jamesclavell.noblehouse-第124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！


　〃I　asked　for　a　private　meeting；　Rog。〃
　〃It's　private。　Robert's　very　private；　Brian　is。　What　can　I　do　for　you；　Stanley？〃　Crosse　was　politely　cool。
　〃Okay；　Rog；　today　I　got　a　long　list　for　you：　first；　you're　personally　100　percent　in　the　creek　with　me；　my　whole　department；　up　to　the　director　in　Washington　himself。　I'm　told　to　tell　you　…　among　other　things　…　your　mole's　surpassed　himself　this　time。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　Rosemont's　voice　was　grating　now。　〃For　starters；　we　just　heard　from　one　of　our　sources　in　Canton　that　Fong…fong　and　all　your　lads　were　hit　last　night。　Their　cover's　gone　…　they're　blown。〃　Armstrong　and　Brian　Kwok　looked　shocked。　Crosse　was　staring　back　at　him　and　he　read　nothing　in　his　face。　〃Got　to　be　your　mole；　Rog。　Got　to　be　fingered　from　the　tai…pan's　AMG　papers。〃
　Crosse　looked　across　at　Brian　Kwok。　〃Use　the　emergency　wireless　code。　Check　it！〃
　As　Brian　Kwok　hurried　out；　Rosemont　said　again；　〃They're　blown；　the　poor　bastards。〃
　〃We'll　check　it　anyway。　Next？〃
　Rosemont　smiled　mirthlessly。　〃Next：　Almost　everything　that　was　in　the　tai…pan's　AMG　papers's　spread　around　the　intelligence　munity　in　London　…　on　the　wrong　side。〃
　〃God　curse　all　traitors；〃　Armstrong　muttered。
　〃Yeah；　that's　what　I　thought；　Robert。　Next；　another　little　gem　…　AMG　was　no　accident。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃No　one　knows　the　who；　but　we　all　know　the　why。　The　bike　was　hit　by　an　auto。　No　make；　no　serial　number；　no　witnesses；　no　nothing　yet；　but　he　was　hit　…　and　of　course；　fingered　from　here。〃
　〃Then　why　haven't　I　been　informed　by　Source？　Why's　the　information　ing　from　you？〃　Crosse　asked。
　Rosemont's　voice　sharpened。　〃I　just　got　off　the　phone　to　London。　It's　just　past　5：00　a。m。　there　so　maybe　your　people　plan　to　let　you　know　when　they　get　to　the　office　after　a　nice　leisurely　bacon　and　eggs　and　a　goddamn　cup　of　tea！〃
　Armstrong　shot　a　quick　glance　at　Crosse　and　winced　at　the　look　on　his　face。
　〃Your　。。。　your　point's　well　taken；　Stanley；〃　Crosse　said。　〃Next？〃
　〃The　photos　we　gave　you　of　the　guys　who　knocked　off　Voranski　。。。　what　happened？〃
　〃We　had　their　place　covered。　The　two　men　never　reappeared；　so　I　raided　the　place　in　the　early　hours。　We　went　through　that　whole　tenement；　room　by　room；　but　found　no　one　who　looked　anything　like　the　photographs。　We　searched　for　a　couple　of　hours　and　there　were　no　secret　doors　or　anything　like　that。　They　weren't　there。　Perhaps　your　fellow　made　a　mistake。　。。。〃
　〃Not　this　time。　Marty　Povitz　was　sure。　We　had　the　place　staked　out　soon　as　we　deciphered　the　address　but　there　was　a　time　when　it　wasn't　all　covered；　front　and　back。　I　think　they　were　tipped；　again　by　your　mole。〃　Rosemont　took　out　a　copy　of　a　telex　and　passed　it　over。　Crosse　read　it；　reddened　and　passed　it　over　to　Armstrong。
　Decoded　from　Director；　Washington；　to　Rosemont；　Deputy　Director　Station　Hong　Kong：　Sinders　MI…6　brings　orders　from　Source；　London；　that　you　are　to　go　with　him　Friday　to　witness　the　handover　of　the　papers　and　get　an　immediate　photocopy。
　〃You'll　get　your　copy　in　today's　mail；　Rog；〃　the　American　said。
　〃I　can　keep　this？〃　Crosse　asked。
　〃Sure。　By　the　way；　we　have　a　tail　on　Dunross　too。　W…　〃
　Crosse　said　angrily；　〃Would　you　kindly　not　interfere　in　our　jurisdiction！〃
　〃I　told　you　you　were　in　Shitsville；　Rog！〃　Tautly　Rosemont　placed　another　cable　on　the　table。
　Rosemont；　Hong　Kong。　You　will　hand　this　cable　to　Chief　of　SI　personally。　Until　further　orders　Rosemont　is　authorized　to　proceed　independently　to　assist　in　the　uncovering　of　the　hostile　in　any　way　he　chooses。　He　is；　however；　required　to　stay　within　the　law　and　keep　you　advised　personally　of　what　he　is　doing。　Source　8…98/3。
　Rosemont　saw　Crosse　bite　back　an　explosion。　〃What　else've　you　authorized？〃　Crosse　asked。
　〃Nothing。　Yet。　Next：　We'll　be　at　the　bank　on　Fri…　〃
　〃You　know　where　Dunross's　put　the　files？〃
　〃It's　all　over　town　…　among　the　munity。　I　told　you　your　mole's　been　working　overtime。〃　Abruptly　Rosemont　flared；　〃e　on　for　chrissake；　Rog；　you　know　if　you　tell　a　hot　item　to　someone　in　London；　it's　all　over　town！　We've　all　got　security　problems　but　yours're　worse！〃　With　an　effort　the　American　simmered　down。　〃You　could've　leveled　with　me　about　the　Dunross　screw…up　…　it　would've　save　us　all　a　lot　of　heartache　and　a　lotta　face。〃
