tc.redrabbit-第101章

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　　　〃Fine；　Arthur。　You　want　me　to　sign　the　letter　of　mendation？〃　Ritter　saw　the　freight　train　ing；　and　there　was　no　sense　in　standing　in　its　way。　What　the　hell；　it　would　just　go　into　the　files　anyway。　CIA　mendations　almost　never　saw　the　light　of　day。　The　Agency　even　classified　the　names　of　field　officers　who'd　died　heroically　thirty　years　before。　It　was　like　a　back　door　into　heaven；　CIA　style。
　　　〃Okay；　gentlemen；　now　that　we've　settled　the　administrative　issues；　what　about　the　plot　to　kill　the　Pope？〃　Greer　asked；　trying　to　bring　order　back　to　the　meeting　of　supposed　sober　senior　executives。
　　　〃How　solid　is　the　information？〃　Ritter　wanted　to　know。
　　　〃I　talked　to　Basil　a　few　minutes　ago。　He　thinks　we　need　to　take　it　seriously；　but　I　think　we　need　to　talk　to　this　Rabbit　ourselves　to　quantify　the　danger　to　our　Polish　friend。〃
　　　〃Tell　the　President？〃
　　　Moore　shook　his　head。　〃He's　tied　up　all　day　today　with　legislative　business；　and　he's　flying　out　to　California　late　this　afternoon。　Sunday　and　Monday；　he'll　be　giving　speeches　in　Oregon　and　Colorado。　I'll　see　him　Tuesday　afternoon；　about　four。〃　Moore　could　have　asked　for　an　urgent　meeting…he　could　break　into　the　President's　schedule　on　really　vital　matters…but　until　they　had　the　chance　to　speak　face…to…face　with　the　Rabbit；　that　was　out　of　the　question。　The　President　might　even　want　to　speak　to　the　guy　himself。　He　was　like　that。
　　　〃What　kind　of　shape　is　Station　Rome　in？〃　Greer　asked　Ritter。
　　　〃The　Chief　of　Station　is　Rick　Nolfi。　Good　guy；　but　he　retires　in　three　months。　Rome's　his　sunset　post。　He　asked　for　it。　His　wife；　Anne；　likes　Italy。　Six　officers　there；　mainly　working　on　NATO　stuff…two　pretty　experienced；　four　rookies；〃　Ritter　reported。　〃But　before　we　get　them　alerted　we　need　to　think　this　threat　through；　and　a　little　Presidential　guidance　won't　hurt。　The　problem　is；　how　the　hell　do　we　tell　people　about　this　in　such　a　way　as　not　to　promise　the　source？　Guys；〃　Ritter　pointed　out；　〃if　we　went　to　all　the　trouble　of　concealing　the　defection；　it　doesn't　make　much　sense　to　broadcast　the　information　we　get　from　him　out　to　the　four　winds；　y'know？〃
　　　〃That　is　the　problem；〃　Moore　was　forced　to　agree。
　　　〃The　Pope　doubtless　has　a　protective　detail；〃　Ritter　went　on。　〃But　they　can't　have　the　same　latitude　that　the　Secret　Service　does；　can　they？　And　we　don't　know　how　secure　they　are。〃
　　　Its　the　old　story；　Ryan　was　saying　at　the　same　time　in　Manchester。　〃If　we　use　the　information　too　freely；　we　promise　the　source　and　lose　all　of　its　utility。　But　if　we　don't　use　it　for　fear　of　promising　it；　then　we　might　as　well　not　have　the　fucking　source　to　begin　with。〃　Jack　finished　off　his　wine　and　poured　another　glass。　〃There's　a　book　on　this；　you　know。〃
　　　〃What's　that？〃
　　　〃Double…Edged　Secrets。　A　guy　named　Jasper　Holmes　wrote　it。　He　was　a　U。S。　Navy　crippie　in　World　War　Two；　worked　signals　intelligence　in　FRUPAC　with　Joe　Rochefort　and　his　bunch。　It's　a　pretty　good　book　on　how　the　intelligence　business　works　down　where　the　rubber　meets　the　road。〃
　　　Kingshot　made　a　mental　note　to　look　that　book　up。　Zaitzev　was　out　on　the　lawn…a　very　plush　one…with　his　wife　and　daughter　at　the　moment。　Mrs。　Thompson　wanted　to　take　them　all　shopping。　They　had　to　have　their　private　time…their　bedroom　suite　was　thoroughly　bugged；　of　course；　plete　to　a　white…noise　filter　in　the　bathroom…and　keeping　the　wife　and　kid　happy　was　crucial　to　the　entire　operation。
　　　〃Well；　Jack；　whatever　the　opposition　has　planned；　it　will　take　time　for　them　to　set　it　up。　The　bureaucracies　over　there　are　even　more　moribund　than　ours；　you　know。〃
