rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第40部分

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　Gulping　his　drink；　Treloar　shook　his　head　violently。　Reed's　equanimity　was　driving　him　crazy。
　〃I'm　telling　you；　everything's　not　all　right！〃
　Fueled　by　the　whiskey；　the　words　rushed　out　of　him。　He　held　back　nothing；　not　even　his　exploits　at　the　Krokodil；　not　caring　because　Reed　had　made　it　clear　long　ago　that　he　knew　all　about　those　proclivities。　Every　minute　of　his　trip　was　accounted　for　so　that　Reed　could　follow　his　reasoning。
　〃Don't　you　see？〃　he　asked　plaintively。　〃It　couldn't　have　been　a　coincidence　that　Smith　was　on　the　same　flight　as　me。　Something　must　have　happened　in　Moscow。　The　contact；　whoever　he　was；　must　have　been　followed。　They　saw　us　together；　Dylan。　They　can　link　him　to　me！
　〃And　then　that　scene　at　the　airport…　Smith　trying　to　catch　me。　Why？　Unless　he　knew…〃
　〃Smith　doesn't　know　anything。〃　Reed　poured　Treloar　more　scotch。　〃Don't　you　think　that　if　you　were　a　suspect；　half　the　FBI　would　have　been　waiting　for　you？〃
　〃Yes；　I　thought　of　that！　I'm　not　an　idiot。　But　the　coincidence…〃
　〃There…　you　just　said　it：　coincidence。〃　Reed　leaned　forward；　his　expression　earnest。　〃I　think　that　a　lot　of　this　has　been　my　fault。　When　you　called　me　from　the　plane；　I　gave　you　instructions　that；　I　realize；　you　followed　to　the　letter。　But　I　was　wrong。　I　should　have　told　you　not　to　run　if　Smith　approached　you。　It　would　have　been　curiosity　on　his　part；　remembering　you　from　Houston。　Nothing　more。〃
　〃Believe　me；　it　was　more；〃　Treloar　replied　sullenly。　〃You　weren't　there。〃
　True。　But　you　were　never　far　from　my　mind　。。。。
　〃Listen　to　me；　Adam；〃　Reed　said。　〃You're　safe。　You　did　what　was　necessary　and　you　made　it　back　home。　Think：　what　can　anyone　say？　You　went　to　visit　your　mother's　grave。　That's　all　documented。　You　saw　a　little　bit　of　Moscow。　No　harm　there。　Then　you　came　home。　The　airport？　You　were　in　a　rush。　You　didn't　have　time　to　pick　up　your　bag。　And　Smith？　You　never　actually　got　a　good　look　at　him；　did　you？〃
　〃But　why　was　he　after　me　in　the　first　place？〃　Treloar　demanded。
　Here；　Reed　realized；　only　a　piece　of　the　truth　would　work。
　〃Because　your　contact　at　Sheremetevo　was　caught　on　tape…　and　you　along　with　him。〃
　Treloar　groaned。
　〃Listen　to　me；　Adam！　They　have　a　tape　of　two　men　sitting　side　by　side　at　an　airport　counter。　That's　all　they　have。　No　voice；　nothing　to　connect　the　two　of　you。　But　because　they　know　what　the　courier　was　carrying；　they're　looking　at　everyone。〃
　〃They　know　about　the　smallpox；〃　Treloar　said　dully。
　〃They　know　it's　missing。　And　that　the　courier　had　it。　But　he's　the　one　they're　after；　not　you。　No　one　suspects　you　of　anything。　You　just　happened　to　be　sitting　next　to　this　guy。〃
　Treloar　washed　his　face　with　his　hands。　〃I　don't　know　if　I　could　stand　it；　Dylan。。。。　To　be　questioned。〃
　〃You'll　be　fine　because　you　haven't　done　anything；〃　Reed　repeated。　〃Even　if　you　were　polygraphed；　what　could　you　say？　Did　you　know　the　identity　of　the　man　sitting　next　to　you？　No。　Were　you　supposed　to　meet　him？　No。　Because　the　contact　could　just　as　easily　have　been　a　woman。〃
　Treloar　swallowed　more　scotch。　Looking　at　the　situation　that　way；　he　felt　a　little　better。　There　was　so　much　he　could　say　no　to。
　〃I'm　exhausted；〃　he　said。　〃I　need　to　get　some　sleep；　somewhere　where　no　one　will　disturb　me。〃
　〃Already　arranged。　The　driver　will　take　you　to　the　Four　Seasons。　There's　a　suite　waiting　for　you。　Take　as　much　time　as　you　need。　Call　me　later。〃
　Throwing　his　arm　over　Treloar's　shoulder；　Reed　walked　him　to　the　door。　〃The　car's　outside。　Adam；　thank　you。　All　of　us　thank　you。　Your　contribution　has　been　invaluable。〃
　Treloar　had　his　hand　on　the　doorknob。　〃The　money？〃　he　asked　under　his　breath。
　〃There's　an　envelope　at　the　hotel。　Inside；　you'll　find　two　numbers：　One　is　for　the　account；　the　other　is　the　bank　director's　private　number　in　Zurich。〃
　Treloar　stepped　out　into　the　gloaming。　The　wind　had　picked　up　and　he　shivered。　He　looked　back　once　and　saw　only　the　black　door；　closed。
　The　car　was　not　waiting　in　front　of　the　townhouse。　Treloar　looked　up　and　down　the　street；　then　spotted　it　halfway　down　the　block。　He　thought　he　understood　why：　there　were　no　parking　spaces。
