rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第29章
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〃I know you did your best； Jon；〃 he said； speaking over a secure line。 〃But now we have Beria and Treloar to deal with。〃
Smith was huddled next to a pillar outside the main terminal。
〃I understand； sir。 But with Treloar； we have a break。 The tags on the car that picked him up were government。〃
〃I'm running them even as we speak；〃 Klein replied。 〃What I don't understand is why he bolted。〃
〃Because he's guilty； sir；〃 Smith said coldly。 〃There was no reason for Treloar to evade me。 It was clear that he remembered me from Houston。 So why run？ What was he so afraid of？〃 Smith paused。 〃And where was he going in such a hurry？ He didn't even pick up his luggage。〃
〃But according to you； he had a carry…on。〃
〃That he was holding on to as if the crown jewels were inside。〃
〃Hold for a moment；〃 Klein said。 〃Something's ing through on those tags。〃
Smith heard the sound of a printer； then Klein was back on the line。
〃The car that was waiting for Treloar is registered to NASA。〃
Smith was stunned。 〃Okay。 Treloar has enough seniority to have a driver meet him。 But that still begs the question： why run？〃
〃If he is running； Jon； would he have arranged for such obvious transport？〃
〃Sure… because he never expected to see me or to be the object of any attention。〃 Smith paused。 〃Let's find the car and ask him； sir。〃
〃Let's do one better。 I'll have a federal BOLO alert put out on Treloar。〃
The implications of what Klein suggested were far reaching。 A BOLO alert meant that every law enforcement officer within a hundred miles of the capital would have Treloar's description and orders to pick him up on sight。
〃In the meantime；〃 Klein concluded； 〃I want you here at Camp David。 The president is expecting a briefing on Beria。 I want him to hear your report firsthand。〃
The Lincoln wound its way up Wisconsin Avenue and crept down a quiet； leafy street。 An alumnus of Georgetown University Medical School； Treloar recognized the area as Volta Place… a neighborhood on the fringe of campus； slowly being gentrified block by block。
The locks popped up and the driver held the door open。 Treloar hesitated； then； picking up his carry…on； slowly stepped out of the car。 He took his first good look at the driver… built like a linebacker； with a square； expressionless face… and at his destination； a pleasant； recently renovated townhouse with painted white brick and black trim on the door and shutters。
The driver opened the gate in the wrought…iron fence that bordered the tiny lawn。 〃You're expected； sir。〃
Treloar walked up the flagstone path and was reaching for the lion's…head knocker when the door swung open。 He stepped into a postage…stamp…size foyer of polished hardwood and Oriental carpet。
〃Adam； it's good to see you。〃
Treloar almost fainted at the sound of Dylan Reed's voice behind the door。
〃Don't be so shocked；〃 Reed said； closing and locking the door。 〃Didn't I tell you that I'd be here？ Everything's all right now。〃
〃It isn't all right！〃 Treloar exploded。 〃You don't know what happened at the airport。 Smith…〃
〃I know exactly what happened at Dulles；〃 Reed cut him off。 〃And I know about Smith。〃 He eyed the carry…on。 〃Is that it？〃
〃Yes。〃
Treloar handed him the carry…on and followed Reed into a small kitchen that looked out on a patio。
〃Excellent job； Adam；〃 Reed was saying。 〃Truly excellent。〃
Picking up a towel； he removed the canister from the carry…on and deposited it in the freezer。
〃The nitrogen charge…〃 Treloar began to say。
Reed checked his watch。 〃I know。 It's good for another couple of hours。 Don't worry。 We'll have it safely stored by then。〃 He gestured at a round table in the breakfast nook。 〃Why don't you sit down。 I'll get you a drink and you can tell me everything。〃
Treloar heard the rattle of ice cubes and the clink of glass。 When Reed returned； he was carrying two tall glasses filled with ice and a bottle of good scotch。
After pouring generous measures； he raised his glass： 〃Well done； Adam。〃
Gulping his drink； Treloar shook his head violently。 Reed's equanimity was driving him crazy。
〃I'm telling you； everything's not all right！〃
Fueled by the whiskey； the words rushed out of him。 He held back nothing； not even his exploits at the Krokodil； not caring because Reed had made it clear long ago that he knew all about those proclivities。 Every minute of his trip was accounted for so that Reed could follow his reasoning。
〃Don't you see？〃 he asked plaintively。 〃It couldn't have been a coincidence that Smith was on the same flight as me。 Something must have happened in Moscow。 The contact； whoever he was； must have been followed。 They saw us together； Dylan。 They can link him to me！
〃And then that scene at the airport… Smith trying to catch me。 Why？ Unless he knew…〃
〃Smith doesn't know anything。〃 Reed poured Treloar more scotch。 〃Don't you think that if you were a suspect； half the FBI would have been waiting for you？〃
〃Yes； I thought of that！ I'm not an idiot。 But the coincidence…〃
〃There… you just said it： coincidence。〃 Reed leaned forward； his expression earnest。 〃I think that a lot of this has been my fault。 When you called me from the plane； I gave you instructions that； I realize； you followed to the letter。 But I was wrong。 I should have told you not to run if Smith approached you。 It would have been curiosity on his part； remembering you from Houston。 Nothing more。〃
〃Believe me； it was more；〃 Treloar replied sullenly。 〃You weren't there。〃
True。 But you were never far from my mind 。。。。