　　　〃KGB；　too；　Al？〃　Ryan　wondered。　〃I　think　that's　the　one　part　of　their　system　that　actually　works；　and　Yuriy　Andropov　isn't　known　for　his　patience；　is　he？　Hell；　he　was　their　ambassador　in　Budapest　in　1956；　remember？　The　Russians　worked　pretty　decisively　back　then；　didn't　they？〃
　　　〃That　was　a　serious　political　threat　to　their　entire　system；〃　Kingshot　pointed　out。
　　　〃And　the　Pope　isn't？〃　Ryan　fired　back。
　　　〃You　have　me　there；〃　the　field　spook　admitted。
　　　〃Wednesday。　That's　what　Dan　told　me。　He's　all　the　way　in　the　open　every　Wednesday。　Okay；　the　Pope　can　appear　at　that　porch　he　uses　to　give　blessings　and　stuff；　and　a　halfway　good　man　with　a　rifle　can　pop　him　doing　that；　but　a　man　with　a　rifle　is　too　visible　to　even　a　casual　observer；　and　a　rifle　says　'military'　to　people；　and　'military'　says　'government'　to　everybody。　But　those　probably　aren't　scheduled　very　far　in　advance…at　least　they're　irregular；　but　every　damned　Wednesday　afternoon　he　hops　in　his　jeep　and　parades　around　the　Piazza　San　Pietro　right　in　the　middle　of　the　assembled　multitude；　Al；　and　that's　pistol　range。〃　Ryan　sat　back　in　his　chair　and　took　another　sip　of　the　French　white。
　　　〃I　am　not　sure　I'd　want　to　fire　a　pistol　at　that　close　a　range。〃
　　　〃Al；　once　upon　a　time　they　got　a　guy　to　do　Leon　Trotsky　with　an　ice　axe…engagement　range　maybe　two　feet；〃　Ryan　reminded　him。　〃Sure；　different　situation　now；　but　since　when　have　the　Russians　been　reticent　about　risking　their　troops…and　this　will　be　that　Bulgarian　bastard；　remember？　Your　guy　called　him　an　expert　killer。　It's　amazing　what　a　real　expert　can　do。　I　saw　a　gunnery　sergeant　at　Quantico…that　guy　could　write　his　name　with　a　forty…five　at　fifty　feet。　I　watched　him　do　it　once。〃　Ryan　had　never　really　mastered　the　big　Colt　automatic；　but　that　gunny　sure　as　hell　had。
　　　〃You're　probably　being　overly　concerned。〃
　　　〃Maybe；〃　Jack　admitted。　〃But　I'd　feel　a　hell　of　a　lot　better　if　His　Holiness　wore　a　Kevlar　jacket　under　his　vestments。〃　He　wouldn't；　of　course。　People　like　that　didn't　scare　the　way　civilians　did。　It　wasn't　the　sense　of　invincibility　that　some　professional　soldiers　had。　It　was　just　that　to　them　death　wasn't　something　to　be　afraid　of。　Any　really　observant　Catholic　was　supposed　to　feel　that　way；　but　Jack　wasn't　one　of　those。　Not　quite。
　　　〃As　a　practical　matter；　what　can　one　do？　Look　for　one　face　in　a　crowd；　and　who's　to　say　it's　the　right　face？〃　Kingshot　asked。　〃Who's　to　say　Strokov　hasn't　hired　someone　else　to　do　the　actual　shooting？　I　can　see　myself　shooting　someone；　but　not　in　a　crowd。〃
　　　〃So；　you　use　a　suppressed　weapon；　a　big　can…type　silencer。　Cut　down　the　noise；　and　you　remove　a　lot　of　the　danger　of　being　identified。　All　the　eyes　are　going　to　be　on　the　target；　remember；　not　looking　sideways　into　the　crowd。〃
　　　〃True；〃　Al　conceded。
　　　〃You　know；　it's　too　damned　easy　to　find　reasons　to　do　nothing。　Didn't　Dr。　Johnson　say　that　doing　nothing　is　in　every　man's　power？〃　Ryan　asked　forlornly。　〃That's　what　we're　doing；　Al；　finding　reasons　not　to　do　anything。　Can　we　let　the　guy　die？　Can　we　just　sit　here　and　drink　our　wine　and　let　the　Russians　kill　the　man？〃
　　　〃No；　Jack；　but　we　cannot　go　off　like　a　loose　hand　grenade；　either。　Field　operations　have　to　be　planned。　You　need　professionals　to　think　things　through　in　a　professional　way。　There　are　many　things　professionals　can　do；　but　first　they　have　orders　to　do　them。〃
　　　But　that　was　being　decided　elsewhere。
　　　〃Prime　minister；　we　have　reason　to　believe　that　the　KGB　has　an　operation　under　way　to　assassinate　the　Pope　of　Rome；〃　C　reported。　He'd　e　over　on　short　notice；　interrupting　her　afternoon　political　business。
　　　〃Really？〃　she　asked　Sir　Basil　in　dry　reply。　She　was　used　to　hearing　the　strangest　of　things　from　her　Intelligence　Chief；　and　had　cultivated　the　habit　of　not　responding　too　violently　to　them。　〃What　is　the　source　for　that　information？〃
