el.angeleyes-第103部分

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f　she　had　no　intention　of　ing　near　them。
　〃I　said　that　I　wouldn't　lie　to　you；〃　Irina　said；　〃and　I　meant　it。　I　have　no　family。　Mars　does。　He's　made　me　part　of　it；　and　I　like　that。　It　makes　me　feel　secure。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃Wasn't　I　making　myself　clear？〃
　The　Него　shook　his　head。　〃It's　just　that　I　can't　see　any　way　that　the　KGB　can　make　you　feel　secure。〃
　〃Oh；　you're　talking　about　Valeri。〃
　〃Valeri　who？〃
　Irina　laughed。　〃Valeri　Denysovich　Bondasenko；　colonel　in　the　KGB's　Second　Chief　Directorate；　Chief　of　Department　N；　in　charge　of　counterintelligence　against　the　nationalist　underground　organization；　White　Star。〃
　For　a　breathless　moment　nothing　seemed　to　move；　not　Arbat；　not　the　Hero；　not　the　water　in　which　they　floated。　In　the　silence　that　built　itself　like　a　spiderweb　in　the　room；　Irina　imagined　that　a　black　abyss　of　immense　proportions　had　opened　up　beneath　her；　and　that　she　was　in　the　process　of　falling　into　it。
　〃What　have　I　said？〃
　Her　heart　beat　on；　seemingly　the　only　motion　in　a　place　where　even　time　had　given　up　the　ghost。
　At　last；　when　the　silence　had　bee　so　agonizing　that　Irina　was　about　to　scream；　the　Hero　said；　〃Who　told　you　about　Department　N？〃
　〃Why；　Mars　did。〃
　〃And　he　said　that　rade　Bondasenko　was　in　charge　of　it？〃
　〃No。　Mars　showed　me　a　document。　It　was　a　charter；　I　think。　Department　N's　internal　KGB　charter。　It　named　Valeri　as　the　department's　chief。〃
　〃You　don't　know。〃　The　Hero　closed　his　eyes。　〃Mother　of　God。〃　Arbat；　perhaps　in　response　to　his　inner　turmoil；　popped　up　next　to　him；　but　she　wisely　kept　silent。　She　looked　at　Irina　with　what　could　only　be　described　as　astonishment。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Irina　said　in　a　strangled　voice。
　The　Hero　looked　at　her；　and　Irina　did　not　know　whether　she　saw　pity　or　anger　in　his　eyes。　Perhaps　it　was　both；　or　neither；　perhaps　it　was　some　other　emotion；　one　that　he　had　learned　in　the　space　between　the　stars。　〃How　best　to　put　this；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃I　suppose；〃　he　said；　continuing　his　inner　dialogue；　〃there　is　no　best　way。　There　is　only　to　do　it。〃　Arbat　clicked　briefly；　and　he　nodded。　〃Irina；　the　monitoring　that　is　done　on　me　here　is　scientific；　but　it　is　also　overseen　by　the　KGB。　Lara　and　Tatiana　are　KGB。　They　are　my　handlers　as　well　as　my　panions。　Twice　a　week　I　am　interrogated　by　a　high…ranking　colonel　in　the　KGB。〃
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　see　if　I　can　stop　it？　Perhaps　Mars…〃
　〃Irina；　Mars　is　the　KGB。〃
　For　a　moment　Irina　was　certain　that　she　had　misheard　him。　Then　it　occurred　to　her　that　he　was　making　a　joke。　But　there　was　no　smile　on　his　grave　face；　and　Arbat　was　silently　watching　her　from　the　other　side　of　the　pool。
　〃You're　joking；〃　she　said；　feeling　more　and　more　foolish。　〃It's　impossible。　Mars　showed　me　documents　that…〃
　〃They　were　false；〃　the　Него　said　forcefully。　〃Or　I　should　say；　more　accurately；　they　were　falsified。　I've　no　doubt　the　document　itself　is　the　real　Department　N　charter。　It's　the　name　of　its　chief　that's　been　changed。　The　original　bears　the　name：　Mars　Petrovich　Volkov；　Colonel；　Second　Chief　Directorate。''
　〃No！　It's　impossible！〃
　〃I'll　call　for　Lara　and　Tatiana。　Let　them　verif…〃
　〃No！〃　She　could　see　the　truth　in　his　eyes；　his　fear　for　her。　〃Don't　move！　Don't　do　a　thing！〃
　Irina　remembered　the　night　she　and　Mars　had　gone　to　see　the　performance　of　Chekhov's　Three　Sisters；　Mars　saying　to　her；　The　actress；　Natasha　something；　isn't　it？　And　then；　later；　when　he　had　e　upon　her　here　in　Star　Town　after　she'd　followed　Natasha　to　the　Hero's　building　from　Moscow；　and　wondered　why　she'd　been　following　Natasha；　Irina　had　asked　him。　You　know　her？　And　Mars　had　said。　Certainty。　I　know　everyone　who　goes　into　that　building。
　Irina　hung　suspended。　Beneath　her　the　abyss　waited　only　for　her　to　finish　her　fall；　to　close　over　her；　suffocating　her　in　its　immense　black　belly。
　God　in　Heaven！　She　was　trembling　all　over。　Abruptly；　she　began　to　gag；　and　the　Него　turned　her；　hoisting　her　up　so　that　she　vomited　onto　the　coping　of　the　pool。
