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ine。
〃We haven't time for lengthy explanations；〃 said Clark without preamble。 〃Two days ago； my superiors at Langley briefed me about your planned covert raid on Cayo Santa Maria。 They confided in me so I would be prepared if it failed and there was fallout here in Havana。 I was not told of its success until Mr。 Hagen〃
〃Ira；〃 Hagen cut in。
〃Until Ira just now showed me a top…secret document taken from the island installation。 He also has a directive from Martin Brogan and the President asking me to be on the lookout for you and Mrs。 LeBaron。 I was ordered to notify them immediately in the event you were caught and arrested。〃
〃Or executed；〃 Pitt added。
〃That too；〃 acknowledged Clark。
〃Then you also know why Jessie and I cut out and came to Cuba。〃
〃Yes。 She carries an urgent message from the President to Castro。〃
Pitt relaxed and slouched in his chair。 〃Fine。 My part in the affair is finished。 I'd appreciate it if you could arrange to fly me back to Washington after I've had a few days to take care of some personal business。〃
Clark and Hagen exchanged stares； but neither could look Pitt square in the eyes。
〃Sorry to screw up your plans；〃 said Clark。 〃But we have a crisis on our hands； and your experience with ships might prove helpful。〃
〃I'd be no good to you。 I'm washed out。〃
〃Can we take a few minutes and tell you what we're dealing with here？〃
〃I'm willing to listen。〃
Clark nodded； satisfied。 〃Okay； Ira has e direct from the President。 He's better qualified to explain the situation than I am。〃 He turned to Hagen。 〃You've got the floor。〃
Hagen took off his coat； removed a handkerchief from his hip pocket； and wiped his perspiring forehead。 〃The situation is this； Dirk。 Do you mind if I call you Dirk？〃
〃It's my name。〃
Hagen was an expert judge of men； and he liked what he saw。 This guy didn't seem the type who could be conned。 There was also a look about him that suggested trust。 Hagen laid the cards on the table and spelled out the Russian plot to murder the Castros and assume control of Cuba。 He waded through the details in concise terms； explaining how the nuclear explosive was smuggled into the harbor and the projected time of its detonation。
When Hagen finished； Clark outlined the operation to find the bomb。 There was no time to bring in a highly trained nuclear…device search team； nor would the Cubans allow them to step foot in the city。 He had only twenty men with the most primitive radiation…detection equipment。 He had the horrifying responsibility of leading the search； and it didn't require much imagination for him to get across the futility of his substandard efforts。 Finally he paused。
〃Do you follow me； Dirk？〃
〃Yes。 。 。〃 Pitt said slowly。 〃I follow。 Thank you。〃
〃Any questions？〃
〃Several； but one is uppermost in my mind。 What happens to all of us if this thing isn't found and disarmed？〃
〃I think you know the answer；〃 said Clark。
〃Okay； but I want to hear it from you。〃
Clark's face took on the look of a mourner at a funeral。 〃We all die；〃 he said simply。
〃Will you help us？〃 asked Hagen。
Pitt looked at Clark。 〃How much time is left？〃
〃Roughly sixteen hours。〃
Pitt rose from his chair and began pacing the floor； his instincts beginning to sift through the maze of information。 After a minute of silence as Hagen and Clark watched him expectantly； he suddenly leaned across the table and said； 〃I need a map of the dock area。〃
One of Clark's staff quickly produced one。
Pitt smoothed it out on the table and peered at it。 〃You say you can't alert the Cubans？〃 he asked as he studied the docking facilities of the bay。
〃No；〃 Hagen replied。 〃Their government is riddled with Soviet agents。 If we were to warn them； they'd ignore it and squelch our search operation。〃
〃What about Castro？〃
Penetrating his security and warning him is my job；〃 said Hagen。
〃And the United States receives the blame。〃
〃Soviet disinformation will see to that。〃
〃May I have a pencil； please？〃
Clark obliged and sat back quietly while Pitt made a circle on the map。
〃My guess is the ship with the bomb is docked in the Antares Inlet。〃
Clark's eyebrows raised。 〃How could you know that？〃
〃The obvious place for an explosion to cause the most damage。 The inlet cuts almost into the heart of the city。〃
〃Good thinking；〃 said Clark。 〃Two of the suspected ships are docked there。 The other is across the bay。〃
〃Give me a rundown on the vessels？〃
