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！
st class。〃
〃Liar；〃 Armstrong said easily。 〃Go ahead； Malcolm。〃
Malcolm Sun put the knife under the man's left eye and the man almost fainted。 〃That es later； spy；〃 Sun said in Russian with a chilling smile。 Expertly； with a deliberate malevolent viciousness； Sun rapidly sliced the raincoat away。 Armstrong searched it very carefully as Sun used the knife deftly to cut away the man's seaman's jersey and the rest of his clothes until he was naked。 The knife had not cut or even nicked him once。 A careful search and re…search revealed nothing。 Nor his shoes； the heels or the soles。
〃Unless it's a microdot transfer and we've missed it so far； it must be in him；〃 Armstrong said。
At once the men holding the Russian bent him over and Sun got out the surgical gloves and surgical salve and probed deeply。 The man flinched and moaned and tears of pain seeped from his eyes。
〃Dew neh loh moh；〃 Sun said happily。 His fingers drew out a small tube of cellophane wrapping。
〃Don't let go of him！〃 Armstrong rapped。
When he was sure the man was secure he peered at the cylindrical package。 Inside he could see the double…ended circles of a film cartridge。 〃Looks like a Minolta；〃 he said absently。
Using some tissues he wrapped the cellophane carefully and sat down opposite the man again。 〃Mr。 Metkin； you're charged under the Official Secrets Act for taking part in an espionage act against Her Majesty's Government and her allies。 Anything you say will be taken down and used in evidence against you。 Now； sir；〃 he continued gently； 〃you're caught。 We're all Special Intelligence and not subject to normal laws； any more than your own KGB is。 We don't want to hurt you but we can hold you forever if we want； in solitary if we want。 We would like a little cooperation。 Just the answers to a few questions。 If you refuse we will extract the information we require。 We use a lot of your KGB techniques and we can； sometimes； go a little better。〃 He saw a flash of terror behind the man's eyes but something told him this man would be hard to crack。
〃What's your real name？ Your official KGB name？〃
The man stared at him。
〃What's your KGB rank？〃
The man still stared。
Armstrong sighed。 〃I can let my Chinese friends have at you； old chum； if you prefer。 They really don't like you at all。 Your Soviet armies ran all over Malcolm Sun's village in Manchuria and wiped it out and his family。 Sorry； but I really must have your official KGB name； your rank on the Sovetsky Ivanov and official position。〃
Another hostile silence。
Armstrong shrugged。 〃Go ahead； Malcolm。〃
Sun reached up and jerked the ugly…looking crowbar from its clip and as the four men turned Metkin roughly onto his stomach and spread…eagled him； Sun inserted the tip。 The man screamed。 〃Wait 。。。 wait 。。。〃 he gasped in guttural English； 〃wait 。。。 I'm Dimitri 。。。〃 Another scream。 〃Nicoli Leonov； major； political missaaaar 。。。〃
〃That's enough； Malcolm；〃 Armstrong said； astonished by the importance of their catch。
〃But sir 。。。〃
〃That's enough；〃 Armstrong said harshly； deliberately protective as Sun was deliberately hostile and angrily slammed the crowbar back into its clips。 〃Pull him up；〃 he ordered； sorry for the man； the indignity of it。 But he had never known the trick to fail to produce a real name and rank； if done at once。 It was a trick because they would never probe deeply and the first scream was always from panic and not from pain。 Unless the enemy agent broke at once they would always stop and then； at headquarters； put him through a proper monitored interrogation。 Torture wasn't necessary though some zealots used it against orders。 This is a dangerous profession； he thought grimly。 KGB methods are rougher； and Chinese have a different attitude to life and death； victor and vanquished； pain and pleasure … and the value of a scream。
〃Don't take it badly； Major Leonov；〃 he said kindly when the others had pulled him up and sat him back on the bench； still holding him tightly。 〃We don't want to harm you … or let you harm yourself。〃
Metkin spat at him and began to curse； tears of terror and rage and frustration running down his face。 Armstrong nodded at Malcolm Sun who took out the prepared pad and held it firmly over Metkin's nose and mouth。
The heavy； sick…sweet stench of chloroform filled the stuffy atmosphere。 Metkin struggled impotently for a moment； then subsided。 Armstrong checked his eyes and his pulse to make sure he was not feigning unconsciousness。 〃You can let him go now；〃 he told them。 〃You all did very well。 I'll see a mendation goes on all your records。 Malcolm； we'd better take good care of him。 He might suicide。〃