　　　〃I　told　you　several　days　ago　about　Operation　BEATRIX。　Well；　we　and　the　Americans　have　got　him　out　successfully。　We　even　managed　to　do　it　in　such　a　way　that　the　Sovs　think　him　dead。　The　defector　is　in　a　safe　house　outside　Manchester　right　now；〃　C　told　his　chief　of　government。
　　　〃Have　we　told　the　Americans？〃
　　　Basil　nodded。　〃Yes；　Prime　Minister。　He's　their　fox；　after　all。　We'll　let　him　fly　to　America　next　week；　but　I　discussed　the　case　briefly　earlier　today　with　Judge　Arthur　Moore；　their　Director　of　Central　Intelligence。　I　expect　he'll　brief　the　President　in　early　next　week。〃
　　　〃What　action　do　you　suppose　they　will　take？〃　she　asked　next。
　　　〃Difficult　to　say；　ma'am。　It's　a　rather　dicey　proposition；　actually。　The　defector…his　name　is　Oleg…is　a　most　important　asset；　and　we　must　work　very　hard　to　protect　his　identity；　and　also　knowledge　of　the　fact　that　he　is　now　on　our　side　of　the　Curtain。　Exactly　how　we　might　warn　the　Vatican　of　the　potential　danger　is　a　plex　issue；　to　say　the　least。〃
　　　〃This　is　a　real　operation　the　Soviets　have　under　way？〃　the　PM　asked　again。　It　was　rather　a　lot　to　swallow；　even　for　them；　who　she　believed　capable　of　almost　anything。
　　　〃It　appears　so；　yes；〃　Sir　Basil　confirmed。　〃But　we　do　not　know　the　priority；　and；　of　course；　we　know　nothing　of　the　schedule。〃
　　　〃I　see。〃　The　Prime　Minister　fell　quiet　for　a　moment。　〃Our　relations　with　the　Vatican　are　cordial　but　not　especially　close。〃　That　fact　went　all　the　way　back　to　Henry　VIII；　though　the　Roman　Catholic　Church　had　gradually　e　to　letting　bygones　be　bygones　over　the　intervening　centuries。
　　　〃Regrettably；　that　is　so；〃　C　agreed。
　　　〃I　see；〃　she　said　again；　and　thought　some　more　before　speaking　again。　When　she　leaned　forward；　she　spoke　with　dignity　and　force。　〃Sir　Basil；　it　is　not　the　policy　of　Her　Majesty's　Government　to　stand　idly　by　while　a　friendly　Chief　of　State　is　murdered　by　our　adversaries。　You　are　directed　to　look　into　any　possible　action　that　might　forestall　this　eventuality。〃
　　　Some　people　shot　from　the　hip；　Sir　Basil　thought。　Others　shot　from　the　heart。　For　all　her　outward　toughness；　the　United　Kingdom's　Chief　of　Government　was　one　of　the　latter。
　　　〃Yes；　Prime　Minister。〃　The　problem　was　that　she　didn't　say　how　the　hell　he　was　supposed　to　do　this。　Well；　he'd　coordinate　with　Arthur　at　Langley。　But　for　right　now　he　had　a　mission　that　would　be　difficult　at　best。　What　exactly　was　he　supposed　to　do；　deploy　a　squadron　of　the　Special　Air　Service　to　St。　Peter's　Square？
　　　But　you　didn't　say　no　to　this　Prime　Minister；　at　least　not　in　a　10　Downing　Street　conference　room。
　　　〃Anything　else　this　defector　has　told　us？〃
　　　〃Yes；　ma'am。　He　has　identified　by　code　name　a　Soviet　penetration　agent；　probably　in　Whitehall。　The　code　name　is　MINISTER。　When　we　get　more　information　about　the　man　in　question；　we'll　have　the　Security　Service　root　about　after　him。〃
　　　〃What　does　he　give　them？〃
　　　〃Political　and　diplomatic　intelligence；　ma'am。　Oleg　tells　us　that　it　is　high…level　material；　but　he　has　not　as　yet　given　us　information　that　would　directly　identify　him。〃
　　　〃Interesting。〃　It　was　not　a　new　story。　This　one　could　be　one　of　the　Cambridge　group　that　had　been　so　valuable　to　the　USSR　back　in　the　war　years　and　then　all　the　way　into　the　1960s；　or　perhaps　a　person　recruited　by　them。　Charleston　had　been　instrumental　in　purging　them　out　of　SIS；　but　Whitehall　wasn't　quite　his　patch。　〃Do　keep　me　posted　on　that。〃　A　casual　order　from　her　had　the　force　of　a　granite　slab　hand…delivered　from　Mt。　Sinai。
　　　〃Of　course；　Prime　Minister。〃
　　　〃Would　it　be　helpful　if　I　spoke　to　the　American　President　on　this　matter　with　the　Pope？〃
　　　〃Better　to　let　CIA　brief　him　first；　I　think。　It　wouldn't　do　to　short…circuit　their　system。　This　defector　was；　after　all；　mainly　an　American　operation；　and　it's　Arthur's　place　to　speak　to　him　first。〃