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〃Couldn't we play a waiting game？ The Struan…Gornt contest will be solved next week at the latest。〃
〃For this skirmish； we need information … and the right counter…forces。 Different guns； big guns； guns we don't have。〃 He sipped his beer； even more thoughtful。 〃We'd better get some top…level advice。 And help。 Fast。 It's Armstrong and the English cops … or Rosemont and the CIA。〃
〃Or both？〃
〃Or both。〃
Dunross got out of the Daimler and hurried into police headquarters。 〃Evening； sir；〃 the young Australian duty inspector on the desk said。 〃Sorry you lost the fifth … I heard Bluey White was carpeted for interference。 Can't trust a bloody Aussie； eh？〃
Dunross smiled。 〃He won； Inspector。 The stewards ruled the race was won fair and square。 I've an appointment with Mr。 Crosse。〃
〃Yes sir； square but not fair dinkum。 Top floor； third on the left。 Good luck next Saturday； sir。〃
Crosse met him on the top floor。 〃Evening。 e on in。 Drink？〃
〃No thanks。 Good of you to see me at once。 Evening； Mr。 Sinders。〃 They shook hands。 Dunross had never been in Crosse's office before。 The walls seemed as drab as the man and when the door was shut on the three of them the atmosphere seemed to close in even more。
〃Please sit down；〃 Crosse said。 〃Pity about Noble Star … we were both on her。〃
〃She'll be worth another flutter on Saturday。〃
〃You're going to ride her？〃
〃Wouldn't you？〃
Both men smiled。
〃What can we do for you？〃 Crosse asked。
Dunross put his full attention on Sinders。 〃I can't give you new files … the impossible I can't do。 But I can give you something … I don't know what； yet； but I've just received a package from AMG。〃
Both men were startled。 Sinders said； 〃Hand…delivered？〃
Dunross hesitated。 〃Hand…delivered。 Now； please； no more questions till I've finished。〃
Sinders lit his pipe and chuckled。 〃Just like AMG to have a bolt…hole； Roger。 He always was clever； damn him。 Sorry； please go on。〃
〃The message from AMG said the information was of very special importance and to be passed on to the prime minister personally or the current head of MI…6； Edward Sinders； at my convenience … and if I considered it politic。〃 In the dead silence； Dunross took a deep breath。 〃Since you understand barter； I'll trade you … you directly； in secret； in the presence of the governor alone … whatever the hell 'it' is。 In return Brian Kwok is allowed out and over the border； if he wants to go； so we can deal with Tiptop。〃
The silence deepened。 Sinders puffed his pipe。 He glanced at Crosse。 〃Roger？〃
Roger Crosse was thinking about it … and what information was so special that it was for Sinders or the P。M。 only。 〃I think you could consider Ian's proposal；〃 he said smoothly。 〃At leisure。〃
〃No leisure；〃 Dunross said sharply。 〃The money's urgent； and the release is clearly considered urgent。 We can't delay past Monday at 10：00 a。m。 when the ban… 〃
〃Perhaps Tiptop and money don't e into the equation at all；〃 Sinders interrupted； his voice deliberately brittle。 〃It doesn't matter a jot or a tittle to SI or MI…6 if all Hong Kong rots。 Have you any idea the sort of value a senior superintendent in SI … especially a man with Brian Kwok's qualifications and experience … could have to the enemy； if in fact Brian Kwok is under arrest as you think and this Tiptop claims？ Have you also considered that such an enemy traitor's information to us about his contacts and them could be of great importance to the whole realm？ Eh？〃
〃Is that your answer？〃
〃Did Mrs。 Gresserhoff hand…deliver the package？〃
〃Are you prepared to barter？〃
Crosse said irritably； 〃Who's Gresserhoff？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Sinders told him。 〃Other than that she's the vanished recipient of the second phone call from AMG's assistant； Kiernan。 We're tracing her with the help of the Swiss police。〃 His mouth smiled at Dunross。 〃Mrs。 Gresserhoff delivered the package to you？〃
〃No；〃 Dunross said。 That's not a real lie； he assured himself。 It was Riko Anjin。
〃Who did？〃
〃I'm prepared to tell you that after we have concluded our deal。〃
〃No deal；〃 Crosse said。
Dunross began to get up。
〃Just a moment； Roger；〃 Sinders said and Dunross sat back。 The MI…6 man tapped the pipe stem against his tobacco…discolored teeth。 Dunross kept his face guileless； knowing he was in the hands of experts。
At length Sinders said； 〃Mr。 Dunross； are you prepared to swear formally under the perjury conditions of the Official Secrets Act that you do not have possession of the original AMG files？〃
