tc.redrabbit-第87章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　But　it　was　time　to　get　back　to　business。　〃Okay；　how　are　we　going　to　do　this？〃　Jack　asked。　He　was　looking　around　for　a　tail；　but　if　there　was　one　about；　it　was　invisible　to　him；　unless　there　was　a　team　of　the　ubiquitous…dirty…Lada　automobiles　following　them　about。　He'd　have　to　trust　Hudson　to　scan　for　that　possibility。
　　　〃Back　to　the　car。　We'll　go　see　the　hotel。〃　It　was　just　a　few　minutes　of　driving　time　down　Andrassy　Utca；　a　route　of　remarkably　French…style　architecture。　Ryan　had　never　been　to　Paris；　but；　closing　his　eyes；　he　thought　he　might　well　have　been。
　　　〃There；　that's　it；〃　Hudson　said；　pulling　over。　One　nice　thing　about　munist　countries：　It　wasn't　hard　to　find　a　parking　space。
　　　〃Nobody　watching　us？〃　Ryan　wondered；　trying　not　to　look　too　obvious　in　his　turning　around。
　　　〃If　so；　he's　being　very　clever　about　it。　Now；　right　there　across　the　street　is　the　local　KGB　station。　The　Soviet　Cultural　and　Friendship　House；　sadly　lacking　in　culture　or　friendship；　but　we　reckon　thirty　or　forty　KGB　types　there…none　interested　in　us；〃　Hudson　added。　〃The　average　Hungarian　would　probably　rather　catch　gonorrhea　than　go　inside。　Hard　to　tell　you　how　detested　the　Soviets　are　in　this　country。　The　locals　will　take　their　money　and　perhaps　even　shake　hands　after　the　money　is　exchanged；　but　not　much　more　than　that。　They　remember　1956　here；　Jack。〃
　　　The　hotel　struck　Ryan　as　something　from　what　H。　L。　Mencken　had　called　the　gilded　age…champagne　ambition　on　a　beer　budget。
　　　〃I've　stayed　in　better；〃　Jack　observed。　It　wasn't　the　Plaza　in　New　York　or　London's　Savoy。
　　　〃Our　Russian　friends　probably　have　not。〃
　　　Damn。　If　we　get　them　to　America；　they're　going　to　be　in　hog　heaven；　Jack　thought　at　once。
　　　〃Let's　go　inside。　There's　a　rather　nice　bar；〃　Hudson　told　him。
　　　And　so　there　was；　off　to　the　right　and　down　some　steps；　almost　like　a　New　York　City　disco　bar；　though　not　quite　as　noisy。　The　band　wasn't　there　yet；　just　some　records　playing；　and　not　too　loudly。　The　music；　Jack　noted；　was　American。　How　odd。　Hudson　ordered　a　couple　glasses　of　Tokaji。
　　　Ryan　sipped　his。　It　wasn't　bad。
　　　〃It's　bottled　in　California；　too；　I　think。　Your　chaps　call　it　Tokay；　the　national　drink　of　Hungary。　It's　an　acquired　taste；　but　better　than　grappa。〃
　　　Ryan　chuckled。　〃I　know。　That's　Italian　for　'lighter　fluid。'　My　uncle　Mario　used　to　love　it。　De　gustibus；　as　they　say。〃　He　looked　around。　There　was　nobody　within　twenty　feet。　〃Can　we　talk？〃
　　　〃Better　just　to　look　about。　I'll　e　here　tonight。　This　bar　closes　after　midnight；　and　I　need　to　see　what　the　staff　is　like。　Our　Rabbit　is　in　Room　307。　Third　floor；　corner。　Easy　access　via　the　fire　stairs。　Three　entrances；　front　and　either　side。　If；　as　I　expect；　there's　only　a　single　clerk　at　the　desk；　it's　just　a　matter　of　distracting　him　to　get　our　packages　up　and　the　Rabbit　family　out。〃
　　　〃Packages　up？〃
　　　Hudson　turned。　〃Didn't　they　tell　you？〃
　　　〃Tell　me　what？〃
　　　Bloody　hell；　Hudson　thought；　they　never　get　the　necessary　information　out　to　everyone　who　needs　it。　Never　changes。
　　　〃We'll　talk　about　it　later；〃　he　told　Ryan。
　　　Uh…oh；　Ryan　thought　at　once。　Something　was　up　that　he　wouldn't　like。　Sure　as　hell。　Maybe　he　should　have　brought　his　Browning　with　him。　Oh；　shit。　He　finished　his　drink　and　went　looking　for　the　men's　room。　The　symbology　helped。　The　room　had　not　been　recently　scrubbed；　and　it　was　a　good　thing　he　didn't　need　to　sit　down。　He　emerged　to　find　Andy　waiting　for　him；　and　followed　him　back　outside。　Soon　they　were　back　in　his　car。
　　　〃Okay；　can　we　discuss　that　little　problem　now？〃　Jack　asked。
　　　〃Later；〃　Hudson　told　him。　It　just　made　Ryan　worry　a　little　more。
