tc.redrabbit-第34章

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ra　members　who　didn't　have　time　for　traffic　delays。
　　　Nothing　had　really　changed。。。
　　　Except　that　the　czars　of　old　had　at　least　paid　lip　service　to　a　higher　authority。　They'd　financed　St。　Basil's　Cathedral　here　in　Moscow；　and　other　noblemen　had　financed　countless　other　churches　in　lesser　cities；　because　even　the　Romanovs　had　acknowledged　a　power　higher　than　theirs。　But　the　Party　acknowledged　no　higher　order。
　　　And　so　it　could　kill　without　regret；　because　killing　was　often　a　political　necessity；　a　tactical　advantage　to　be　undertaken　when　and　where　convenient。
　　　Was　that　all　this　was？　Zaitzev　asked　himself。　Were　they　killing　the　Pope　just　because　it　was　more　convenient？
　　　Oleg　Ivan'ch　poured　himself　another　portion　of　vodka　from　the　nearby　bottle　and　took　another　swallow。
　　　There　were　many　inconveniences　in　his　life。　It　was　too　long　a　walk　from　his　desk　to　the　water　cooler。　There　were　people　at　work　whom　he　didn't　like…Stefan　Yevgeniyevich　Ivanov；　for　example；　a　more　senior　major　in　munications。　How　he'd　managed　to　get　promoted　four　years　ago　was　a　mystery　to　everyone　in　the　section。　He　was　disregarded　by　the　more　senior　people　as　a　drone　who　was　unable　to　do　any　useful　work。　Zaitzev　supposed　every　business　had　one　such　person；　an　embarrassment　to　the　office；　but　not　easily　removed　because。。。　because　he　was　just　there　and　that　was　all　there　was　to　it。　Were　Ivanov　out　of　the　way；　Oleg　could　be　promoted…if　not　in　rank；　then　in　status　to　chief　of　the　section。　Every　single　breath　Ivanov　took　was　an　inconvenience　to　Oleg　Ivan'ch；　but　that　didn't　give　him　the　right　to　kill　the　more　senior　municator；　did　it？
　　　No；　he'd　be　arrested　and　prosecuted；　and　perhaps　even　executed　for　murder。　Because　it　was　forbidden　by　law。　Because　it　was　wrong。　The　law；　the　Party；　and　his　own　conscience　told　him　that。
　　　But　Andropov　wanted　to　kill　Father　Karol；　and　his　conscience　didn't　say　nay。　Would　some　other　conscience　do　so？　Another　swallow　of　vodka。　Another　snort。　A　conscience；　on　the　Politburo？
　　　Even　in　the　KGB；　there　were　no　ruminations。　No　debates。　No　open　discussion。　Just　action　messages　and　notices　of　pletion　or　failure。　Evaluations　of　foreigners；　of　course；　discussions　of　the　thinking　of　foreigners；　real　agents；　or　mere　agents　of　influence…called　〃useful　fools〃　in　the　KGB　lexicon。　Never　had　a　field　officer　written　back　about　an　order　and　said；　〃No；　rade；　we　ought　not　to　do　that　because　it　would　be　morally　wrong。〃　Goderenko　in　Rome　had　e　closest；　posing　the　observation　that　killing　Karol　might　have　adverse　consequences　on　operations。　Did　that　mean　that　Ruslan　Borissovich　had　a　troubled　conscience　as　well？　No。　Goderenko　had　three　sons…one　in　the　Soviet　navy；　another；　he'd　heard；　at　the　KGB's　own　academy　out　on　the　Ring　Road；　and　the　third　in　Moscow　State　University。　If　Ruslan　Borissovich　had　any　difficulties　with　the　KGB；　any　action　could　mean；　if　not　death；　then　at　least　serious　embarrassment　for　his　children；　and　few　men　took　action　like　that。
　　　So；　was　his　the　only　conscience　in　KGB？　Zaitzev　took　a　swallow　to　ponder　that　one。　Probably　not。　There　were　thousands　of　men　in　The　Centre；　and　thousands　more　elsewhere；　and　just　the　laws　of　statistics　made　it　likely　that　there　were　plenty　of　〃good〃　men　（however　one　defined　that）；　but　how　did　one　identify　them？　It　was　certain　death…or　lengthy　imprisonment…to　try　to　go　looking　for　them。　That　was　the　baseline　problem　he　had。　There　was　no　one　in　whom　he　could　confide　his　doubts。　No　one　with　whom　he　could　discuss　his　worries…not　a　doctor；　not　a　priest。。。　not　even　his　wife；　Irina。。。
