tc.redrabbit-第48章

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　now；　it　would　be　the　fault　of　the　Americans。　That　made　a　considerable　difference。　Now　he　just　had　to　figure　how　to　establish　some　sort　of　regular　contact　with　them。。。
　　　Upstairs；　Andropov　had　the　Foreign　Minister　in　his　office。
　　　〃So；　Andrey；　how　do　we　go　about　this？〃
　　　〃Ordinarily　our　Ambassador　would　meet　with　their　First　Secretary；　but；　in　the　interests　of　security；　we　might　want　to　try　another　method　of　approach。〃
　　　〃How　much　executive　authority　does　their　First　Secretary　have？〃　the　Chairman　asked。
　　　〃About　as　much　as　Koba　did　thirty　years　ago。　Bulgaria　is　run　in　a　very　tight　way。　Their　Politburo　members　represent　various　constituencies；　but　only　their　Party　First　Secretary　really　has　decision…making　power。〃
　　　〃Ah。〃　That　was　good　news　to　Yuriy　Vladimiroviclh。　He　lifted　his　desk　phone。　〃Send　in　Colonel　Rozhdestvenskiy；〃　he　told　his　secretary。
　　　The　colonel　appeared　through　the　dresser　door　in　two　minutes。　〃Yes；　rade　Chairman。〃
　　　〃Andrey；　this　is　Colonel　Rozhdestvenskiy；　my　executive　assistant。　Colonel；　does　our　Sofia　rezident　talk　directly　to　the　Bulgarian　head　of　government？〃
　　　〃Rarely；　rade；　but　he　has　done　so　occasionally　in　the　past。〃　Rozhdestvenskiy　was　surprised　that　the　Chairman　didn't　know　that；　but　he　was　still　learning　how　field　operations　worked。　At　least　he　had　the　good　sense　to　ask　questions；　and　he　was　not　embarrassed　to　do　so。
　　　〃Very　well。　For　security　reasons；　we　would　prefer　that　the　entire　Bulgarian　Politburo　not　know　the　scope　of　this　operation　…666。　So；　do　you　think　we　could　have　Colonel　Bubovoy　brief　in　their　party　chief　and　get　approval　by　a　more　direct　route？〃
　　　〃To　that　end；　a　signed　letter　from　rade　Brezhnev　would　probably　be　necessary；〃　Rozhdestvenskiy　answered。
　　　〃Yes；　that　would　be　the　best　way　to　do　it；〃　the　Foreign　Minister　agreed　at　once。　〃A　good　thought；　colonel；〃　he　added　approvingly。
　　　〃Very　well。　We'll　get　that　today。　Leonid　Ilyich　will　be　in　his　office；　Audrey？〃
　　　〃Yes；　Yuriy。　I　will　call　ahead　and　tell　him　what　is　needed。　I　can　have　it　drafted　in　my　office　if　you　wish；　or　would　you　prefer　it　to　be　done　here？〃
　　　〃With　your　permission；　Andrey；〃　Andropov　said　graciously；　〃better　that　we　should　do　it。　And　we'll　have　it　couriered　to　Sofia　for　delivery　tomorrow　or　the　day　after。〃
　　　〃Better　to　give　our　Bulgarian　rade　a　few　days；　Yuriy。　They　are　our　allies；　but　they　remain　a　sovereign　country；　after　all。〃
　　　〃Quite　so；　Andrey。〃　Every　country　in　the　world　had　a　bureaucracy；　whose　entire　purpose　was　to　delay　important　things　from　happening。
　　　〃And　we　don't　want　the　world　to　know　that　our　rezident　is　making　a　highly　important　call　on　the　man；〃　the　Foreign　Minister　added；　teaching　the　KGB　Chairman　a　little　lesson　in　operational　security；　Colonel　Rozhdestvenskiy　noted。
　　　〃How　long　after　that；　Aleksey　Nikolay'ch？〃　Andropov　asked　his　aide；
　　　〃Several　weeks；　at　least。〃　He　saw　annoyance　in　his　boss's　eyes　and　decided　to　explain。　〃rade　Chairman；　selecting　the　right　assassin　will　not　be　a　matter　of　lifting　a　phone　and　dialing　a　number。　Strokov　will　necessarily　be　careful　in　making　his　selection。　People　are　not　as　predictable　as　machines；　after　all；　and　this　is　the　most　important…and　most　sensitive…aspect　of　the　operation。〃
　　　〃Yes；　I　suppose　that　is　so；　Aleksey。　Very　well。　Notify　Bubovoy　that　a　hand…delivered　message　is　on　the　way。〃
　　　〃Now；　rade　Chairman；　or　after　we　have　it　signed　and　ready　for　dispatch？〃　Rozhdestvenskiy　asked　the　question　like　a　skilled　bureaucrat；　letting　his　boss　know　the　best　way　without　saying　it　out　loud。
　　　This　colonel　would　go　far；　the　Foreign　Minister　thought；　taking　note　of　his　name　for　the　first　time。
　　　〃A　good　point；　Colonel。　Very　well；　I　will　let　you　know　when　the　letter　is　ready　to　go。〃
