jamesclavell.noblehouse-第273部分

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！


normously　valuable　catch　that　they　had　by　a　miracle　uncovered。
　〃Robert；〃　Crosse　said；　keeping　his　voice　deliberately　kind；　〃you've　done　a　very　good　job　today。　Very　good。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Sinders　agreed。　〃I'll　see　the　minister's　aware　of　your　help；　and　of　course　the　CP。〃
　Crosse　went　for　the　elevator。　Wherever　he　went　nervous　Chinese　eyes　followed　him。　On　the　top　floor　he　bypassed　the　governor's　box　and　went　into　Plumm's。
　〃Hello；　Roger！〃　Plumm　greeted　him　affably。　〃Drink？〃
　〃Coffee　would　be　fine。　How're　things？〃
　〃Lost　my　shirt　so　far；　though　a　number　of　us　have　the　first　leg　of　the　quinella。　You？〃
　〃I've　just　arrived。〃
　〃Oh；　then　you　missed　the　drama！〃　Plumm　told　Crosse　about　Dunross's　takeover　bid。　〃Ian's　thrown　a　monkey　wrench　into　Pug。〃
　〃Or　given　him　a　great　offer；〃　someone　volunteered。
　〃True；　true。〃
　Plumm's　box　was　as　packed　as　all　the　others。　Lots　of　chatter　and　laughter；　drinks　and　good　food。　〃Tea'll　be　up　in　half　an　hour。　I'm　just　going　along　to　the　stewards'　mittee　room；　Roger。　Would　you　like　to　stroll　with　me？〃
　The　mittee　room　was　at　the　end　of　the　corridor；　through　guarded　swing　doors。　It　was　small　with　a　table　and　twelve　chairs；　a　phone；　good　windows　over　the　track　and　a　tiny　balcony。　And　empty。　At　once　Plumm's　easygoing　facade　vanished。　〃I　talked　to　Suslev。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃He's　furious　about　the　raid　on　the　Ivanov　last　night。〃
　〃I　can　imagine。　That　was　ordered　by　London。　I　wasn't　even　told　till　this　morning。　Bloody　Sinders！〃
　Plumm　became　even　grimmer。　〃They　couldn't　be　on　to　you；　could　they？〃
　〃Oh　no。　It's　routine。　Just　Special　Branch；　MI…6　and　Sinders　flexing　their　wings。　They're　a　secretive　lot　and　quite　right；　nothing　to　do　with　SI。　Go　on。〃
　〃He　said　if　you　came　that　he'd　be　by　a　phone　booth。〃　Plumm　handed　him　a　slip　of　paper。　〃Here's　the　number。　He'll　be　there　exactly　at　the　off　of　the　next　three　races。　Please　call　him　…　he　said　it　was　urgent。　What　the　hell　was　the　raid　for？〃
　〃Just　to　frighten　all　the　KGB　aboard；　to　frighten　them　enough　to　flush　out　Sevrin。　Pressure。　Same　as　the　order　for　Suslev　and　the　new　missar　to　appear　at　HQ　on　Sunday。　It　was　just　to　frighten。〃
　〃Suslev's　frightened　all　right。〃　A　sardonic　smile　flickered　over　Plumm's　handsome　face。　〃His　sphincter's　out　of　joint　for　ten　years　at　least。　They'll　all　have　some　explaining　to　do。　When　Armstrong　'happened'　to　bust　open　the　radio　room；　Red　One　operated　and　they　dutifully　and　unnecessarily　wrecked　all　their　scramble　and　decoding　equipment；　along　with　their　classified　radar　scanners。〃
　Crosse　shrugged。　〃The　Ivanov's　leaving　and　they've　got　plenty　to　replace　them　with。　It　wasn't　Suslev's　fault；　or　ours。　We　can　send　a　report　telling　Center　what　happened。　If　we　want。〃
