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〃Very。〃
〃In that case I would prefer to do the investigation in Vladivostok … I can give you special sedatives and instructions that will keep the client docile during the voyage there and begin the softening…up process。〃
Suslev rethought the problem。 He needed Dunross's information before he arrived in Vladivostok。 〃Can't you e with me on my ship？ We leave at midnight； on the tide。〃
Koronski hesitated。 〃My orders from Center are to assist you； so long as I do not jeopardize my cover。 Going on your ship would certainly do that … the ship's sure to be under surveillance。 If I vanish from the hotel； eh？〃
Suslev nodded。 〃I agree。〃 Never mind； he thought。 I'm as well trained an interrogator as Koronski though I've never done an in…depth chemical。 〃How do you conduct a chemical debriefing？〃
〃It's quite simple。 Intravenous injections of a chemical agent we call Pentothal…V6； twice a day for ten days at twelve…hour intervals … once the client has been put into a suitably frightened； disoriented frame of mind； by the usual sleep…wake method； followed by four days of sleeplessness。〃
〃We've a doctor on the ship。 Could he make the injections？〃
〃Oh yes； yes of course。 May I suggest I write down the procedure and supply you with all the necessary chemicals。 You will do the investigation？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃If you follow the procedure you should have no trouble。 The only serious thing to remember is that once the Pentothal…V6 is administered the client's mind is like a wet sponge。 It requires great tenderness and even greater care to extract just the right amount of water； the information； at just the right tempo or the mind will be permanently damaged and all other information lost forever。〃 Koronski puffed at a cigarette。 〃It's easy to lose a client。〃
〃It's always easy to lose a client；〃 Suslev said。 〃How effective is this Pentothal…V6？〃
〃We've had great success； and some failures； rade Captain；〃 Koronski replied with care。 〃If the client is well prepared and initially healthy I'm sure you will be successful。〃
Suslev did not answer； just let his mind reexamine the plan presented so enthusiastically by Plumm late last night； and agreed to reluctantly by Crosse。 〃It's a cinch； Gregor； everything's falling into place。 Now that Dunross's not going to Taipei he's ing to my party。 I'll give him a doctored drink that'll make him as sick as a dog … it'll be easy to get him to lie down in one of the bedrooms … the same drug'll put him to sleep。 Once the others have left … and I'm keeping the party short and sweet； six to eight … I'll put him in a trunk and have the trunk brought to the car through the side entrance。 When he's reported missing I'll say I just left him there sleeping and have no idea what time he left。 Now； how are we going to get the trunk aboard？〃
〃That's no trouble；〃 he had said。 〃Have it delivered to go…down 7 in the Kowloon Dockyard。 We're taking on all kinds of bulk supplies and stores； since our departure's been speeded up； and outward bound there's hardly any check。〃 Suslev had added with grim amusement； 〃There is even a coffin if we need it。 Voranski's body is ing from the morgue at 11：00 p。m。； a special delivery。 Bastards！ Why hasn't our friend caught the bastards who murdered him？〃
〃He's doing what he can。 He is； Gregor。 I promise you。 He'll catch them soon … but more important； this plan will work！〃
Suslev nodded to himself。 Yes； it's workable。 And if the tai…pan's intercepted and discovered？ I know nothing； Boradinov knows nothing； though he's responsible and I shall just sail away； leaving Boradinov to blame； if necessary。 Roger will cover everything。 Oh yes； he told himself grimly； this time it's Roger's neck on the British block if I'm not covered。 Plumm's right。 The Werewolf kidnapping of the tai…pan will help to create plete chaos for a time； certainly for almost no risk … enough time to cover the Metkin disaster and the intercept of the guns。
He had called Banastasio tonight to make sure the Par…Con ploy was in operation and was shocked to hear of Bartlett's response。 〃But； Mr。 Banastasio； you guaranteed you'd be in control。 What do you intend to do？〃
〃Pressure； Mr。 Marshall；〃 Banastasio had told him placatingly； using the alias by which Banastasio knew him。 〃Pressure all the way。 I'll do my part； you do yours。〃
〃Good。 Then proceed with your meeting in Macao。 I guarantee a substitute shipment will be in Saigon within a week。〃
〃But these jokers here have already said they won't deal without a shipment in their hands。〃
〃It'll be delivered direct to our Viet Cong friends in Saigon。 Just you make whatever arrangements you want for payment。〃
