jamesclavell.noblehouse-第69章

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　On　the　closed…in　bridge　of　the　Sovetsky　Ivanov　three　men　had　binoculars　trained　on　the　nuclear　carrier。　One　of　the　men　was　a　civilian　and　he　wore　a　throat　mike　that　fed　into　a　tape　recorder。　He　was　giving　an　expert；　technical　running　mentary　of　what　he　saw。　From　time　to　time　the　other　two　would　add　a　ment。　Both　wore　light　naval　uniform。　One　was　Captain　Gregor　Suslev；　the　other　his　first　officer。
　The　carrier　was　ing　up　the　roads　nicely；　tugs　in　attendance；　but　no　tug　ropes。　Ferries　and　freighters　tooted　a　jaunty　wele。　A　marine　band　played　on　her　aft　deck。　White…clad　sailors　waved　at　passing　ships。　The　day　was　very　humid　and　the　afternoon　sun　cast　long　shadows。
　〃The　captain's　expert；〃　the　first　officer　said。
　〃Yes。　But　with　all　that　radar　even　a　child　could　handle　her；〃　Captain　Suslev　replied。　He　was　a　heavy…shouldered；　bearded　man；　his　Slavic　brown　eyes　deepset　in　a　friendly　face。　〃Those　sweepers　aloft　look　like　the　new　GEs　for　very　long…range　radar。　Are　they；　Vassili？〃
　The　technical　expert　broke　off　his　transmission　momentarily。　〃Yes；　rade　Captain。　But　look　aft！　They've　four　F5　interceptors　parked　on　the　right　flight　deck。〃
　Suslev　whistled　tonelessly。　〃They're　not　supposed　to　be　in　service　till　next　year。〃
　〃No；〃　the　civilian　said。
　〃Report　that　separately　as　soon　as　she　docks。　That　news　alone　pays　for　our　voyage。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Suslev　fine…tuned　his　focus　now　as　the　ship　turned　slightly。　He　could　see　the　airplanes'　bomb　racks。　〃How　many　more　F5's　does　she　carry　in　her　guts；　and　how　many　atomic　warheads　for　them？〃
　They　all　watched　the　carrier　for　a　moment。
　〃Perhaps　we'll　get　lucky　this　time；　rade　Captain；〃　the　first　officer　said。
　〃Let's　hope　so。　Then　Voranski's　death　won't　be　so　expensive。〃
　〃The　Americans　are　fools　to　bring　her　here　…　don't　they　know　every　agent　in　Asia'll　be　tempted　by　her？〃
　〃It's　lucky　for　us　they　are。　It　makes　our　job　so　much　easier。〃　Once　more　Suslev　concentrated　on　the　F5's　that　looked　like　soldier　hornets　among　other　hornets。
　Around　him　the　bridge　was　massed　with　advanced　surveillance　equipment。　One　radar　was　sweeping　the　harbor。　A　gray…haired　impassive　sailor　watched　the　screen；　the　carrier　a　large　clear　blip　among　the　myriad　of　blips。
　Suslev's　binoculars　moved　to　the　carrier's　ominous　bridge　plex；　then　wandered　the　length　of　the　ship。　In　spite　of　himself　he　shivered　at　her　size　and　power。　〃They　say　she's　never　refueled　…　not　since　she　was　launched　in　1960。〃
　Behind　him　the　door　to　the　radio　room　that　adjoined　the　bridge　opened　and　a　radio　operator　came　up　to　him　and　saluted；　offering　the　cable。　〃Urgent　from　Center；　rade　Captain。〃
　Suslev　took　the　cable　and　signed　for　it。　It　was　a　meaningless　jumble　of　words。　A　last　look　at　the　carrier　and　he　let　the　binoculars　rest　on　his　chest　and　strode　off　the　bridge。　His　sea　cabin　was　just　aft　on　the　same　deck。　The　door　was　guarded；　like　both　entrances　to　the　bridge。
　He　relocked　his　cabin　door　behind　him　and　opened　the　small；　concealed　safe。　His　cipher　book　was　secreted　in　a　false　wall。　He　sat　at　his　desk。　Quickly　he　decoded　the　message。　He　read　it　carefully；　then　stared　into　space　for　a　moment。
　He　read　it　a　second　time；　then　replaced　the　cipher　book；　closed　the　safe　and　burned　the　original　of　the　cable　in　an　ashtray。　He　picked　up　his　phone。　〃Bridge？　Send　rade　Metkin　to　my　cabin！〃　While　he　waited　he　stood　by　the　porthole　lost　in　thought。　His　cabin　was　untidy。　Photographs　of　a　heavyset　woman；　smiling　self…consciously；　were　on　his　desk　in　a　frame。　Another　of　a　good…looking　youth　in　naval　uniform；　and　a　girl　in　her　teens。　Books；　a　tennis　racket　and　a　newspaper　on　the　half…made　bunk。
　A　knock。　He　unlocked　the　door。　The　sailor　who　had　been　staring　at　the　radar　screen　stood　there。