　　　〃By　your　mand；　rade　Chairman。　Do　you　need　me　further？〃
　　　〃No；　that　is　all　for　now；〃　Andropov　answered；　sending　him　on　his　way。
　　　〃Yuriy　Vladimirovich；　you　have　a　good　aide。〃
　　　〃Yes；　there　is　so　much　for　me　still　to　learn　here；〃　Andropov　admitted。　〃And　he　educates　me　every　day。〃
　　　〃You　are　fortunate　in　having　so　many　expert　people。〃
　　　〃That　is　the　truth；　Andrey　Andreyevich。　That　is　the　truth。〃
　　　Down　the　hall　in　his　office；　Rozhdestvenskiy　drew　up　the　brief　dispatch　for　Bubovoy。　This　was　moving　fast；　he　thought；　but　not　fast　enough　for　the　Chairman　of　the　KGB。　He　really　wanted　that　priest　dead。　The　Politburo　certainly　seemed　fearful　of　political　earthquakes；　but　Rozhdestvenskiy　himself　was　doubtful　of　that。　The　Pope；　after　all；　was　just　one　person；　but　the　colonel　had　tailored　his　advice　to　what　his　boss　wanted　to　hear；　like　a　good　functionary；　while　also　letting　the　Chairman　know　the　things　he　needed　to　know。　His　job　actually　carried　great　power　with　it。
　　　Rozhdestvenskiy　knew　that　he　could　break　the　careers　of　officers　whom　he　did　not　like　and　influence　operations　to　a　significant　degree。　If　CIA　ever　tried　to　recruit　him；　he　could　be　an　agent　of　great　value。　But　Colonel　Rozhdestvenskiy　was　a　patriot；　and　besides；　the　Americans　probably　had　no　idea　who　he　was　and　what　he　did。　The　CIA　was　more　feared　than　it　deserved　to　be。　The　Americans　didn't　really　have　a　feel　for　espionage。　The　English　did；　but　KGB　and　its　antecedents　had　enjoyed　some　success　at　infiltrating　it　in　the　past。　Less　so　today；　unfortunately。　The　young　Cambridge　munists　of　the　1930s　were　all　old　now；　either　in　British　prisons　or　drawing　their　government　pensions　in　peace；　or　living　out　their　years　in　Moscow；　like　Kim　Philby；　considered　a　drunk　even　by　Muscovites。　He　probably　drank　because　he　missed　his　country…missed　the　place　in　which　he'd　grown　up；　the　food　and　drink　and　football　games；　the　newspapers　with　which　he'd　always　philosophically　disagree；　but　he'd　miss　them　even　so。　What　a　terrible　thing　it　must　be　to　be　a　defector；　Rozhdestvenskiy　thought。
　　　What　will　i　do？　Zaitzev　asked　himself。　What　will　I　ask　for？
　　　Money？　CIA　probably　paid　its　spies　very　well…more　money　than　he　would　ever　be　able　to　spend。　Luxuries　beyond　his　imagination。　A　videotape　machine！　They　were　just　being　available　in　Russia；　mainly　made　in　Hungary；　patterned　after　Western　machines。　The　bigger　problem　was　in　getting　tapes…pornographic　ones　were　particularly　in　demand。　Some　of　his　KGB　coworkers　spoke　of　such　things。　Zaitzev　had　never　seen　one　himself；　but　he　was　curious；　as　any　man　might　be。　The　Soviet　Union　was　run　by　such　conservative　men。　Maybe　the　Politburo　members　were　just　too　old　to　enjoy　sex；　and　so　saw　no　need　for　younger　citizens　to　indulge。
　　　He　shook　his　head。　Enough！　He　had　to　decide　what　to　tell　the　American　in　the　metro。　That　was　a　task　that　he　chewed　on　with　his　lunch　in　the　KGB　cafeteria。
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　15　…　MEETING　PLACE
　　　Mary　Pat　was　expected　to　e　into　the　embassy　sometimes；　to　see　her　husband　about　family　matters　or　to　purchase　special　food　items　from　the　missary。　To　do　this；　she　always　dressed　up…better　than　she　did　for　the　Moscow　streets…with　her　hair　well…brushed　and　held　in　place　by　a　youthful　headband；　and　her　makeup　done；　so　that　when　she　drove　into　the　pound　parking　lot　she　would　look　like　a　typical　air…headed　American　blonde。　She　smiled　to　herself。　She　liked　being　a　natural　blonde；　and　anything　that　made　her　appear　dumb　worked　for　her　cover。
　　　So　she　breezed　in　the　front　door；　waving　airily　at　the　ever…polite　Marines；　and　into　the　elevator。　She　found　her　husband　alone　in　his　office。
　　　〃Hey；　baby。〃　Ed　rose　to　kiss　her；　then　drew　back　to　take　in　the　whole　picture。　〃Looking　good。〃