　　　The　packages　were　just　arriving　at　the　airport…three　rather　large　boxes　with　diplomatic　stickers　on　them…and　an　official　from　the　embassy　was　at　the　ramp　to　make　sure　they　weren't　tampered　with。　Someone　had　made　sure　to　put　them　in　identifying　boxes　from　an　electronics　pany…the　German　pany　Siemens；　in　this　case…thus　making　it　seem　that　they　were　coding　machines　or　something　else　bulky　and　sensitive。　They　were　duly　loaded　in　the　embassy's　own　light　truck　and　driven　downtown　with　nothing　more　than　curiosity　in　their　wake。　The　presence　of　an　embassy　officer　had　prevented　their　being　x…rayed；　and　that　was　important。　That　might　have　damaged　the　microchips　inside；　of　course；　the　customs　people　at　the　airport　thought；　and　so　made　up　their　official　report　to　the　Belugyminiszterium。　Soon　it　would　be　reported　to　everyone　interested；　including　the　KGB；　that　the　U。K。　Budapest　Embassy　had　taken　on　some　new　encryption　gear。　The　information　would　be　duly　filed　and　forgotten。
　　　〃Enjoy　your　tour？〃　Hudson　asked；　back　in　his　office。
　　　〃Beats　doing　a　real　audit。　Okay；　Andy；〃　Ryan　shot　back。　〃You　want　to　walk　me　through　this？〃
　　　〃The　idea　es　from　your　people。　We're　to　get　the　Rabbit　family　out　in　such　a　way　that　KGB　think　them　dead；　and　hence　not　defectors　who　will　cooperate　with　the　West。　To　that　end；　we　have　three　bodies　to　put　into　the　hotel　room　after　we　get　Flopsy；　Mopsy；　and　Cotton…tail　out。〃
　　　〃Okay；　that's　right；〃　Ryan　said。　〃Simon　told　me　about　it。　Then　what？〃
　　　〃Then　we　torch　the　room。　The　three　bodies　are　victims　of　domestic　fires。　They　ought　to　have　arrived　today。〃
　　　All　Ryan　could　still　feel　was　a　visceral　disgust。　His　face　showed　it。
　　　〃This　is　not　always　a　tidy　business；　Sir　John；〃　the　SIS　COS　informed　his　guest。
　　　〃Christ；　Andy！　Where　are　the　bodies　from？〃
　　　〃Does　that　matter　to　anyone？〃
　　　A　long　breath。　〃No；　I　suppose　not。〃　Ryan　shook　his　head。　〃Then　what？〃
　　　〃We　drive　them　south。　We'll　meet　with　an　agent　of　mine；　Istvan　Kovacs；　a　professional　smuggler　who　is　being　well　paid　to　get　us　over　the　border　into　Yugoslavia。　From　there　into　Dalmatia。　Quite　a　few　of　my　countrymen　like　to　get　some　sun　there。　We　put　the　Rabbit　family　aboard　a　mercial　airliner　to　take　them…and　you…back　to　England；　and　the　operation　is　concluded　to　everyone's　satisfaction。〃
　　　〃Okay。〃　What　else　can　I　say？　Jack　thought。　〃When？〃
　　　〃Two　or　three　days；　I　think。〃
　　　〃Are　you　going　to　be　packing？〃　he　wondered　next。
　　　〃A　pistol；　you　mean？〃
　　　〃Not　a　slingshot；〃　Ryan　clarified。
　　　Hudson　just　shook　his　head。　〃Not　really　very　useful　things；　guns。　If　we　run　into　trouble；　there　will　be　trained　soldiers　with　automatic　rifles；　and　a　pistol　is　useless　to　anyone；　except　to　cause　the　opposition　to　fire　at　us　with　rather　a　higher　probability　of　hitting　us。　No；　should　that　happen；　you're　better　off　talking　your　way　out　of　it；　using　the　diplomatic　papers。　We　already　have　British　passports　for　the　Rabbits。〃　He　lifted　a　large　envelope　from　his　desk　drawer。　〃Mr。　Rabbit　reportedly　speaks　good　English。　That　should　suffice。〃
　　　〃It's　all　thought　through；　eh？〃　Ryan　wasn't　sure　if　it　seemed　that　way　to　him　or　not。
　　　〃It's　what　they　pay　me　for；　Sir　John。〃
　　　And　I　don't　have　standing　to　criticize；　Ryan　realized。　〃Okay；　you're　the　pro　here。　I'm　just　a　fucking　tourist。〃
　　　〃Tom　Trent　reported　in。〃　There　was　a　message　on　Hudson's　desk。　〃He　did　not　see　any　coverage　on　the　Rabbit　family。　So　the　operation　looks　entirely　unremarkable　to　this　point。　I　would　say　things　are　going　very　well　in　deed。〃　Except　for　the　frozen　burned　bodies　in　the　embassy　basement；　he　didn't　add。　〃Seeing　them　this　morning　helped。　They　look　entirely　ordinary；　and　that　helps。　At　least　we're　not　trying　to　smuggle　Grace　Kelly　out　of　the　country。　People　like　that　get　noticed；　but　women　like　Mrs。　Rabbit　do　not。〃
　　　〃Flopsy；　Mopsy；　and　Cotton…tail。。。〃　Ryan　whispered。　
