tc.redrabbit-第71章

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　　　〃Doing　what？〃
　　　〃I　can't　say；　babe。〃
　　　〃How　long？〃
　　　〃Three　or　four　days；　probably。　They　think　I　am　uniquely　suited　to　this　for　some　damned　reason　or　other。〃
　　　〃Uh…huh。〃　Ryan's　semi…truthfulness　was　just　oblique　enough　to　foil　her　mind　reading　for　once。
　　　〃You're　not　going　to　be　carrying　a　gun　or　anything？〃
　　　〃Honey；　I　am　an　analyst；　not　a　field　officer；　remember？　That　sort　of　thing　is　not　my　job。　For　that　matter；　I　don't　think　field　spooks　carry　guns　very　much　anyway。　Too　hard　to　explain　away　if　somebody　notices。〃
　　　〃But…〃
　　　〃James　Bond　is　in　the　movies；　babe；　not　real　life。〃
　　　Ryan　returned　his　attention　to　the　TV。　ITV　was　doing　a　repeat　of　Danger…UXB；　and　again　Jack　found　himself　wondering　if　Brian　would　survive　his　job　of　defusing　unexploded　bombs　and　then　marry　Suzy　when　he　returned　to　civilian　life。　EOD；　now　there　was　a　miserable　job；　but；　if　you　made　a　mistake；　at　least　it　wouldn't　hurt　for　very　long。
　　　〃Heard　anything　from　Bob？〃　Greer　asked　just　before　six　in　the　evening。
　　　Judge　Moore　stood　up　from　his　expensive　swivel　chair　and　stretched。
　　　Too　much　time　sitting　down；　and　not　enough　moving　around。　Back　in　Texas；　he　had　a　small　ranch…called　that　because　he　owned　three　quarter　horses；　you　couldn't　be　a　prominent　citizen　in　Texas　unless　you　owned　a　horse　or　two…and　three　or　four　times　a　week；　he'd　saddle　Aztec　up　and　ride　around　for　an　hour　or　so；　mainly　to　get　his　head　clear；　to　allow　himself　to　think　outside　his　office。　That　was　how　he　tended　to　get　his　best　thinking　done。　Maybe；　Moore　thought；　that's　why　he　felt　so　goddamned　unproductive　here。　An　office　just　wasn't　a　very　good　place　for　thinking；　but　every　executive　in　the　world　pretended　it　was。　Christ　knew　why。　That's　what　he　needed　at　Langley…his　own　stable。　There　was　plenty　of　room　on　the　Langley　campus…a　good　five　times　what　he　had　in　Texas。　But　if　he　ever　did　that；　the　stories　would　spread　around　the　world：　The　American　DCI　liked　to　ride　horses　with　his　black　Stetson　hat…that　went　along　with　the　horse…and　probably　a　Colt　。45　on　his　hip…that　was　optional…and　that　just　wouldn't　look　good　to　the　TV　crews　that　would　sooner　or　later　appear　at　the　perimeter　fence　with　their　minicams。　And　so；　for　reasons　of　personal　vanity；　he　had　to　deny　himself　the　chance　to　do　some　good　creative　thinking。　It　was　totally　asinine；　the　former　judge　told　himself；　to　allow　such　considerations　to　affect　the　way　he　did　his　work。　Over　in　England；　Basil　could　chase　foxes　on　the　back　of　a　nice　hunter…thoroughbred；　and　would　anyone　over　there　care？　Hell；　no。　He'd　be　admired　for　it；　or　at　worst　thought　a　tiny　bit　eccentric；　in　a　country　where　eccentricity　was　an　admirable　quality。　But　in　the　Land　of　the　Free；　men　were　enslaved　by　customs　imposed　on　them　by　news　reporters　and　elected　officials　who　screwed　their　secretaries。　Well；　there　was　no　rule　that　the　world　had　to　make　sense；　was　there？
　　　〃Nothing　important。　Just　a　cable　that　said　his　meetings　with　our　Korean　friends　were　going　well；〃　Moore　reported。
　　　〃You　know；　those　people　scare　me　a　little；〃　Greer　observed。　He　didn't　have　to　explain　why。　The　KCIA　occasionally　had　its　field　personnel　deal　a　little　too　directly　with　employees　of　the　other　Korean　government。　The　rules　were　a　little　different　over　there。　The　ongoing　state　of　war　between　North　and　South　was　still　a　very　real　thing　and；　in　time　of　war；　some　people　lost　their　lives。　CIA　hadn't　done　such　things　in　almost　thirty　years。　Asian　people　hadn't　adopted　Western　ideas　of　the　value　of　human　life。　Maybe　because　their　countries　were　just　too　crowded。　Maybe　because　they　have　different　religious　beliefs。　Maybe　a　lot　of　things；　but　for　whatever　reason　they　were　just　a　little　different　in　the　operational　parameters　they　felt　free　to　work　within…or　without。