〃Listen to me； Adam；〃 Reed said。 〃You're safe。 You did what was necessary and you made it back home。 Think： what can anyone say？ You went to visit your mother's grave。 That's all documented。 You saw a little bit of Moscow。 No harm there。 Then you came home。 The airport？ You were in a rush。 You didn't have time to pick up your bag。 And Smith？ You never actually got a good look at him； did you？〃
〃But why was he after me in the first place？〃 Treloar demanded。
Here； Reed realized； only a piece of the truth would work。
〃Because your contact at Sheremetevo was caught on tape… and you along with him。〃
Treloar groaned。
〃Listen to me； Adam！ They have a tape of two men sitting side by side at an airport counter。 That's all they have。 No voice； nothing to connect the two of you。 But because they know what the courier was carrying； they're looking at everyone。〃
〃They know about the smallpox；〃 Treloar said dully。
〃They know it's missing。 And that the courier had it。 But he's the one they're after； not you。 No one suspects you of anything。 You just happened to be sitting next to this guy。〃
Treloar washed his face with his hands。 〃I don't know if I could stand it； Dylan。。。。 To be questioned。〃
〃You'll be fine because you haven't done anything；〃 Reed repeated。 〃Even if you were polygraphed； what could you say？ Did you know the identity of the man sitting next to you？ No。 Were you supposed to meet him？ No。 Because the contact could just as easily have been a woman。〃
Treloar swallowed more scotch。 Looking at the situation that way； he felt a little better。 There was so much he could say no to。
〃I'm exhausted；〃 he said。 〃I need to get some sleep； somewhere where no one will disturb me。〃
〃Already arranged。 The driver will take you to the Four Seasons。 There's a suite waiting for you。 Take as much time as you need。 Call me later。〃
Throwing his arm over Treloar's shoulder； Reed walked him to the door。 〃The car's outside。 Adam； thank you。 All of us thank you。 Your contribution has been invaluable。〃
Treloar had his hand on the doorknob。 〃The money？〃 he asked under his breath。
〃There's an envelope at the hotel。 Inside； you'll find two numbers： One is for the account； the other is the bank director's private number in Zurich。〃
Treloar stepped out into the gloaming。 The wind had picked up and he shivered。 He looked back once and saw only the black door； closed。
The car was not waiting in front of the townhouse。 Treloar looked up and down the street； then spotted it halfway down the block。 He thought he understood why： there were no parking spaces。
Walking down the street； the scotch warming his belly； he replayed Reed's reassuring words。 He was right： everything that had happened in Russia was behind him。 No one had any evidence against him。 Besides； he knew so much about Reed； Bauer； and the others that they would always have to protect him。
The idea of holding such power lulled Treloar。 Looking up； he expected to see the Lincoln on his left。 Instead； it was farther down the block； a stone's throw from Wisconsin Avenue。 He shook his head。 He was more tired than he realized and must have miscalculated the distance。 Then he heard the soft slap of leather on concrete； footsteps approaching。
Treloar saw the shoes first； then the pant legs with razor…sharp creases。 When he looked up； the figure was less than two feet away。
〃you！〃
Treloar's eyes rolled wildly as he stared at Ivan Beria。
Beria took a quick step toward him。 Treloar could smell his breath； heard the soft whistle that escaped Beria's nostrils。
〃I missed you；〃 Beria said softly。
Treloar cried out weakly as a sharp pain shot through his chest。 For an instant he thought he was having a heart attack。
〃When you were a little boy； did you prick balloons with a needle？ That's all it is； really。 Just a balloon。〃
Absurdly； Treloar clung to the image even as the tip of Beria's stiletto wriggled into his heart。 He sighed once and felt all the air rush out of his lungs。 Lying there on the sidewalk； he could see the people walking along Wisconsin and Beria stepping off the sidewalk。 He must have tried to call out； because Beria turned and looked at him。 Then； as his eyes closed； so did the door of the black Lincoln。
Dr。 Dylan Reed had put Adam Treloar out of his mind as soon as the door had closed behind him。 Having made the arrangements himself； he knew what was in store for the hapless scientist。 By the time he returned to the kitchen； Dr。 Karl Bauer and General Richardson… the latter dressed in mufti… were waiting。
Richardson held up a cell phone。 〃I just heard from Beria。 It's done。〃
〃Then we have to get moving；〃 Reed replied。
He glanced at Bauer； who had already removed the canister from the freezer and was opening it on the counter。 At his feet was a lightweight titanium chest the size of a picnic cooler。
〃Are you sure you want to do that here； Karl？〃
Bauer finished opening the canister before replying。 〃Open the chest； please； Dylan。〃
Kneeling； Reed pulled the handles。 There was a faint hiss as the seals came apart。
The interior was surprisingly small； but Reed knew this was because the chest was merely a larger version of the canister that had been carried from Russia。 Its thick walls were studded with liquid nitrogen capsules； which； when fully activated； would keep the interior at a steady temperature of minus two hundred degrees centigrade。 Developed by Bauer…Zermatt A。G。； the chest was standard issue when it came to the transport of toxic cultures。
Using thick； specially lined gloves； Bauer removed the inner chamber in which the ampoules rested。 Looking at them； he thought they resembled miniature missiles； lined up re
