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〃In that order？〃
〃I don't know。 Except Linbar's probably last。 Thanks。〃 DeVille accepted his drink。 They toasted each other。 〃I'd bet on Gavallan。〃
〃Who's this MacStruan？〃
〃A distant cousin。 He's done his five years as a China Trader。 At the moment he's heading up our expansion into Canada … we're trying to diversify and get into wood fibers； copper； all the Canadian minerals； mostly out of British Columbia。〃
〃How good is he？〃
〃Very good。 Very tough。 A very dirty fighter。 Thirty…eight； ex…lieutenant； Paratroopers。 His left hand was almost ripped off over Burma by a tangle in the shrouds of his parachute。 He just tied a tourniquet around it and carried on fighting。 That earned him a Military Cross。 If I was tai…pan I'd choose him。〃 DeVille shrugged。 〃By our pany law only the tai…pan can appoint his successor。 He can do it anytime； even in his will if he wants。 Whatever way it's done it's binding on the Noble House。〃
Suslev watched him。 〃Has Dunross made a will？〃
〃Ian's very efficient。〃
A silence gathered。
〃Another vodka？〃
〃Non； merci。 I'll stay with this one。 Is Arthur joining us？〃
〃Yes。 How could we tip the scales for you？〃
DeVille hesitated； then shrugged。
Suslev poured himself another drink。 〃It would be easy to discredit this MacStruan and the others。 Yes。 Easy to eliminate them。〃 Suslev turned and looked at him。 〃Even Dunross。〃
〃No。 That's not the solution。〃
〃Is there another one？〃
〃Being patient。〃 DeVille smiled but his eyes were very tired and shadows lurked there。 〃I would not like to be the cause of 。。。 of his removal or that of the others。〃
Suslev laughed。 〃It's not necessary to kill to eliminate！ Are we barbarians？ Of course not。〃 He was watching his protégé closely。 DeVille needs toughening； he was thinking。 〃Tell me about the American； Bartlett； and the Struan…Par…Con deal。〃
DeVille told him all he knew。 〃Bartlett's money will give us everything we need。〃
〃Can this Gornt effect a takeover？〃
〃Yes and no。 And possibly。 He's tough and he truly hates us。 It's a long…term rival… 〃
〃Yes； I know。〃 Suslev was surprised deVille kept repeating information he already had been given。 It's a bad sign； he thought； and glanced at his watch。 〃Our friend's twenty…five minutes late。 That's unusual。〃 Both men were too seasoned to worry。 Meetings such as this could never be pletely firm because no one could ever control the unexpected happening。
〃Did you hear about the fire in Aberdeen？〃 deVille asked at the sudden thought。
〃What fire？〃
〃There was a bulletin over the wireless just before I came up。〃 DeVille and his wife had apartment 20 on the sixth floor。 〃The Floating Dragon restaurant at Aberdeen burned down。 Perhaps Arthur was there。〃
〃Did you see him？〃 Suslev was suddenly concerned。
〃No。 But I could easily have missed him。 I left well before dinner。〃
Suslev sipped his vodka thoughtfully。 〃Has he told you yet who the others are in Sevrin？〃
〃No。 I asked him； judiciously； as you ordered； but he nev… 〃
〃Order？ I don't order you； tovarich； I just suggest。〃
〃Of course。 All he said was； 'We'll all meet in due course。' 〃
〃We'll both know soon。 He's perfectly correct to be cautious。〃 Suslev had wanted to test deVille and test Arthur。 It was one of the most basic rules in the KGB that you can never be too cautious about your spies however important they are。 He remembered his instructor hammering into them another direct quote from Sun Tzu's The Art of War； which was obligatory reading for all Soviet military： 〃There are five classes of spies … local spies； inward spies； converted spies； doomed spies and surviving spies。 When all five categories are working in concert； the state will be secure and the army inviolate。 Local spies are those who are local inhabitants。 Inward spies are officials of the enemy。 Converted spies are the enemies' spies you have converted。 Doomed spies are those fed false information and reported to the enemy who will torture this false information from them and so be deceived。 Surviving spies are those who bring back news from the enemy camp。 Remember； in the whole army； none should more liberally be rewarded。 But if a secret piece of news is divulged by a spy before the time is ripe； he or she must be put to death； together with the person to whom the secret is told。〃
If the other AMG reports are like the one already discovered； Suslev thought dispassionately； then Dunross is doomed。