　Crosse　lit　a　cigarette。　〃Perhaps。　Perhaps　not。　I　was　trying　to　maintain　security。〃
　〃Remember　me？　I'm　on　our　side！〃
　〃Are　you？〃
　〃You　bet　your　ass！〃　Rosemont　said　it　very　angrily。　〃And　if　it　was　up　to　me　I'd　have　every　safety　deposit　box　open　before　sundown　…　and　the　hell　with　the　consequences。〃
　〃Thank　God　you　can't　do　that。〃
　〃For　chrissake　we're　at　war　and　God　only　knows　what's　in　those　other　files。　Maybe　they'll　finger　your　goddamn　mole　and　then　we　can　get　the　bastard　and　give　him　his！〃
　〃Yes；〃　Crosse　said；　his　voice　a　whiplash；　〃or　maybe　there's　nothing　in　the　papers　at　all！〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Dunross　agreed　to　hand　the　files　over　to　Sinders　on　Friday。　What　if　there's　nothing　in　them？　Or　what　if　he　burned　the　pages　and　gives　us　just　the　covers？　What　the　hell　do　we　do　then？〃
　Rosemont　gaped　at　him。　〃Jesus　…　is　that　a　possibility？〃
　〃Of　course　it's　a　possibility！　Dunross's　clever。　Perhaps　they're　not　there　at　all；　or　the　vault　ones　are　false　or　nonexistent。　We　don't　know　he　put　them　there；　he　just　says　he　put　them　there。　Jesus　Christ；　there're　fifty　possibilities。　You're　so　smart；　you　CIA　fellows；　you　tell　me　which　deposit　box　and　I'll　open　it　myself。〃
　〃Get　the　key　from　the　governor。　Give　me　and　some　of　my　boys　private　access　for　five　hours　an　…　〃
　〃Out　of　the　question！〃　Crosse　snarled；　suddenly　red…faced；　and　Armstrong　felt　the　violence　strongly。　Poor　Stanley；　you're　the　target　today。　He　suppressed　a　shudder；　remembering　the　times　he　had　had　to　face　Crosse。　He　had　soon　learned　that　it　was　easier　to　tell　the　man　the　truth；　to　tell　everything　at　once。　If　Crosse　ever　really　went　after　him　in　an　interrogation；　he　knew　beyond　doubt　he　would　be　broken。　Thank　God　he's　never　yet　had　reason　to　try；　he　thought　thankfully；　then　turned　his　eyes　on　Rosemont　who　was　flushed　with　rage。　I　wonder　who　Rosemont's　informants　are；　and　how　he　knows　for　certain　that　Fong…fong　and　his　team　have　been　obliterated。
　〃Out　of　the　question；〃　Crosse　said　again。
　〃Then　what　the　hell　do　we　do？　Sit　on　our　goddamn　lard　till　Friday？〃
　〃Yes。　We　wait。　We've　been　ordered　to　wait。　Even　if　Dunross　has　torn　out　pages；　or　sections；　or　disposed　of　whole　files；　we　can't　put　him　in　prison　…　or　force　him　to　remember　or　tell　us　anything。〃
　〃If　the　director　or　Source　decide　he　should　be　leaned　on；　there're　ways。　That's　what　the　enemy'd　do。〃
　Crosse　and　Armstrong　stared　at　Rosemont。　At　length　Armstrong　said　coldly；　〃But　that　doesn't　make　it　right。〃
　〃That　doesn't　make　it　wrong　either。　Next：　For　your　ears　only；　Rog。〃
　At　once　Armstrong　got　up　but　Crosse　motioned　him　to　stay。　〃Robert's　my　ears。〃　Armstrong　hid　the　laughter　that　permeated　him　at　so　ridiculous　a　statement。
　〃No。　Sorry；　Rog；　orders　…　your　brass　and　mine。〃
　Armstrong　saw　Crosse　hesitate　perfectly。　〃Robert；　wait　outside。　When　I　buzz　e　back　in。　Check　on　Brian。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃　Armstrong　went　out　and　closed　the　door；　sorry　that　he　would　not　be　present　for　the　kill。
　〃Well？〃
　The　American　lit　another　cigarette。　〃Top　secret。　At　0400　today　the　whole　Ninety…second　Airborne　dropped　into　Azerbaijan　supported　by　large　units　of　Delta　Force　and　they've　fanned　out　all　along　the　Iran…Soviet　border。〃　Crosse's　eyes　widened。　〃This　was　at　the　direct　request　of　the　Shah；　in　response　to　massive　Soviet　military　preparations　just　over　the　border　and　the　usual　Soviet…sponsored　riots　all　over　Iran。　Jesus；　Rog；　can't　you　get　some　air　conditioning　in　here？〃　Rosemont　mopped　his　brow。　〃There's　a　security　blanket　all　over　Iran　now。　At　0600　support　units　landed　at　Teheran　airport。　Our　Seventh　Fleet's　heading　for　the　Gulf；　the　Sixth　…　that's　the　Mediterranean　…　is　already　at　battle　stations　off　Israel；　the　Second；　Atlantic；　is　heading　for　the　Baltic；　NORAD's　alerted；　NATO's　alerted；　and　all　Poseidons　are　one　step　from　Red。〃
　〃Jesus　Christ；　what　the　hell's　going　on？〃
　〃Khrushchev　is　making　another　real　play　for　Iran　…　always　an　optimum　Soviet　target　right？　He　figures　he　has　the　advantage。　It's　r