　〃e　in；　Dimitri。〃　Suslev　motioned　at　the　decoded　cable　and　relocked　the　door　after　him。
　The　sailor　was　short　and　squat；　with　graying　hair　and　a　good　face。　He　was；　officially；　political　missar　and　therefore　senior　officer　on　the　ship。　He　picked　up　the　decoded　message。　It　read：　〃Priority　One。　Gregor　Suslev。　You　will　assume　Voranski's　duties　and　responsibilities　at　once。　London　reports　optimum　CIA　and　MI…6　interest　in　information　contained　in　blue…covered　files　leaked　to　Ian　Dunross　of　Struan's　by　the　British　Intelligence　coordinator；　AMG。　Order　Arthur　to　obtain　copies　immediately。　If　Dunross　has　destroyed　the　copies；　cable　feasibility　plan　to　detain　him　for　chemical　debriefing　in　depth。〃　The　sailor's　face　closed。　He　looked　across　at　Captain　Suslev。　〃AMG？　Alan　Medford　Grant？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃May　that　one　burn　in　hell　for　a　thousand　years。〃
　〃He　will；　if　there's　any　justice　in　this　world　or　the　next。〃　Suslev　smiled　grimly。　He　went　to　a　sideboard　and　took　out　a　half…full　vodka　bottle　and　two　glasses。　〃Listen；　Dimitri；　if　I　fail　or　don't　return；　you　take　mand。〃　He　held　up　the　key。　〃Unlock　the　safe。　There're　instructions　about　decoding　and　everything　else。〃
　〃Let　me　go　tonight　in　your　place。　You're　more　impor…　〃
　〃No。　Thank　you；　old　friend。〃　Suslev　clapped　him　warmly　on　the　shoulders。　〃In　case　of　an　accident　you　assume　mand　and　carry　out　our　mission。　That's　what　we've　been　trained　for。〃　He　touched　glasses　with　him。　〃Don't　worry。　Everything　will　be　fine；〃　he　said；　glad　he　could　do　as　he　wished　and　very　content　with　his　job　and　his　position　in　life。　He　was；　secretly；　deputy　controller　in　Asia　for　the　KGB's　First　Directorate；　Department　6；　that　was　responsible　for　all　covert　activities　in　China；　North　Korea　and　Vietnam；　a　senior　lecturer　in　Vladivostok　University's　Department　of　Foreign　Affairs；　2A…Counterintelligence；　a　colonel　in　the　KGB；　and；　most　important　of　all；　a　senior　Party　member　in　the　Far　East。　〃Center's　given　the　order。　You　must　guard　our　tails　here。　Eh？〃
　〃Of　course。　You　needn't　worry　about　that；　Gregor。　I　can　do　everything。　But　I　worry　about　you；〃　Metkin　said。　They　had　sailed　together　for　several　years　and　he　respected　Suslev　very　much　though　he　did　not　know　from　where　his　overriding　authority　came。　Sometimes　he　was　tempted　to　try　to　find　out。　You're　getting　on；　he　told　himself。　You　retire　next　year　and　you　may　need　powerful　friends　and　the　only　way　to　have　the　help　of　powerful　friends　is　to　know　their　skeletons。　But　Suslev　or　no　Suslev　your　well…earned　retirement　will　be　honorable；　quiet　and　at　home　in　the　Crimea。　Metkin's　heart　beat　faster　at　the　thought　of　all　that　lovely　countryside　and　grand　climate　on　the　Black　Sea；　dreaming　the　rest　of　his　life　away　with　his　wife　and　sometimes　seeing　his　son；　an　up…and…ing　KGB　officer　presently　in　Washington；　no　longer　at　risk　and　in　danger　from　within　or　without。
　Oh　God　protect　my　son　from　betrayal　or　making　a　mistake；　he　prayed　fervently；　then　at　once　felt　a　wave　of　nausea；　as　always；　in　case　his　superiors　knew　that　he　was　a　secret　believer　and　that　his　parents；　peasants；　had　brought　him　up　in　the　Church。　If　they　knew　there　would　be　no　retirement　in　the　Crimea；　only　some　icy　backwater　and　no　real　home　ever　again。
　〃Voranski；〃　he　said；　as　always　cautiously　hiding　his　hatred　of　the　man。　〃He　was　a　top　operator；　eh？　Where　did　he　slip？〃
　〃He　was　betrayed；　that　was　his　problem；〃　Suslev　said　darkly。　〃We　will　find　his　murderers　and　they　will　pay。　If　my　name　is　on　the　next　knife　。。。〃　The　big　man　shrugged；　then　poured　more　vodka　with　a　sudden　laugh。　〃So　what；　eh？　It's　in　the　name　of　the　cause；　the　Party　and　Mother　Russia！〃　They　touched　glasses　and　drained　them。　〃When're　you　going　ashore？〃