　　　〃They're　our　best　eye　on　North　Korea　and　China；　James；〃　Moore　reminded　him。　〃And　they　are　very　faithful　allies。〃
　　　〃I　know；　Arthur。〃　It　was　nice　to　hear　things　about　the　People's　Republic　of　China　once　in　a　while。　Penetrating　that　country　was　one　of　CIA's　most　frustrating　tasks。　〃I　just　wish　they　weren't　so　cavalier　about　murder。〃
　　　〃They　operate　within　fairly　strict　rules；　and　both　sides　seem　to　play　by　them。〃
　　　And　on　both　sides；　killings　had　to　be　authorized　at　a　very　high　level。　Not　that　this　would　matter　all　that　much　to　the　corpse　in　question。　〃Wet〃　operations　interfered　with　the　main　mission；　which　was　gathering　information。　That　was　something　people　occasionally　forgot；　but　something　that　CIA　and　KGB　mainly　understood；　which　was　why　both　agencies　had　gotten　away　from　it。
　　　But　when　the　information　retrieved　frightened　or　otherwise　upset　the　politicians　who　oversaw　the　intelligence　services；　then　the　spook　shops　were　ordered　to　do　things　that　they　usually　preferred　to　avoid…and　so；　then；　they　took　their　action　through　surrogates　and/or　mercenaries；　mainly。。。
　　　〃Arthur；　if　KGB　wants　to　hurt　the　Pope；　how　do　you　suppose　they'd　go　about　it？〃
　　　〃Not　one　of　their　own；〃　Moore　thought。　〃Too　dangerous。　It　would　be　a　political　catastrophe；　like　a　tornado　going　right　through　the　Kremlin。　It　would　sure　as　hell　kibosh　Yuriy　Vladimirovich's　political　career　and；　you　know；　I　don't　see　him　taking　that　much　risk　for　any　cause。　Power　is　just　too　important　to　him。〃
　　　The　DDI　nodded。　〃Agreed。　I　think　he's　going　to　resign　his　chairmanship　soon。　Has　to。　They　wouldn't　even　let　him　jump　from　KGB　boss　to　the　General　Secretaryship。　That's　a　little　too　sinister　even　for　them。　They　still　remember　Beria…the　ones　who　sit　around　that　table　do；　anyway。〃
　　　〃That's　a　good　point；　James；〃　Moore　said；　turning　back　from　the　window。　〃I　wonder　how　much　longer　Leonid　Illyich　has。〃　Ascertaining　Brezhnev's　health　was　a　constant　CIA　interest…hell；　it　was　a　matter　of　interest　to　everyone　in　Washington。
　　　〃Andropov　is　our　best　indicator　on　that。　We're　pretty　sure　he's　Brezhnev's　replacement。　When　it　looks　like　Leonid　Illyich　is　heading　for　the　last　roundup；　then　Yuriy　Vladimirovich　changes　jobs。〃
　　　〃Good　point；　James。　I'll　float　that　to　State　and　the　White　House。〃
　　　Admiral　Greer　nodded。　〃It's　what　they　pay　us　for。　Back　to　the　Pope；〃　he　suggested。
　　　〃The　President　is　still　asking　questions；〃　Moore　confirmed。
　　　〃If　they　do　anything；　it　won't　be　a　Russian。　Too　many　political　pitfalls；　Arthur。〃
　　　〃Again；　I　agree。　But　what　the　hell　does　that　leave　us？〃　；　〃They　use　the　Bulgarians　for　wet　work；〃　Greer　pointed　out。
　　　〃So；　look　for　a　Bulgarian　shooter？〃　；　〃How　many　Bulgars　make　pilgrimages　to　Rome；　you　suppose？〃
　　　〃We　can't　tell　the　Italians　to　look　into　that；　can　we？　It　would　leak　sure　as　hell；　and　we　can't　have　that。　It　would　look　pretty　stupid　in　the　press。　It's　just　something　we　can't　do；　James。〃
　　　Greer　let　out　a　long　breath。　〃Yeah；　I　know；　not　without　something　firm。〃
　　　〃Firmer　than　what　we　have　now…and　that's　air；　James；　just　plain　damned　air。〃　It　would　be　nice；　Judge　Moore　thought；　if　CIA　were　as　powerful　as　the　movies　and　the　critics　think　we　are。　Not　all　the　time。　Just　once　in　a　while。　But　they　weren't；　and　that　was　a　fact。
　　　The　next　day　started　in　Moscow　before　it　started　anywhere　else。　Zaitzev　awoke　at　the　ringing　of　his　windup　alarm　clock；　grumbled　and　cursed　like　every　workingman　in　the　world；　then　stumbled　off　to　the　bathroom。　Ten　minutes　later；　he　was　drinking　his　morning　tea　and　eating　his　black　bread　and　butter。
