　it　had　cranked　up　again；　their　prey　had　vanished。
　〃Shit！〃
　〃Cruise。　Maybe　we'll　get　lucky　and　pick　him　up。〃
　Two　blocks　ahead；　Koronski　got　out　of　the　taxi　and　went　down　a　swarming　alley；　heading　for　another　swarming　road　and　another　alley　and　Ginny　Fu's　tenement。　He　went　up　the　soiled　stairs　to　the　top　floor。　He　knocked　three　times　on　a　drab　door。　Suslev　beckoned　him　in　and　locked　the　door　behind　him。　〃Wele；〃　he　said　quietly　in　Russian。　〃Good　trip？〃
　〃Yes；　rade　Captain；　very　good；〃　Koronski　replied；　also　keeping　his　voice　down　by　habit。
　〃e　and　sit　down。〃　Suslev　waved　at　the　table　that　had　coffee　and　two　cups。　The　room　was　drab　with　little　furniture。　Dirty　blinds　covered　the　windows。
　〃Coffee's　good；〃　Koronski　said　politely；　thinking　it　was　hideous；　nothing　to　pare　with　the　French…style　coffee　of　exquisite　Bangkok；　Saigon　and　Phnom　Penh。
　〃It's　the　whiskey；〃　Suslev　said；　his　face　hard。
　〃Center　said　I　was　to　put　myself　at　your　disposal；　rade　Captain。　What　is　it　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　〃A　man　here　has　a　photographic　memory。　We　need　to　know　what's　in　it。〃
　〃Where　is　the　client　to　be　interrogated？　Here？〃
　Suslev　shook　his　head。　〃Aboard　my　ship。〃
　〃How　much　time　do　we　have？〃
　〃All　the　time　you　need。　We　will　take　him　with　us　to　Vladivostok。〃
　〃How　important　is　it　to　get　quality　information？〃
　〃Very。〃
　〃In　that　case　I　would　prefer　to　do　the　investigation　in　Vladivostok　…　I　can　give　you　special　sedatives　and　instructions　that　will　keep　the　client　docile　during