　He　gave　a　piercing　whistle　and；　almost　immediately；　Lara　appeared。　〃Your　rade　Volkov　has　claimed　another　victim；〃　the　Него　said　to　her。
　Lara　came　to　the　side　of　the　pool；　pulled　Irina　out。　She　lay　her　by　the　side；　then　went　to　get　materials　to　clean　up　the　mess。
　''Are　you　all　right？''　the　Него　asked　Irina。
　Arbat　poked　her　head　out　of　the　water；　pressing　her　bottle　snout　against　Irina's　shoulder。
　〃No；〃　Irina　said。　〃I'm　not　in　the　least　all　right。〃　She　sat　up　as　Lara　knelt　beside　her。　She　opened　her　mouth；　but　the　Hero　put　his　forefinger　across　his　lips；　pointed　to　his　ear　as　if　to　say；　Remember　the　listening　devices。
　Lara　turned　on　a　portable　wet…vac。　The　noise　ate　up　the　silence　of　the　room。
　〃How　long　have　you　been　working　for　the　KGB？''　Irina　asked　the　young　woman。
　〃All　my　life；〃　Lara　said。　〃Tatiana；　as　well。　We　were　orphans；　wards　of　the　state。　We　were　raised　by　the　KGB；　trained　in　their　schools。〃
　〃How　long　have　you　been　working　for　Mars？〃
　〃Tatiana　and　I　are　part　of　the　team　rade　Volkov　put　together　when　he　was　given　the　assignment　of　finding　out　what　went　on　during　the　EVA　event。〃　She　kept　on　scrubbing。　〃Not　long　ago　Odysseus　was　able　to　procure　for　us　our　KGB　dossiers。　Tatiana　and　I　discovered　who　we　were；　who　our　parents　had　been。　Tatiana　is　Estonian。　Her　parents　were　killed　in　a　nuclear　accident　of　suspicious　origin。　The　KGB　file　mentions　negligence；　a　plete　cover…up　of　the　incident。''　She　sponged　more　soapy　water　onto　the　coping；　worked　the　wet…vac　back　and　forth。　〃As　for　me；　I'm　Ukrainian。　My　parents　were　sent　to　the　Perm　political　prison　in　the　Urals。''
　〃What　was　their　crime？〃　Irina　asked。
　''I　don't　know；''　Lara　said。　〃Their　dossiers　say　that　the　KGB　arrested　them　for　espionage　for　talking　to　American　diplomatic　personnel；　but　that　is　a　euphemistic　catchall　charge。　It　means　nothing　in　itself。　Perhaps　my　parents　didn't　know　why　they　were　arrested；　either。　Perhaps　it　was　because　my　father　was　a　professor　of　political　science　and　held　strong　views　at　odds　with　the　state。　Or　perhaps　the　state　just　needed　more　wards　to　bring　up　as　they　saw　fit。　The　truth　in　these　matters　is　impossible　to　determine；　so　I　try　not　to　dwell　on　it。''
　〃Do　you　at　least　know　whether　they　are　alive　or　dead？〃
　〃No。　No　one　knows。〃
　〃But　someone　must；〃　Irina　said。
　''I　think　rade　Volkov　knows；''　the　Hero　interjected。　''But　he's　not　telling。〃
　Irina　said　to　Lara；　〃You're　awfully　open　about　all　this。〃
　〃Not　to　everyone。〃　Lara　finished　her　clean…up；　but　kept　the　wet…vac　running。
　The　Hero　said；　''I　think　to　some　extent　Lara　and　Tatiana　have　been　changed　by　their　proximity　to　me。〃
　Lara　nodded。　〃We　find　it　prudent　not　to　report　everything　that　we　hear　at　our　weekly　debriefings。''
　Irina　said　to　the　Hero；　〃I　see　that　you　have　been　quietly　assembling　your　own　team。''
　〃In　a　way；〃　the　Hero　said。　〃Volkov　thought　he　could　win　my　confidence　by　disconnecting　all　the　listening　devices　in　the　room。　But　he　was　wearing　a　body　mike。　The　next　time　he　came；　I　forced　him　into　the　pool；　and　while　he　was　with　me；　Lara　made　a　copy　of　the　cassette　he　had　on　him。　Would　you　care　to　hear　it？　There　are　all　sorts　of…〃
　It　was　then　that　Irina　felt　an　icy　stab　through　her　heart；　a　wave　of　panic　so　strong　that　all　the　blood　drained　from　her　face。
　〃Irina；　what　is　it？〃
　She　looked　into　the　Hero's　eyes；　pale　now　with　anxiety。　〃Oh；　Odysseus；　you　don't　know　what　I've　been　doing。　I've　been　spying　on　Natasha　Mayakova。　I've　told　Mars　everything。　How　Natasha　has　been　secretly　meeting　with　Valeri；　how　I　followed　Natasha　here　after　she　and　Valeri　met。　My　God；　what　have　I　done？〃
　In　the　ringing　silence　that　ensued；　only　the　wet…vac's　drone　could　be　heard。　Then　the　Hero　turned　to　Lara；　said；　〃Make　the　call。〃
　Her　eyes　were　wide；　she　was　clearly　startled。　〃Are　you　certain？〃
　〃Now。〃
　Lara　obeyed。
　When　Natasha　failed　to　make　their　next　scheduled　rendezvous；　Valeri　drove　out　to　Arkhangelskoe　as　fast　as　he　could　without　attracting　attention。　He　did　not　take　his　usual　route；　and　he　made　sure　he　wasn't　being　followed。
　All　the　way　out　to　the　insane　asylum　he　thought　of　the　sinking　feeling　he　had　gotten　as　he　waited　for　Natasha　in　the　lobby　of　the　old　Moscow　Arts　Theater。　It　was　s