　　　No；　he　had　only　his　vodka　bottle；　and　though　it　helped　him　think；　after　a　fashion；　it　wasn't　much　of　a　panion。　Russian　men　were　not　averse　to　shedding　tears；　but　they　wouldn't　have　helped　either。　Irina　might　ask　a　question；　and　he　wouldn't　be　able　to　answer　to　anyone's　satisfaction。　All　he　had　was　sleep。　It　would　not　help；　he　was　sure；　and　in　this　he　was　right。
　　　Another　hour　and　two　more　slugs　of　the　vodka　at　least　drugged　him　into　sleepiness。　His　wife　was　dozing　in　front　of　the　TV…the　Red　Amy　had　won　the　Battle　of　Kursk；　again；　and　the　movie　ended　at　the　beginning　of　a　long　march　that　would　lead　to　the　Reichstag　in　Berlin；　full　of　hope　and　enthusiasm　for　the　bloody　task。　Zaitzev　chuckled　to　himself。　It　was　more　than　he　had　at　the　moment。　He　carried　his　empty　glass　to　the　kitchen；　then　roused　his　wife　for　the　trip　to　the　bedroom。　He　hoped　that　sleep　would　e　quickly。　The　quarter…liter　of　alcohol　in　his　belly　should　help。　And　so　it　did。
　　　〃You　know；　Arthur；　there　are　a　lot　of　things　we　don't　know　about　him；〃　Jim　Greer　said。
　　　〃Andropov；　you　mean？〃
　　　〃We　don't　even　know　if　the　bastard's　married；〃　the　DDI　continued。
　　　〃Well；　Robert；　that's　your　department；〃　the　DCI　observed；　with　a　look　at　Bob　Ritter。
　　　〃We　think　he　is；　but　he's　never　brought　his　wife；　if　any；　to　an　official　function。　That's　usually　how　we　find　out；〃　the　DDO　had　to　admit。　〃They　often　hide　their　families；　like　Mafia　dons。　They're　so　anal　about　hiding　everything　over　there。　And；　yeah；　we're　not　all　that　good　about　digging　the　information　up；　because　it's　not　operationally　important。〃
　　　〃How　he　treats　his　wife　and　kids；　if　any；〃　Greer　pointed　out；　〃can　be　useful　in　profiling　the　guy。〃
　　　〃So　you　want　me　to　task　CARDINAL　on　something　like　that？　He　could　do　it；　I'm　sure；　but　why　waste　his　time　that　way？〃
　　　〃Is　it　a　waste？　If　he's　a　wife…beater；　it　tells　us　something。　If　he's　a　doting　father；　it　tells　us　something　else；〃　the　DDI　persisted。
　　　〃He's　a　thug。　You　can　look　at　his　photo　and　see　that。　Look　how　his　staff　acts　around　him。　They're　stiff；　like　you'd　have　expected　from　Hitler's　staff；　〃　Ritter　responded。　A　few　months　before；　a　gaggle　of　American　state　governors　had　flown　to　Moscow　for　some　sub…rosa　diplomacy。　The　governor　of　Maryland；　a　liberal　Democrat；　had　reported　back　that　when　Andropov　had　entered　the　reception　room；　he'd　spotted　him　at　once　as　a　thug；　then　learned　that　it　was　Yuriy　Vladimirovich；　Chairman　of　the　mittee　for　State　Security。　The　Marylander　had　possessed　a　good　eye　for　reading　people；　and　that　evaluation　had　gone　into　the　Andropov　file　at　Langley。
　　　〃Well；　he　wouldn't　have　been　much　of　a　judge；〃　Arthur　Moore　observed。　He'd　read　the　file；　too。　〃At　least　not　at　the　appeals　level。　Too　interested　in　hanging　the　poor　son　of　a　bitch　just　to　see　if　the　rope　breaks　or　not。〃　Not　that　Texas　hadn't　had　a　few　judges　like　that；　once　upon　a　time；　but　it　was　much　more　civilized　now。　There　were　fewer　horses　that　needed　stealing　than　men　who　needed　killing；　after　all。　〃Okay；　Robert；　what　can　we　do　to　flesh　him　out　a　little？　Looks　like　he's　going　to　be　their　next　General　Secretary；　after　all。　Strikes　me　as　a　good　idea。〃
　　　〃I　can　rattle　some　cages。　Why　not　ask　Sir　Basil　what　he　can　do？　They're　better　at　the　social　stuff　than　we　are；　and　it　takes　the　heat　off　our　people。〃
　　　〃I　like　Bas；　but　I　don't　like　having　him　hold　that　many　markers　for　us；〃　Judge　Moore　answered。
　　　〃Well；　James；　your　protege　is　over　there。　Have　him　ask　the　question。　You　get　him　an　STU　at　home　yet？〃
　　　〃Ought　to　have　gotten　there　today；　yes。〃
　　　〃So　call　your　lad　and　have　him　ask；　nice　and　casual…like。〃
　　　Greer's　eyes　went　to　the　Judge。　〃Arthur？〃
　　　〃Approved。　Lowercase　this；　though。　Tell　Ryan　that　it's　for　his　personal　interest；　not　ours。〃
　　　The　Admiral　checked　his　watch。　〃Okay；　I　can　do　that　before　I　head　home。〃
　　　〃Now；　Bob；　any　progress　on　MASQUE　OF　THE　RED　DEATH？〃　the　DCI　asked　with　amusement；　just　to　close　down　the　afternoon　meeting。　It　was　a　fun　idea；　but　not　a　very　serious　one。
