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〃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 right on his own border where his own lines of munication're short and ours huge。 Yesterday the Shah's security people uncovered a 'democratic socialist' insurrection scheduled to explode in the next few days in Azerbaijan。 So the Pentagon's reacting like mashed cats。 If Iran goes so does the whole Persian Gulf； then Saudi Arabia and that wraps up Europe's oil and that wraps up Europe。〃
〃The Shah's been in trouble before。 Isn't this more of your overreacting？〃
The American hardened。 〃Khrushchev backed down over Cuba … first goddamn time there's been a Soviet backoff … because JFK wasn't bluffing and the only thing mies understand is force。 Big…massive…honest…to…goddamn force！ The Big K better back off this time too or we'll hand him his head。〃
〃You'll risk blowing up the whole bloody world over some illiterate； rioting； fanatic nutheads who've probably got some right on their side anyway？〃
〃I'm not into politics； Rog； only into winning。 Iran oil； Persian Gulf oil； Saudi oil're the West's jugular。 We're not gonna let the enemy get it。〃
〃If they want it they'll take it。〃
〃Not this time； they won't。 We're calling the operation Dry Run。 The idea's to go in heavy； frighten 'em off and get out fast； quietly； so no one's the wiser except the enemy； and particularly no goddamn liberal fellow…traveler congressman or journalist。 The Pentagon figures the Soviets don't believe we could possibly respond so fast； so massively from so far away； so they'll go into shock and run for cover and close everything down … until next time。〃
The silence thickened。
Crosse's fingers drummed。 〃What am I supposed to do？ Why're you telling me this？〃
〃Because the brass ordered me to。 They want all allied chief SIs to know because if the stuff hits the fan there'll be sympathy riots all over； as usual； well…coordinated rent…a…mob riots； and you'll have to be prepared。 AMG's papers said that Sevrin had been activated here … maybe there's a tie…in。 Besides； you here in Hong Kong are vital to us。 You're the back door to China； the back door to Vladivostok and the whole of east Russia … and our best shortcut to their Pacific naval and atomic…sub bases。〃 Rosemont took out another cigarette； his fingers shaking。 〃Listen； Rog；〃 he said； controlling his grumbling anger； 〃let's forget all the interoffice shit； huh？ Maybe we can help each other。〃
〃What atomic subs？〃 Crosse said with a deliberate sneer； baiting him。 〃They haven't got atomic subs yet an… 〃
〃Jesus Christ！〃 Rosemont flared。 〃You guys've got your heads up your asses and you won't listen。 You spout détente and try to muzzle us and they're laughing their goddamn heads off。 They got nuclear subs and missile sites and naval bases all over the Sea of Okhotsk！〃 Rosemont got up and went to the huge map of China and Asia that dominated one wall and stabbed the Kamchatka peninsula； north of Japan。 〃。。。 Petropavlovsk； Vladivostok 。。。 they've giant operations all along this whole Siberian coast； here at Komsomolsk at the mouth of the Amur and on Sakhalin。 But Petropavlovsk's the big one。 In ten years； that'll be the greatest war…port in Asia with support airfields； atomic…protected subpens and atomic…safe fighter strips and missile silos。 And from there they threaten all Asia … Japan； Korea； China； the Philippines … not forgetting Hawaii and our West Coast。〃
〃U。S。 forces are preponderant and always will be。 You're overreacting again。〃
Rosemont's face closed。 〃People call me a hawk。 I'm not。 Just a realist。 They're on a war footing。 Our Midas III's have pinpointed all kinds of crap； our 。。。〃 He stopped and almost kicked himself for letting his mouth run on。 〃Well； we know a lot of what they're doing right now； and they're not making goddamn ploughshares。〃
〃I think you're wrong。 They don't want war any more than we do。〃
〃You want proof？ You'll get it tomorrow； soon as I've clearance！〃 the American said； stung。 〃If it's proved； can we cooperate better？〃
〃I thought we were cooperating well now。〃
〃Will you？〃
〃Whatever you want。 Does Source want me to react in any specific way？〃
〃No； just to be prepared。 I guess this'll all filter down through channels today。〃
〃Yes。〃 Crosse was suddenly gentle。 〃What's really bothering you； Stanley？〃
Rosemont's hostility left him。 〃We lost one of our best setups in East Berlin； last night； a lot of good guys。 A buddy of mine got hit crossing back to us； and we're sure it's tied into AMG。〃
〃Oh； sorry about that。 It wasn't Tom Owen； was it？〃
〃No。 He left Berlin last month。 It was Frank O'Connell。〃
〃Don't think I ever met him。 Sad。〃
〃Listen； Rog； this mole thing's the shits。〃 He got up and went to the map。 He stared at it a long time。 〃You know about Iman？〃
〃Sorry？〃
Rosemont's stubby finger stabbed a point on the map。 The city was inland； 180 miles north of Vladivostok at a rail junction。 〃It's an industrial center； railways； lots of factories。〃
〃So？〃 Crosse asked。
〃You know about the airfield there？〃
〃What airfield？〃
〃It's underground； whole goddamn thing； just out of town； built into a gigantic maze of natural caves。 It's got to be one of the wonders of the world。 It's atomic capable； Rog。 The whole base was constructed by Japanese and Nazi slave labor in '45； '6 and '7。 A hundred thousand men they say。 It's all underground； Rog； with space for 2500 airplanes； air crews and support personnel。 It's bombproof … even atomic proof … with eighty runways that lead out onto a gigantic airstrip that circles eighteen low hills。 It took one of our guys nine hours to drive around it。 That was back in '46 … so what's it like now？〃
〃Improved … if it exists。〃
〃It's operational now。 A few guys； intelligence； ours and yours； even a few of the better newspaper guys； knew about it even in '46。 So why the silence now？ That base alone's a massive threat to all of us and no one screams a shit。 Even China； and she sure as hell's got to know about Iman。〃
〃I can't answer that。〃
〃I can。 I think that info's being buried； deliberately； along with a lot of other things。〃 The American got up and stretched。 〃Jesus； the whole world's falling apart and I got a backache。 You know a good chiropractor？〃
〃Have you tried Doc Thomas on Pedder Street？ I use him all the time。〃
〃I can't stand him。 He makes you wait in line … won't give you an appointment。 Thank God for chiropractors！ Trying to get my son to be one instead of an M。D。〃
The phone rang and Crosse answered it。
〃Yes Brian？〃 Rosemont watched Crosse as he listened。 〃Just a minute； Brian。 Stanley； are we through now？〃
〃Sure。 Just a couple of open； routine things。〃
〃Right。 Brian； e in with Robert as soon as you e up。〃 Crosse put the phone down。 〃We couldn't establish contact with Fong…fong。 You're probably correct。 They'll be MPD'd or MPC'd in forty…eight hours。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
〃Missing Presumed Dead or Missing Presumed Captured。〃
〃Rough。 Sorry to bring bad news。〃
〃Joss。〃
〃With Dry Run and AMG； how about pulling Dunross into protective custody？〃
〃Out of the question。〃
〃You have the Official Secrets Act。〃
〃Out of the question。〃
〃I'm going to remend it。 By the way； Ed Langan's FBI boys tied Banastasio in with Bartlett