　　　Less　than　a　mile　away；　the　Foley　family　was　doing　much　the　same　thing。　Ed　decided　on　an　English　muffin　and　grape　jelly　with　his　coffee　for　a　change；　joined　by　Little　Eddie；　who　took　a　break　from　Worker　Woman　and　his　Transformers　tapes。　He　was　looking　forward　to　the　preschool　that　had　been　set　up　for　Western　children　right　there　in　the　ghetto；　where　he　showed　great　promise　with　crayons　and　the　newly　arrived　Hot　Wheels　tricycles；　plus　being　champion　at　the　Sit　'n　Spin。
　　　He　told　himself　that　he　could　relax　today。　The　meeting　would　be　in　the　evening；　and　MP　would　handle　that。　In　another　week　or　so。。。　maybe。。。　BEATRIX　would　be　all　over；　and　he　could　relax　again；　letting　his　field　officers　do　the　running　around　this　damned　ugly　city。　Sure　enough；　the　goddamned　Baltimore　Orioles　were　in　the　playoffs；　and　looking　to　go　head　to　head　with　the　Philadelphia　Phillies；　relegating　his　Bronx　Bombers　to　the　Hot　Stove　League　yet　again。　What　was　with　the　new　ownership；　anyway？　How　could　rich　people　be　so　stupid？
　　　He'd　have　to　keep　to　his　metro　routine。　If　KGB　had　him　shadowed；　it　would　be　unusual…or　would　it？…for　them　to　mark　the　specific　train　he　was　getting　on。　There　was　a　question　for　him。　If　they　did　a　one…two　tail；　the　number　two　guy　would　stay　on　the　platform　and；　after　the　train　left；　write　down　the　time　off　the　clock　in　the　station…that　was　the　only　one　that　made　sense；　since　it　was　the　one　that　governed　the　trains　themselves。　KGB　was　thorough　and　professional；　but　would　they　be　that　good？　That　sort　of　precision　was　positively　Germanic；　but　if　the　bastards　could　make　the　trains　run　that　precisely；　then　probably　KGB　could　take　note　of　it；　and　the　precise　timing　was　what　had　enabled　him　to　contact　the　Rabbit。
　　　God　damn　this　life；　anyway！　Foley　raged　briefly。　But　he'd　known　that　before　he'd　accepted　the　posting　to　Moscow；　and　it　was　exciting　here；　wasn't　it？　Yeah；　like　Louis　XVI　was　probably　excited　on　the　cart　ride　to　the　guillotine；　Ed　Sr。　thought。
　　　Someday　he'd　lecture　on　this　down　at　The　Farm。　He　hoped　they'd　appreciate　just　how　hard　it　had　been　to　write　the　lesson　plan　for　his　Operation　BEATRIX　lecture。　Well；　they　might　be　a　little　impressed。
　　　Forty　minutes　later；　he　purchased　his　copy　of　Izvestia　and　rode　down　the　interminable　escalator　to　the　platform；　as　usual　not　noting　the　sideways　looks　of　Russians　looking　at　a　real；　live　American　as　though　he　were　a　creature　in　the　zoo。　It　would　never　have　happened　to　a　Russian　in　New　York；　where　every　ethnic　group　could　be　found；　especially　behind　the　wheel　of　a　yellow　cab。
　　　The　morning　routine　was　set　in　concrete　by　now。　Miss　Margaret　was　hovering　over　the　kids；　and　Eddie　Beaverton　was　outside　the　door。　The　kids　were　duly　hugged　and　kissed；　and　the　parents　headed　off　to　work。　If　there　was　anything　Ryan　hated；　it　was　this　routine。　If　only　he'd　been　able　to　persuade　Cathy　to　buy　a　flat　in　London；　then　every　work　day　would　have　been　a　good　two　hours　shorter…but；　no；　Cathy　wanted　green　stuff　around　for　the　kids　to　play　on。　And　soon　they　wouldn't　see　the　sun　until　they　got　to　work；　and　soon　thereafter；　hardly　even　then。
　　　Ten　minutes　later；　they　were　in　their　first…class　partment　rolling　northwest　for　London；　Cathy　in　her　medical　journal　and　Jack　in　his　Daily　Telegraph。　There　was　an　article　about　Poland；　and　this　reporter　was　unusually　well…informed；　Ryan　saw　at　once。　The　articles　in　Britain　tended　to　be　a　lot　less　long…winded　than　in　The　Washington　Post；　and　for　once　Jack　found　himself　regretting　that。　This　guy　had　been　well…briefed　and/or　he　was　pretty　good　at　analysis。　The　Polish　government　was　really　caught　between　a　rock　and　a　hard　place；　and　was　getting　squeezed；　and　there　was　talk；　he　saw；　that　the　Pope　was　making　some　rumbles　about　the　welfare　of　his　homeland　and　his　people；　and　that；　the　reporter　noted；　could　upset　a　lot　of　apple　carts。
　　　Ain't　that　the　truth；　Jack　thought。　The　really　bad　news　was　that　it　was　in　the　open　now。　Who'd　leaked　it？　H