He was watching deVille； measuring him； liking him； glad that again he had passed that test … and Arthur。 The last paragraph of The Art of War … so important a book to the Soviet elite that many knew the slim volume by heart … sprang into his mind： 〃It is only the enlightened ruler and wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for the purposes of spying。 Spies are the most important element in war because upon them depends an army's ability to move。〃
That's what the KGB does； he thought contentedly。 We try for the best talent in all the Soviets。 We are the elite。 We need spies of all five categories。 We need these men； Jacques and Arthur and all the others。
Yes； we need them very much。
〃Arthur's never given any clue who the others are。 Nothing；〃 deVille was saying； 〃only that there are seven of us。〃
〃We must be patient；〃 Suslev said； relieved that Arthur was correctly cautious too； for part of the plan was that the seven should never know each other； should never know that Suslev was Sevrin's controller and Arthur's superior。 Suslev knew the identities of all the Sevrin moles。 With Arthur he had approved all of them over the years； continually testing them all； honing their loyalties； eliminating some； substituting others。 You always test； and the moment a spy wavers that's the time to neutralize or eliminate him … before he neutralizes or eliminates you。 Even Ginny Fu； he thought； though she's not a spy and knows nothing。 You can never be sure of anyone except yourself … that's what our Soviet system teaches。 Yes。 It's time I took her on the trip I've always promised。 A short voyage next week。 To Vladivostok。 Once she's there she can be cleansed and rehabilitated and made useful； never to return here。
He sipped his vodka； rolling the fiery liquid around his tongue。 〃We'll give Arthur half an hour。 Please；〃 he said； motioning to a chair。
DeVille moved the newspaper out of the way and sat in the armchair。 〃Did you read about the bank runs？〃
Suslev beamed。 〃Yes； tovarich。 Marvelous。〃
〃Is it a KGB operation？〃
〃Not to my knowledge；〃 Suslev said jovially。 〃If it is there's promotion for someone。〃 It was a key Leninistic policy to pay particular attention to Western banks that were at the core of Western strength； to infiltrate them to the highest level； to encourage and assist others to foment disaster against Western currencies but at the same time to borrow capital from them to the utter maximum； whatever the interest； the longer the loan the better； making sure that no Soviet ever defaulted on any repayment； whatsoever the cost。 〃The crash of the Ho…Pak will certainly bring down others。 The papers say there might even be a run on the Victoria； eh？〃
DeVille shivered in spite of himself and Suslev noticed it。 His concern deepened。 〃Merde； but that would wreck Hong Kong；〃 deVille said。 〃Oh； I know the sooner the better but 。。。 but being buried so deep； sometimes you forget who you really are。〃
〃That's nothing to worry about。 It happens to all of us。 You're in turmoil because of your daughter。 What father wouldn't be？ It will pass。〃
〃When can we do something？ I'm tired； so tired of waiting。〃
〃Soon。 Listen；〃 Suslev said to encourage him。 〃In January I was at a top echelon meeting in Moscow。 Banking was high on our list。 At our last count we're indebted to the capitalists nearly 30 billions in loans … most of that to America。〃
DeVille gasped。 〃Madonna； I had no idea you'd been so successful。〃
Suslev's smile broadened。 〃That's just Soviet Russia！ Our satellites are in for another 6。3 billions。 East Germany's just got another 1。3 billion to purchase capitalist rolling mills； puter technology and a lot of things we need。〃 He laughed； drained his glass and poured another； the liquor oiling his tongue。 〃I really don't understand them； the capitalists。 They delude themselves。 We're openly mitted to consume them but they give us the means to do it。 They're astonishing。 If we have time； twenty years … at the most twenty … by that time our debt will be 60； 70 billions and as far as they're concerned we'll still be a triple…A risk； never having defaulted on a payment ever 。。。 in war； peace or depression。〃 He let out a sudden burst of laughter。 〃What was it the Swiss banker said？ 'Lend a little and you have a debtor … lend a lot and you have a partner！' 70 billions； Jacques old friend； and we own them。 70 and we can twist their policies to suit ourselves and then at any moment of our own choosing the final ploy： 'So sorry； Mr。 Capitalist Zionist Banker； we regret we're broke！ Oh very sorry but we can no longer repay the loans； not even the interest on the loans。 Very sorry but from this moment all our present currency's valueless。 Our new currency's a red ruble； one red ruble's worth a hundred of yo