〃Yes。〃 Sun sat back with the others in the swaying van。 It was grinding along in the heavy traffic irritatingly； stopping and starting。 Later he said what was in all their minds。 〃Dimitri Metkin； alias Nicoli Leonov； major； KGB； off the Ivanov； and her political missar。 What's a big fish like that doing on a small job like this？〃
48
7：05 P。M。：
Linc Bartlett chose his tie carefully。 He was wearing a pale blue shirt and light tan suit and the tie was tan with a red stripe。 A beer was open on the chest of drawers； the can pearled from the cold。 All day he had debated with himself whether he should call for Orlanda or not call for her； whether he should tell Casey or not tell Casey。
The day had been fine for him。 First； breakfast with Orlanda and then out to Kai Tak to check his airplane and make sure he could use it； for the flight with Dunross to Taipei。 Lunch with Casey； then the excitement of the exchange。 After the exchange had closed he and Casey had caught the ferry to Kowloon。 Canvas storm shades lashed against the rain shut out the view and made the deck claustrophobic and the crossing not pleasant。 But it was pleasant with Casey； his awareness of her heightened by the knowledge of Orlanda； and the dilemma。
〃Ian's had it； hasn't he； Linc？〃
〃I'd think so； sure。 But he's smart； the battle's not over yet； only the first attack。〃
〃How can he get back？ His stock's at bargain prices。〃
〃pared to last week； sure； but we don't know his earning ratio。 This exchange's like a yo…yo … you said so yourself … and dangerous。 Ian was right in that。〃
〃I'll bet he knows about the 2 million you put up with Gornt。〃
〃Maybe。 It's nothing he wouldn't do if he had the chance。 You meeting Seymour and Charlie Forrester？〃
〃Yes。 The Pan Am flight's on time and I've a limo ing。 I'll leave soon as we get back。 You think they'll want dinner？〃
〃No。 They'll be jet…lagged to hell。〃 He had grinned。 〃I hope。〃 Both Seymour Steigler III； their attorney； and Charlie Forrester； the head of their foam division； were socially very hard going。 〃What time's their flight in？〃
〃4：50。 We'll be back around six。〃
At six they had had a meeting with Seymour Steigler … Forrester was unwell and had gone straight to bed。
Their attorney was a New Yorker； a handsome man with wavy black…gray hair and dark eyes and dark rings under his eyes。 〃Casey filled me in on the details； Linc；〃 he said。 〃Looks like we're in great shape。〃
By prior arrangement； Bartlett and Casey had laid out the whole deal to their attorney； excluding the secret arrangement with Dunross about his ships。
〃There're a couple of clauses I'd want in； to protect us； Linc；〃 Steigler said。
〃All right。 But I don't want the deal renegotiated。 We want a wrap by Tuesday； just as we've laid it out。〃
〃What about Rothwell…Gornt？ Best I should feel them out； huh？ We can kite Struan's。〃
〃No；〃 Casey had said。 〃You leave Gornt and Dunross alone； Seymour。〃 They had not told Steigler about Bartlett's private deal with Gornt either。 〃Hong Kong's more plicated than we thought。 Best leave it as it is。〃
〃That's right；〃 Bartlett said。 〃Leave Gornt and Dunross to Casey and me。 You just deal with their attorneys。〃
〃What're they like？〃
〃English。 Very proper；〃 Casey said。 〃I met with John Dawson at noon … he's their senior partner。 Dunross was supposed to be there but he sent Jacques deVille instead。 He's one of Struan's directors； deals with all their corporate affairs； and some financing。 Jacques is very good but Dunross runs everything and decides everything。 That's the bottom line。〃
〃How about getting this； er； Dawson on the phone right now？ I'll meet with him over breakfast； say here at eight。〃
Bartlett and Casey had laughed。 〃No way； Seymour！〃 she had said。 〃It'll be a leisurely in by ten and a two…hour lunch。 They eat and drink like there's no tomorrow； and everything's the 'old boy' bit。〃
〃Then I'll meet him after lunch when he's mellow and maybe we can teach him a trick or two；〃 Seymour Steigler had said； his eyes hardening。 He stifled a yawn。 〃I've got to call New York before I hit the sack。 Hey； I've got all the papers on the GXR merger an… 〃
〃I'll take those； Seymour；〃 Casey said。
〃And I bought the 200；000 block of Rothwell…Gornt at 23。50 … what're they today？〃
〃21。〃
〃Jesus； Linc； you're down 300 grand；〃 Casey said； perturbed。 〃Why not sell and buy back？ If and when。〃
〃No。 We'll hold the stock。〃 Bartlett was not worried about the Rothwell stock loss for he was well ahead on his share of Gornt's selling…short ploy。 〃Why don't you qu