　Plumm's　eyes　narrowed。　〃If？〃
　〃Rosemont　and　his　CIA　thugs　picked　up　a　glass　in　their　raid　on　Sinclair　Towers。　Suslev's　prints　are　all　over　it。〃
　Plumm　went　white。　〃Christ！　Now　he's　on　file？〃
　〃Has　to　be。　He's　in　our　files　as　you　know；　not　as　KGB；　and　I　think　I've　the　only　copies　of　his　fingerprints　existing。　I　removed　them　from　his　dossier　years　ago。　I'd　say　it's　only　a　matter　of　time　before　the　CIA　are　on　to　him；　so　the　sooner　he　leaves　Hong　Kong　the　better。〃
　〃You　think　we　should　tell　Center？〃　Plumm　asked　uneasily。　〃They'll　throw　their　book　at　him　for　being　so　careless。〃
　〃We　can　decide　over　the　weekend。　We　knew　Voranski　over　a　number　of　years；　knew　he　was　to　be　trusted。　But　this　man？〃　Crosse　left　the　word　hanging；　keeping　up　the　pretense　that　his　contact　with　Suslev　was　recent；　the　same　as　Plumm's。　〃After　all；　isn't　he　only　a　minor　KGB　officer；　a　jumped…up　courier。　He's　not　even　Voranski's　official　replacement　and　we've　ourselves　to　think　of。〃
　〃True！〃　Plumm　hardened。　〃Maybe　he's　a　real　berk。　I　know　I　wasn't　followed　to　Sinclair　Towers。　And　as　to　the　decoded　cable　…　God　stone　the　crows！〃
　〃What？〃
　〃The　decoded　cable　…　the　one　he　dropped　and　Armstrong　picked　off　the　Ivanov's　deck。　We've　got　to　decide　about　that。〃
　Crosse　turned　away　to　hide　his　shock　and　fought　for　control；　appalled　that　neither　Armstrong　nor　Sinders　had　mentioned　any　cable。　He　pretended　to　stifle　a　yawn　to　cover。　〃Sorry；　I　was　up　most　of　the　night；〃　he　said；　making　a　major　effort　to　keep　his　voice　matter…of…fact。　〃Did　he　tell　you　what　was　in　it？〃
　〃Of　course。　I　insisted。〃
　Crosse　saw　Plumm　watching　him。　〃Exactly　what　did　he　tell　you　was　in　it？〃
　〃Oh？　You　mean　he　might　be　lying？〃　Plumm's　anxiety　showed。　〃It　went　something　like：　'Inform　Arthur　that　following　his　request　for　a　Priority　One　on　the　traitor　Metkin　an　immediate　intercept　was　ordered　for　Bombay。　Second；　the　meeting　with　the　American　is　brought　forward　to　Sunday。　Third　and　final：　The　AMG　files　continue　to　be　Priority　One。　Maximum　effort　must　be　made　by　Sevrin　to　achieve　success。　Center。'　〃　Plumm　licked　his　lips；　〃Is　it　correct？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Crosse　said；　gambling；　almost　wet　with　relief。　He　began　weighing　odds　on　Armstrong　and　Sinders。　Now　why；　deliberately；　why　didn't　they　tell　me　that？
　〃Terrible；　eh？〃　Plumm　said。
　〃Yes；　but　not　serious。〃
　〃I　don't　agree；〃　Plumm　said　irritably。　〃It　absolutely　ties　the　KGB　to　Sevrin；　absolutely　confirms　Arthur's　existence　and　Sevrin's　existence。〃
　〃Yes；　but　the　AMG　files　have　already　done　that。　Calm　down；　Jason；　we're　quite　safe。〃
　〃Are　we？　There've　been　too　many　leaks　for　my　liking。　Far　too　many。　Perhaps　we　should　close　down　for　a　time。〃
　〃We　are　closed　down。　It's　only　those　bloody　AMG　files　that　are　causing　us　any　grief。〃