〃Sure sure； Mr。 Marshall。 Where you staying in Macao？ Where do I get in touch？〃
〃I'll be at the same hotel；〃 he had told him； having no intention to make contact。 In Macao another controller with the same alias would monitor that end of the operation。
He smiled to himself。 Just before he had left Vladivostok； Center had ordered him to be the controller of this independent operation； code name King Kong； that had been mounted by one of the Washington KGB cells。 All he knew of the plan was that they were sending highly classified advance…arms delivery schedules to the V。C。 in Saigon through diplomatic pouch。 In exchange and payment for the information； opium would be delivered FOB Hong Kong … the quantity depending on the numbers of arms hijacked。 〃Whoever thought of this one deserves immediate promotion；〃 he had told Center delightedly； and had chosen the alias Marshall after General Marshall and his plan that they all knew had ruined the immediate and total Soviet takeover of Europe in the late forties。 This is revenge； our Marshall Plan in reverse； he thought。
Abruptly he laughed out loud。 Koronski waited attentively； far too practiced to ask what had been so amusing。 But without thinking he had analyzed the laugh。 There was fear in it。 Fear was infectious。 Frightened people make mistakes。 Mistakes ensnare innocents。
Yes； he thought uneasily； this man smells of cowardice。 I shall mention this in my next report； but delicately； in case he's important。 '
He looked up and saw Suslev watching him and queasily wondered if the man had read his thoughts。 〃Yes； rade Captain？〃
〃How long will the instructions take to write？〃
〃A few minutes。 I can do it now if you wish； but I will have to go back to the hotel for the chemicals。〃
〃How many different chemicals are to be used？〃
〃Three： one for sleep； one for wake…up and the last； the Pentothal…V6。 By the way； it should be kept cool until used。〃
〃Only the last intravenously？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Good； then write it all down。 Now。 You have paper？〃
Koronski nodded and pulled out a small notebook from his hip pocket。 〃Would you prefer Russian； English or shorthand？〃
〃Russian。 There's no need to describe the wake…sleep…wake pattern。 I've used that many times。 Just the last phase and don't name Pentothal…V6； just call it medicine。 Understand？〃
〃Perfectly。〃
〃Good。 When it's written； put it there。〃 He pointed to a small pile of used newspapers on the moth…eaten sofa。 〃Put it in the second one from the top。 I'll collect it later。 As to the chemicals there's a men's room on the ground floor of the Nine Dragons Hotel。 Tape them to the underside of the lid； the last booth on the right … and please be in your room at nine o'clock tonight in case I need some clarification。 Everything clear？〃
〃Certainly。〃
Suslev got up。 At once Koronski did the same； offered his hand。 〃Good luck； rade Captain。〃
Suslev nodded politely as to an inferior and walked out。 He went to the end of the corridor and through a bent door up a staircase to the roof。 He felt better in the air on the roof。 The room smell and Koronski's smell had displeased him。 The sea beckoned him； the wide clean ocean and salt…kelp smell。 It will be good to be at sea again； away from the land。 The sea and the ocean and the ship keep you sane。
Like most roofs in Hong Kong this one was packed with a polyglot of makeshift dwellings； the space rented … the only alternative to the crude； packed mud slopes of the squatter settlements that were far in the New Territories or in the hills of Kowloon or Hong Kong。 Every inch of space in the city had long since been taken by the vast influx of immigrants。 Most squatters' areas were illegal； like all roof dwellings； and as much as the authorities forbade it and deplored it； wisely they ignored these transgressions for where else were these unfortunates to go？ There was no sanitation； no water； not even simple hygiene； but it was still better than on the streets。 From the rooftops； the method of disposal was just to hurl it below。 Hong Kong yan always walked in the center of the street and never on the sidewalk； even if there was one。
Suslev ducked under clotheslines； stepped over the flotsam and jetsam of lifetimes； oblivious of the automatic obscenities that followed him； amused by the urchins who ran before him shrieking； 〃Quai loh 。。。 quai loh！〃； laughing together； holding out their hands。 He was too Hong Kong yan to give them any money though he was touched by them； their poverty and good humor； so he just cursed them genially and tousled a few crew…cut heads。
On the f