Clark examined the page of the document pertaining to the ship arrivals。 〃Two belong to the Soviet Union merchant fleet。 The third sails under Panamanian registry and is owned by a corporation run by Cuban anti…Castro exiles。〃
〃The last is a phony front set up by the KGB；〃 said Hagen。 〃They'll claim the Cuban exiles are an arm of the CIA； making us the villains of the destruction。 There won't be a nation in the world who will believe our noninvolvement。〃
〃A sound plan；〃 said Clark。 〃They'd hardly use one of their own vessels to carry the bomb。〃
〃Yes； but why destroy two ships and their cargoes for no purpose？〃 asked Pitt。
〃I admit it doesn't add up。〃
〃Ships' names and cargoes？〃
Clark extracted another page from the document and quoted from it。 〃The Ozero Zaysan； Soviet cargo ship carrying military supplies and equipment。 The Ozero Baykai； a 200；000…ton oil tanker。 The bogus Cuban…operated ship is the Amy Bigalow； bulk carrier with a cargo of 25；000 tons of ammonium nitrate。〃
Pitt stared at the ceiling as if mesmerized。 〃The oil tanker； is she the one moored across the bay？〃
〃Yes； at the oil refinery。〃
〃Have any of the cargoes been unloaded？〃
Clark shook his head。 〃There has been no activity around the two cargo carriers； and the tanker still sits low in the water。〃
Pitt sat down again and gave the other two men in the room a cold； hard stare。 〃Gentlemen； you've been had。〃
Clark looked at Pitt in dark speculation。 〃What are you talking about？〃
〃You overestimated the Russians' grandstand tactics and underestimated their cunning；〃 said Pitt。 〃There is no nuclear bomb on any of those ships。 For what they plan to do； they don't need one。〃
Colonel General Viktor Kolchak； chief of the fifteen thousand Soviet military forces and advisers based on Cuban soil； came from behind his desk and embraced Velikov warmly。
〃General； you don't know how glad I am to see you alive。〃
〃The feeling is mutual； Colonel General；〃 said Velikov； returning Kolchak's bear hug。
〃Sit down； sit down； we have much to discuss。 Whoever was behind the destruction of our island surveillance facility will pay。 A munication from President Antonov assures me he will not take this outrage sitting down。〃
〃No one agrees more than me；〃 said Velikov。 〃But we have another urgent matter to discuss。〃
〃Care for a glass of vodka？〃
〃I can do without；〃 Velikov replied brusquely。 〃Rum and Cola takes place tomorrow morning at ten…thirty。 Are your preparations plete？〃
Kolchak poured a small shot of vodka for himself。 〃Soviet officials and our Cuban friends are discreetly slipping out of the city in small groups。 Most of my military forces have already left to begin sham maneuvers forty miles away。 By dawn； all personnel； equipment； and important documents will have been quietly evacuated。〃
〃Leave some behind；〃 Velikov said casually。
Kolchak peered over his rimless glasses like a grandmother hearing a four…letter word from a child。 〃Leave what behind； General？〃
Velikov brushed off the derisive look。 〃Fifty Soviet civilian personnel； wives and families； and two hundred of your military forces。〃
〃Do you know what you're asking？〃
〃Precisely。 We cannot lay blame on the CIA for a hundred thousand deaths without suffering casualties ourselves。 Russians dying beside Cubans。 We'll reap propaganda rewards that will go far in smoothing the path for our new government。〃
〃I can't bring myself to throw away the lives of two hundred and fifty countrymen。〃
〃Conscience never bothered your father when he cleared German mine fields by marching his men over them。〃
〃That was war。〃
〃Only the enemy has changed；〃 Velikov said coldly。 〃We have been at war with the United States since 1945。 The cost in lives is small pared to increasing our hold in the Western Hemisphere。 There is no room for argument； General。 You will be expected to do your duty。〃
〃I don't need the KGB lecturing me on my duty to the motherland；〃 Kolchak said without rancor。
Velikov shrugged indifferently。 〃We all do our part。 Getting back to Rum and Cola after the explosion your troops will return to the city and assist in medical and relief operations。 My people will oversee the orderly transition of government。 I'll also arrange for international press coverage showing benevolent Soviet soldiers caring for the injured survivors。〃
〃As a soldier I have to say I find this entire operation abhorrent。 I can't believe rade Antonov is a party to it。〃
〃His reasons are valid； and I for one do not question them。〃
Kolchak lean