　Suslev　bit　on　the　raw　liquor。　Then；　thankfully；　he　felt　the　great　good　warmth　begin　inside　and　his　anxieties　and　terrors　seemed　less　real。　He　motioned　out　of　the　porthole。　〃As　soon　as　she's　moored　and　safe；〃　he　said　with　his　rolling　laugh。　〃Ah；　but　she's　a　pretty　ship；　eh？〃
　〃We've　got　nothing　to　touch　that　bastard；　Captain；　have　we？　Or　those　fighters。　Nothing。〃
　Suslev　smiled　as　he　poured　again。　〃No；　rade。　But　if　the　enemy　has　no　real　will　to　resist　they　can　have　a　hundred　of　those　carriers　and　it　doesn't　matter。〃
　〃Yes；　but　Americans're　erratic；　one　general　can　go　off　at　half…cock；　and　they　can　smash　us　off　the　face　of　the　earth。〃
　〃I　agree；　now　they　can；　but　they　won't。　They've　no　balls。〃　Suslev　drank　again。　〃And　soon？　Just　a　little　more　time　and　we'll　stick　their　noses　up　their　asses！〃　He　sighed。　〃It　will　be　good　when　we　begin。〃
　〃It'll　be　terrible。〃
　〃No；　a　short；　almost　bloodless　war　against　America　and　then　the　rest'll　collapse　like　the　pus…infected　corpse　it　is。〃
　〃Bloodless？　What　about　their　atom　bombs？　Hydrogen　bombs？〃
　〃They'll　never　use　atomics　or　missiles　against　us；　they're　too　scared；　even　now；　of　ours！　Because　they're　sure　we'll　use　them。〃
　〃Will　we？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Some　manders　would。　I　don't　know。　We'll　certainly　use　them　back。　But　first？　I　don't　know。　The　threat　will　always　be　enough。　I'm　sure　we'll　never　need　a　fighting　war。〃　He　lit　a　corner　of　the　decoded　message　and　put　it　in　the　ashtray。　〃Another　twenty　years　of　détente　…　ah　what　Russian　genius　invented　that　…　we'll　have　a　navy　bigger　and　better　than　theirs；　an　air　force　bigger　and　better　than　theirs。　We've　got　more　tanks　now　and　more　soldiers；　but　without　ships　and　airplanes　we　must　wait。　Twenty　years　is　not　long　to　wait　for　Mother　Russia　to　rule　the　earth。〃
　〃And　China？　What　about　China？〃
　Suslev　gulped　the　vodka　and　refilled　both　glasses　again。　The　bottle　was　empty　now　and　he　tossed　it　onto　his　bunk。　His　eyes　saw　the　burning　paper　in　the　ashtray　twist　and　crackle；　dying。　〃Perhaps　China's　the　one　place　to　use　our　atomics；〃　he　said　matter…of…factly。　〃There's　nothing　there　we　need。　Nothing。　That'd　solve　our　China　problem　once　and　for　all。　How　many　men　of　military　age　did　they　have　at　last　estimate？〃
　〃116　million　between　the　ages　of　eighteen　and　twenty…five。〃
　〃Think　of　that！　116　million　yellow　devils　sharing　5；000　miles　of　our　frontiers　。。。　and　then　foreigners　call　us　paranoiac　about　China！〃　He　sipped　the　vodka；　this　time　making　it　last。　〃Atomics'd　solve　our　China　problem　once　and　for　all。　Quick；　simple　and　permanent。〃
　The　other　man　nodded。　〃And　this　Dunross？　The　papers　of　AMG？〃
　〃We'll　get　them　from　him。　After　all；　Dimitri；　one　of　our　people　is　family；　another　one　of　his　partners；　another's　in　Special　Intelligence；　there's　Arthur　and　Sevrin　everywhere　he　turns；　and　then　we've　a　dozen　decadents　to　call　on　in　his　parliament；　some　in　his　government。〃　They　both　began　laughing。
　〃And　if　he's　destroyed　the　papers？〃
　Suslev　shrugged。　〃They　say　he's　got　a　photographic　memory。〃
　〃You'd　do　the　interrogation　here？〃
　〃It'd　be　dangerous　to　do　an　in…depth　chemic　quickly。　I've　never　done　one。　Have　you？〃
　〃No。〃
　The　captain　frowned。　〃When　you　report　tonight；　get　Center　to　ready　an　expert　in　case　we　need　one　…　Koronski　from　Vladivostok　if　he's　available。〃
　Dimitri　nodded；　lost　in　thought。　This　morning's　Guardian；　lying　half…crumpled　on　the　captain's　bunk；　caught　his　eye。　He　went　over　and　picked　it　up；　his　eyes　alight。　〃Gregor　…　if　we　have　to　detain　Dunross；　why　not　blame　them；　then　you've　all　the　time　you'll　need？〃　The　screaming　headline　read；　SUSPECTS　IN　WEREWOLVES　KIDNAP　CASE。　〃If　Dunross　doesn't　return　。。。　perhaps　our　man'd　bee　tai…pan！　Eh？〃
　Suslev　began　to　chuckle。　〃Dimitri；　you're　a　genius。〃
　
　Rosemont　glanced　at　his　watch。　He　had　waited　long　enough。　〃Rog；　can　I　use　your　phone？〃
　〃Certainly；〃　Cro