　〃Yes。　At　least　that　bugger　Grant　wasn't　pletely　accurate。〃
　〃You　mean　about　Banastasio？〃
　〃Yes。　I　still　wonder　where　the　hell　he　fits　in。〃
　〃Yes。〃　In　AMG's　intercepted　file　Banastasio　had　been　named　erroneously　as　Sevrin's　American　connection。　It　was　only　after　the　file　that　Crosse　had　learned　from　Rosemont　who　Banastasio　actually　was。
　〃The　fellow　who　met　him　was　Vee　Cee　Ng；〃　Crosse　said。
　Plumm's　eyebrows　soared。　〃Photographer　Ng？　How　does　he　connect？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Shipping；　ships；　smuggling。　He's　into　all　kinds　of　shady　deals。〃　Crosse　shrugged。
　〃Could　that　writer　fellow's　theory　work？　What's　his　name？　Marlowe。　Could　the　KGB　be　doing　an　op　in　our　territory　without　telling　us？〃
　〃Possible。　Or　it　could　be　an　utterly　different　department；　perhaps　GRU；　instigated　in　America　by　the　KGB　or　GRU　there。　Or　just　a　coincidence。〃　Crosse　was　back　in　control　now；　the　fright　of　the　cable　wearing　off。　He　was　thinking　much　clearer。　〃What's　Suslev　want　that's　so　urgent？〃
　〃Our　cooperation。　Koronski　arrives　by　the　afternoon　plane。〃
　Crosse　whistled。　〃Center？〃
　〃Yes。　There　was　a　message　this　morning。　Now　that　the　Ivanov's　equipment　is　wrecked　I'm　the　go…between。〃
　〃Good。　What's　his　cover　name？〃
　〃Hans　Meikker；　West　German。　He's　to　stay　at　the　Seven　Dragons。〃　Plumm's　anxiety　increased。　〃Listen；　Suslev　said　Center's　ordered　us　to　prepare　to　snatch　Ian　an…　〃
　〃They've　gone　mad！〃　Crosse　exploded。
　〃I　agree　but　Suslev　says　it's　the　only　way　to　find　out　quickly　if　the　files　are　counterfeit　or　not；　and　if　so；　where　they're　hidden。　He　claims　Koronski　can　do　it。　In　a　chemical　debriefing；　well；　Ian's　memory　can　be　。。。　can　be　emptied。〃
　〃That's　madness；〃　Crosse　said。　〃We're　not　even　sure　if　the　files　are　counterfeit。　That's　a　plete　supposition　for　God's　sake！〃
　〃Suslev　says　Center　told　him　we　can　blame　it　on　the　Werewolves　…　those　buggers　snatched　John　Chen　so　why　wouldn't　they　go　after　the　big　money；　the　tai…pan？〃
　〃No。　Too　dangerous。〃
　Plumm　wiped　his　hands。　〃To　snatch　Ian　now'd　put　the　tai…pans　and　Hong　Kong　into　a　furor。　It　could　be　a　perfect　time；　Roger。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃The　Noble　House　would　be　in　total　disarray　and　with　all　the　bank　runs　and　the　stock　market　disaster；　Hong　Kong'd　be　down　the　sewer　and　that'd　send　all　China　into　shock。　We'd　jump　the　Cause　forward　ten　years　and　immeasurably　assist　international　munism　and　the　workers　of　the　world。　Christ；　Roger；　aren't　you　sick　of　just　sitting　and　being　a　messenger？　Now　we　can　fulfill　Sevrin　with　hardly　any　risk。　Then　we　close　everything　down　for　a　time。〃
　Crosse　lit　a　cigarette。　He　had　heard　the　tension　in　Plumm's　voice。　〃I'll　think　about　it；〃　he　said　at　length。　〃Leave　it　for　the　moment。　I'll　call　you　tonight。　Did　Suslev　say　who　the　American　in　the　cable　was？〃
　〃No。　He　j