〃Yes；〃 Dunross said at once； quite prepared to twist the truth now … AMG had always had the originals； he had always been sent the top copy。 If and when it came to a formal moment under oath； that would be another matter entirely。 〃Next？〃
〃Monday would be impossible。〃
Dunross kept his eyes on Sinders。 〃Impossible because Brian's being interrogated？〃
〃Any captured enemy asset would immediately be questioned； of course。〃
〃And Brian will be a very hard nut to take apart。〃
〃If he's the asset； you'd know that better than us。 You've been friends a long time。〃
〃Yes； and I swear to God I still think it's impossible。 Never once has Brian been anything other than an upright； staunch British policeman。 How is it possible？〃
〃How were Philby； Klaus Fuchs； Sorge； Rudolf Abel； Blake and all the others possible？〃
〃How long would you need？〃
Sinders shrugged； watching him。
Dunross watched him back。 The silence became aching。
〃You destroyed the originals？〃
〃No； and I must tell you I also noticed the difference between all the copies I gave you and the one you intercepted。 I'd planned to call AMG to ask him why the difference。〃
〃How often were you in contact with him？〃
〃Once or twice a year。〃
〃What did you know about him？ Who suggested him to you？〃
〃Mr。 Sinders； I'm quite prepared to answer your questions； I realize it's my duty to answer them； but the time's not appropriate tonight be… 〃
〃Perhaps it is； Mr。 Dunross。 We're in no rush。〃
〃Ah； I agree。 But unfortunately I've got guests waiting and my association with AMG has nothing to do with my proposal。 My proposal requires a simple yes or no。〃
〃Or a maybe。〃
Dunross studied him。 〃Or a maybe。〃
〃I'll consider what you've said。〃
Dunross smiled to himself； liking the cat…and…mouse of the negotiation； aware he was dealing with masters。 Again he let the silence hang until exactly the right moment。 〃Very well。 AMG said at my discretion。 At the moment I don't know what 'it' is。 I realize I'm quite out of my depth and should not be involved in SI or MI…6 matters。 It's not of my choosing。 You intercepted my private mail。 My understanding with AMG was quite clear： I had his assurance in writing that he was allowed to be in my employ and that he would clear everything with the government in advance。 I'll give you copies of our correspondence if you wish； through the correct channels； with the correct secrecy provisions。 My enthusiasm for my offer diminishes； minute by minute。〃 He hardened his voice。 〃Perhaps it doesn't matter to SI or MI…6 if all Hong Kong rots but it does to me； so I'm making the offer a last time。〃 He got up。 〃The offer's good to 8：30 p。m。〃
Neither of the other men moved。 〃Why 8：30； Mr。 Dunross？ Why not midnight or midday tomorrow？〃 Sinders asked； unperturbed。 He continued to puff his pipe but Dunross noticed that the tempo had been interrupted the moment he laid down the challenge。 That's a good sign； he thought。
〃I have to call Tiptop then。 Thanks for seeing me。〃 Dunross turned for the door。
Crosse； sitting behind the desk； glanced at Sinders。 The older man nodded。 Obediently Crosse touched the switch。 The bolts sneaked back silently。 Dunross jerked to a stop； startled； but recovered quickly； opened the door and went out without a ment； closing it after him。
〃Cool bugger；〃 Crosse said； admiring him。 〃Too cool。〃
〃Not too cool。 He's tai…pan of the Noble House。〃
〃And a liar； but a clever one and quite prepared to finesse us。 Would he obliterate 'it'？〃
〃Yes。 But I don't know if H hour's 8：30 p。m。〃 Crosse lit a cigarette。 〃I'm inclined to think it is。 They'd put immense pressure on him … they have to presume we'd thrust the client into interrogation。 They've had plenty of time to study Soviet techniques and they've got a few twists of their own。 They must presume we're fairly efficient too。〃
〃I'm inclined to think he hasn't got any more files and 'it' is genuine。 If 'it' es from AMG it must have special value。 What's your counsel？〃
〃I repeat what I said to the governor： If we have possession of the client until Monday at noon we'll have everything of importance out of him。〃
〃But what about them？ What can he tell them about us when he recovers？〃
〃We know most of that now。 Concerning Hong Kong； we can certainly cover every security problem from today。 It's standard SI policy never to let any one person know master plans an… 〃
〃Except you。〃
Crosse smiled。 〃Except me。 And you in the UK of course。 The client knows a lot； but not everything。 We can cover everything here； change codes and so on。 Don't forget； most of what he passed on's routine。 His real danger's over。 He's uncovered； fortunately in time。 Sure as God made little apples；