　　　〃Just　a　matter　of　moving　them　to　a　different　hutch。〃
　　　〃You　say　so；　man；〃　Ryan　responded　dubiously。　This　guy　just　lived　a　different　sort　of　life　from　his　own。　Cathy　cut　up　people's　eyeballs　for　a　living；　and　that　would　have　made　Jack　faint　dead　away　like　a　broad　confronting　a　rattlesnake　in　the　bathtub。　Just　a　different　way　of　earning　a　living。　It　sure　as　hell　wasn't　his。
　　　Tom　Trent　watched　them　take　the　long　walk　from　the　hotel　to　the　local　zoo；　which　was　always　a　good　place　for　children。　The　male　lion　and　tiger　were　both　quite　magnificent；　and　the　elephant　house…built　in　a　drunken　Arabian　pastel　style…housed　several　adequate　pachyderms。　With　an　ice　cream　cone　bought　for　the　little　girl；　the　tourist　part　of　the　day　came　to　its　end。　The　Rabbit　family　walked　back　to　the　hotel；　with　the　father　carrying　the　sleeping　child　for　the　last　half　kilometer　or　so。　This　was　the　hardest　part　for　Trent；　for　whom　staying　invisible　on　a　square　mile　of　cobblestone　landing　field　taxed　even　his　professional　skills；　but　the　Rabbit　family　was　not　all　that　attentive；　and　on　getting　back　to　the　Astoria；　he　ducked　into　a　men's　room　to　switch　his　reversible　coat　to　change　at　least　his　outward　colors。　Half　an　hour　later；　the　Zaitzevs　walked　out　again；　but　turned　immediately　to　enter　the　people's　restaurant　just　next　door。　The　food　there　was　wholesome　if　not　especially　exciting　and；　more　to　the　point；　quite　inexpensive。　As　he　watched；　they　piled　their　plates　high　with　the　local　cuisine　and　sat　down　to　devour　it。　They　all　saved　room　for　apple　strudel；　which　in　Budapest　was　just　as　fine　as　a　man　could　eat　in　Vienna；　but　for　about　a　tenth　of　the　price。　Another　forty　minutes；　and　they　looked　thoroughly　tired　and　well　stuffed；　not　even　taking　a　postprandial　walk　around　the　block　to　settle　their　stomachs　before　riding　the　elevator　back　to　the　third　floor　and；　presumably；　their　night's　sleep。　Trent　took　half　an　hour　to　make　sure；　then　caught　a　cab　for　Red　Marty　Park。　He'd　had　a　long　day　and　now　needed　to　write　up　his　report　for　Hudson。
　　　The　Cos　and　Ryan　were　drinking　beer　in　the　canteen　when　he　arrived　back　at　the　embassy。　Introductions　were　made；　and　another　pint　of　beer　secured　for　Trent。
　　　〃Well；　what　do　you　think；　Tom？〃
　　　〃It　certainly　appears　that　they　are　just　what　we've　been　told　to　expect。　The　little　girl…the　father　calls　her　zaichik；　means　'bunny'；　doesn't　it？…seems　a　very　sweet　child。　Other　than　that；　an　ordinary　family　doing　ordinary　things。　He　purchased　three　TV　tape　machines　over　on　Vaci　Street。　The　store　delivered　them　to　the　hotel。　Then　they　went　on　a　bimble。〃
　　　〃A　what？〃
　　　〃A　walkabout；　just　wandering　around　as　tourists　do；〃　Trent　explained。　〃To　the　zoo。　The　little　girl　was　properly　impressed　by　the　animals；　but　most　of　all　by　a　new　red　coat　with　a　black　collar　they　bought　this　morning。　All　in　all；　they　seem　rather　a　pleasant　little　family；〃　the　spook　concluded。
　　　〃Nothing　out　of　the　ordinary？〃　Hudson　asked。
　　　〃Not　a　thing；　Andy；　and　if　there　is　any　coverage　on　them；　I　failed　to　see　it。　The　only　surprise　of　the　day　was　in　the　morning　when　they　walked　right　past　the　embassy　here　on　the　way　to　shopping。　That　was　rather　a　tender　moment；　but　it　seems　to　have　been　entirely　coincidental。　Vaci　Utca　is　the　best　shopping　area　for　Easterners　and　Westerners。　I　expect　the　desk　clerk　told　them　to　take　the　underground　here。〃
　　　〃Pure　vanilla；　eh？〃　Jack　asked；　finishing　his　beer。
　　　〃So　it　would　appear；〃　Trent　replied。
　　　〃Okay；　when　do　we　make　our　move？〃　the　American　asked　next。
　　　〃Well；　that　Rozsa　chap　opens　his　concert　series　tomorrow　night。　Day　after；　then？　We　give　Mrs。　Rabbit　a　chance　to　hear　her　music。　Can　we　get　tickets　for　ourselves？〃　Hudson　asked。
　　　〃Done；〃　Trent　answered。　〃Box　six；　right　side　of　the　theater；　fine　view　of　the　entire　building。　Help