　　　〃Arthur；　let's　not　discount　it　too　much；　shall　we？　They　are　vulnerable　to　the　right　sort　of　bullet；　once　we　load　it　in　the　gun。〃
　　　〃Don't　talk　that　way　in　front　of　Congress。　They　might　foul　their　panties；〃　Greer　warned；　with　a　laugh。　〃We're　supposed　to　enjoy　peaceful　coexistence　with　them。〃
　　　〃That　didn't　work　very　well　with　Hitler。　Stalin　and　Chamberlain　both　tried　to　make　nice　with　the　son　of　a　bitch。　Where　did　it　get　them？　They　are　our　enemies；　gentlemen；　and　the　sad　truth　is　that　we　can't　have　a　real　peace　with　them；　like　it　or　not。　Their　ideas　and　ours　are　too　out　of　sync　for　that。〃　He　held　up　his　hands。　〃Yeah；　I　know；　we're　not　supposed　to　think　that　way；　but　thank　God　the　President　does；　and　we　still　work　for　him。〃
　　　They　didn't　have　to　ment　on　that。　All　three　had　voted　for　the　current　President；　despite　the　institutional　joke　that　the　two　things　one　never　found　at　Langley　were　munists　and。。。　Republicans。　No；　the　new　President　had　a　little　iron　in　his　spine　and　a　fox's　instinct　for　opportunity。　It　especially　appealed　to　Ritter；　who　was　the　cowboy　of　the　three；　if　also　the　most　abrasive。
　　　〃Okay。　I　have　some　budget　work　to　do　for　that　hearing　with　the　Senate　day　after　tomorrow；〃　Moore　announced；　breaking　up　the　meeting。
　　　Ryan　was　at　his　puter；　thinking　over　the　Battle　of　Leyte　Gulf；　when　the　phone　rang。　It　was　the　first　time　for　it；　with　its　oddly　trilling　ringer。　He　reached　in　his　pocket　for　the　plastic　key；　slid　it　into　the　appropriate　slot；　then　lifted　the　receiver。
　　　〃Stand　by；〃　a　mechanical　voice　said；　〃SYNCHRONIZING　THE　LINE；　STAND　BY；　SYNCHRONIZING　THE　LINE；　STAND　BY；　SYNCHRONIZING　THE　LINELINE　is　SECURE；〃　it　said　at　last。
　　　〃Hello；〃　Ryan　said；　wondering　who　had　an　STU　and　would　call　him　this　late。　It　turned　out　to　be　the　obvious　answer。
　　　〃Hi；　Jack；〃　a　familiar　voice　greeted　him。　One　nice　thing　about　the　STU：　The　digital　technology　made　voices　as　clear　as　if　the　speaker　were　sitting　in　the　room。
　　　Ryan　checked　the　desk　clock。　〃Kinda　late　there；　sir。〃
　　　〃Not　as　late　as　in　Jolly　Old　England。　How's　the　family？〃
　　　〃Mainly　asleep　at　the　moment。　Cathy　is　probably　reading　a　medical　journal；〃　which　was　what　she　did　instead　of　watching　TV；　anyway。　〃What　can　I　do　for　you；　Admiral？〃
　　　〃I　have　a　little　job　for　you。〃
　　　〃Okay；〃　Ryan　responded。
　　　〃Ask　around…casual…like…about　Yuriy　Andropov。　There　are　a　few　things　about　him　we　don't　know。　Maybe　Basil　has　the　information　we　want。〃
　　　〃What　exactly；　sir？〃　Jack　asked。
　　　〃Is　he　married；　and　does　he　have　any　kids？〃
　　　〃We　don't　know　if　he's　married？〃　Ryan　realized　that　he　hadn't　seen　that　information　in　the　dossier；　but　he'd　assumed　it　was　elsewhere；　and　had　taken　no　particular　note　of　it。
　　　〃That's　right。　The　Judge　wants　to　see　if　Basil　might　know。〃
　　　〃Okay；　I　can　ask　Simon。　How　important　is　this？〃
　　　〃Like　I　said；　casual…like；　like　it's　your　own　interest。　Then　call　me　back　from　there；　your　home；　I　mean。〃
　　　〃Will　do；　sir。　We　know　his　age；　birthday；　education；　and　stuff；　but　not　if　he's　married　or　has　any　kids；　eh？〃
　　　〃That's　how　it　works　sometimes。〃
　　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　And　that　got　Jack　thinking。　They　knew　everything　about　Brezhnev　but　his　dick　size。　They　did　know　his　daughter's　dress　size…12…which　someone　had　thought　important　enough　to　get　from　the　Belgian　milliner　who'd　sold　the　silken　wedding　dress　to　her　doting　father；　through　the　ambassador。　But　they　didn't　know　if　the　likely　next　General　Secretary　of　the　Soviet　Union　was　married。　Christ；　the　guy　was　pushing　sixty；　and　they　didn't　know？　What　the　hell？　〃Okay；　I　can　ask。　That　ought　not　to　be　too　hard。〃
　　　〃Otherwise；　how's　London？〃
　　　〃I　like　it　here；　and　so　does　Cathy；　but　she's　a　little　dubious　about　their　state　medical…care　system。〃