　　　〃Well；　it's　an　effective　disguise。〃　It　had　worked　fine　in　Iran；　too；　especially　when　she'd　been　pregnant。　That　country　didn't　treat　women　especially　well；　but　it　did　extend　them　an　odd　deference；　especially　when　pregnant；　she'd　found；　right　before　she'd　skipped　the　country　for　good。　It　was　one　station　she　didn't　particularly　miss。
　　　〃Yeah；　babe。　Just　gotta　get　you　a　surfboard　and　a　nice　beach；　maybe　the　Banzai　Pipeline。〃
　　　〃Oh；　Ed；　that's　just　so　tubular。　And　Banzai　Beach　is　in　Hawaii；　dummy。〃　A　quick　gear　change。　〃The　flag　go　up　wrong？〃
　　　〃Yep。　The　TV　cameras　didn't　show　anyone　on　the　street　paying　particular　attention　to　it。　But　you　could　see　it　from　a　block　away；　and　the　security　cameras　don't　look　that　far　out。　We'll　see　if　our　friend　drops　a　message　in　my　pocket　on　the　ride　home　tonight。〃
　　　〃What　did　the　Marines　say？〃　she　asked。
　　　〃They　asked　why；　but　Dom　didn't　tell　them　anything。　Hell；　he　doesn't　know　either；　does　he？〃
　　　〃He's　a　good　spook；　Dominic　is；〃　Mary　Pat　judged。
　　　〃Ritter　likes　him。　Oh；〃　Foley　remembered。　He　fished　a　message　out　of　his　drawer　and　handed　it　across。
　　　〃Shit；〃　his　wife　breathed；　scanning　it　quickly。　〃The　Pope？　Those　motherfuckers　want　to　kill　the　Pope？〃　Mary　Pat　didn't　always　talk　like　a　California　blonde。
　　　〃Well；　there's　no　information　to　suggest　that　directly；　but；　if　they　want　to；　we're　supposed　to　find　out。〃
　　　〃Sounds　like　a　job　for　WOODCUTTER；〃　who　was　their　man　in　the　Party　Secretariat。
　　　〃Or　maybe　CARDINAL？〃　Ed　wondered。
　　　〃We　haven't　flagged　him　yet；〃　MP　pointed　out；　but　it　would　soon　be　time　to　check　in　with　him。　They　checked　his　apartment　every　night　for　the　light…and…blinds　bination　in　his　living　room。　His　apartment　was　agreeably　close　to　their　own；　and　the　ratline　was　well　established；　beginning　with　a　piece　of　paper　tape　on　a　lamppost。　Setting　that　flag　signal　was　MP's　job。　She'd　already　walked　Little　Eddie　by　it　half　a　dozen　times。　〃Is　this　a　job　for　him？〃　she　asked。
　　　〃The　President　wants　to　know；〃　her　husband　pointed　out。
　　　〃Yeah。〃　But　CARDINAL　was　their　most　important　agent…in…place；　and　not　one　to　be　alerted　unless　it　was　really　critical。　CARDINAL　would　also　know　to　get　something　like　this　out　on　his　own　if　he　became　aware　of　it。　〃I'd　hold　off　on　that　unless　Ritter　says　different。〃
　　　〃Agreed；〃　Ed　Foley　conceded。　If　Mary　Pat　advised　caution；　then　caution　was　justified。　After　all；　she　was　the　one　who　enjoyed　taking　risks　and　betting　her　skill　against　the　house　odds。　But　that　didn't　mean　that　his　wife　was　a　reckless　player；　either。　〃I'll　sit　on　that　one　for　a　while。〃
　　　〃Be　nice　to　see　what　your　new　contact　will　do　next。〃
　　　〃Bet　your　cute　little　tushy；　babe。　Want　to　meet　the　Ambassador？〃
　　　〃I　suppose　it's　time；〃　she　agreed。
　　　〃So；　recover　from　yesterday？〃　Ryan　asked　Harding。　It　was　the　first　time　he'd　beaten　his　workmate　into　the　office。
　　　〃Yes；　I　suppose　I　have。〃
　　　〃If　it　makes　you　feel　any　better；　I　haven't　met　the　President　yet；　myself。　And　I'm　not　exactly　looking　forward　to　the　experience。　Like　Mark　Twain　said　about　the　guy　who　got　himself　tarred　and　feathered；　if　it　weren't　for　the　honor　of　the　thing；　he　would　just　as　soon　have　missed　it。〃
　　　Harding　managed　a　brief　laugh。　〃Precisely；　Jack。　One　does　go　a　little　weak　in　the　knees。〃
　　　〃Is　she　as　tough　as　they　say？〃
　　　〃I'm　not　sure　I'd　want　to　play　rugger　against　her。　She's　also　very；　very　bright。　Doesn't　miss　a　thing；　and　asks　bloody　good　questions。〃
　　　〃Well；　answering　them　is　what　they　pay　us　for；　Simon；〃　Ryan　pointed　out。　There　was　no　sense　being　afraid　of　people　who　were　only　doing　their　job　as　well；　and　who　needed　good　information　to　do　it　properly。
　　　〃And　her；　too；　Jack。　She　has　to　do　questions　in　Parliament。〃
　　　〃On　this　sort　of　thing？〃　Jack　asked；　surprised。
　　　〃No；　not　this。　It's　occasionally　discussed　with　the　opposition；　but　under