　Walking　down　the　street；　the　scotch　warming　his　belly；　he　replayed　Reed's　reassuring　words。　He　was　right：　everything　that　had　happened　in　Russia　was　behind　him。　No　one　had　any　evidence　against　him。　Besides；　he　knew　so　much　about　Reed；　Bauer；　and　the　others　that　they　would　always　have　to　protect　him。
　The　idea　of　holding　such　power　lulled　Treloar。　Looking　up；　he　expected　to　see　the　Lincoln　on　his　left。　Instead；　it　was　farther　down　the　block；　a　stone's　throw　from　Wisconsin　Avenue。　He　shook　his　head。　He　was　more　tired　than　he　realized　and　must　have　miscalculated　the　distance。　Then　he　heard　the　soft　slap　of　leather　on　concrete；　footsteps　approaching。
　Treloar　saw　the　shoes　first；　then　the　pant　legs　with　razor…sharp　creases。　When　he　looked　up；　the　figure　was　less　than　two　feet　away。
　〃you！〃
　Treloar's　eyes　rolled　wildly　as　he　stared　at　Ivan　Beria。
　Beria　took　a　quick　step　toward　him。　Treloar　could　smell　his　breath；　heard　the　soft　whistle　that　escaped　Beria's　nostrils。
　〃I　missed　you；〃　Beria　said　softly。
　Treloar　cried　out　weakly　as　a　sharp　pain　shot　through　his　chest。　For　an　instant　he　thought　he　was　having　a　heart　attack。
　〃When　you　were　a　little　boy；　did　you　prick　balloons　with　a　needle？　That's　all　it　is；　really。　Just　a　balloon。〃
　Absurdly；　Treloar　clung　to　the　image　even　as　the　tip　of　Beria's　stiletto　wriggled　into　his　heart。　He　sighed　once　and　felt　all　the　air　rush　out　of　his　lungs。　Lying　there　on　the　sidewalk；　he　could　see　the　people　walking　along　Wisconsin　and　Beria　stepping　off　the　sidewalk。　He　must　have　tried　to　call　out；　because　Beria　turned　and　looked　at　him。　Then；　as　his　eyes　closed；　so　did　the　door　of　the　black　Lincoln。
　
　Dr。　Dylan　Reed　had　put　Adam　Treloar　out　of　his　mind　as　soon　as　the　door　had　closed　behind　him。　Having　made　the　arrangements　himself；　he　knew　what　was　in　store　for　the　hapless　scientist。　By　the　time　he　returned　to　the　kitchen；　Dr。　Karl　Bauer　and　General　Richardson…　the　latter　dressed　in　mufti…　were　waiting。
　Richardson　held　up　a　cell　phone。　〃I　just　heard　from　Beria。　It's　done。〃
　〃Then　we　have　to　get　moving；〃　Reed　replied。
　He　glanced　at　Bauer；　who　had　already　removed　the　canister　from　the　freezer　and　was　opening　it　on　the　counter。　At　his　feet　was　a　lightweight　titanium　chest　the　size　of　a　picnic　cooler。
　〃Are　you　sure　you　want　to　do　that　here；　Karl？〃
　Bauer　finished　opening　the　canister　before　replying。　〃Open　the　chest；　please；　Dylan。〃
　Kneeling；　Reed　pulled　the　handles。　There　was　a　faint　hiss　as　the　seals　came　apart。
　The　interior　was　surprisingly　small；　but　Reed　knew　this　was　because　the　chest　was　merely　a　larger　version　of　the　canister　that　had　been　carried　from　Russia。　Its　thick　walls　were　studded　with　liquid　nitrogen　capsules；　which；　when　fully　activated；　would　keep　the　interior　at　a　steady　temperature　of　minus　two　hundred　degrees　centigrade。　Developed　by　Bauer…Zermatt　A。G。；　the　chest　was　standard　issue　when　it　came　to　the　transport　of　toxic　cultures。
　Using　thick；　specially　lined　gloves；　Bauer　removed　the　inner　chamber　in　which　the　ampoules　rested。　Looking　at　them；　he　thought　they　resembled　miniature　missiles；　lined　up　ready　to　fire。　Except　that　by　the　time　the　protocols　were　altered；　they　would　be　vastly　more　potent　than　any　nuclear　weapon　in　the　American　arsenal。
　Although　Bauer　had　been　handling　viruses　for　more　than　forty　years；　he　never　forgot　what　he　was　dealing　with。　He　made　sure　that　his　hands　were　absolutely　steady　and　that　there　was　no　moisture　on　the　counter　or　anywhere　near　his　feet　before　he　slowly　lowered　it　into　a　special　cradle　in　the　chest。　Closing　the　lid；　he　entered　an　alphanumeric　bination　into　the　security　lock　pad　and　set　the　temperature。
　Looking　up；　he　said；　〃Gentlemen；　the　clock　is　running。〃
　The　row　houses　of　Volta　Place　shared　a　mon　characteristic：　each　had　a　small　garage　behind　the　backyard　that　opened　up　on　an　alley。　Reed　and　Richardson　carried　the　chest　into　the　garage　and　stowed　it　in　the　cargo　partment　of　a　Volvo　station　wagon。　Bauer　stayed　behind　a　moment　to　make　sure　that　nothing　that　could　link　the　three　men　to　this　location　had　been