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fully。 I agree with Jason it'll be good to shake up Hong Kong。 Dunross's kidnapping will create all sorts of waves。 With the bank runs and the stock market crash … yes it would help us very much。 I'm rather worried。 Sinders is sniffing around too closely and asking me all sorts of wrong questions。 Then there's the Metkin affair； Voranski； the AMG papers； you … too many mistakes。 Pressure needs to be taken off Sevrin。 Dunross'll do that admirably。〃
〃You're sure？〃 Suslev asked； needing reassurance。
〃Yes。 Oh yes； Dunross will do very nicely thank you。 He's the decoy。 I'll need all the help I can get。 You're going to shop Arthur。 Aren't you？〃
Suslev saw the eyes boring into him and his heart almost stopped but he kept his shock off his face。 Just。 〃I'm glad Sinders told you about our meeting。 That saves me the trouble。 How can I get out of his trap？〃
〃How're you going to avoid it？〃
〃I don't know； Roger。 Will Sinders do what he threatened？〃
Crosse snapped； 〃e on； for God's sake！ Wouldn't you？〃
〃What can I do？〃
〃It's your neck or Arthur's。 If it's Arthur's； then the next neck could be mine。〃 There was a long； violent pause and Suslev felt the hair on the nape of his neck twist。 〃So long as it's not mine … and I know what's going on in advance … I don't care。〃
Suslev looked back at him。 〃You want a drink？〃
〃You know I don't drink。〃
〃I meant water … or soda。〃 The big man went to the refrigerator and took out the vodka bottle and drank from the bottle。 〃I'm glad Sinders told you。〃
〃For chrissake； Gregor； where've your brains gone？ Of course he didn't tell me … the fool still thinks it was a secret； private deal； just you and him； of course he does！ Good sweet Christ； this's my bailiwick！ I maneuvered him into a room that I'd bugged。 Am I a simpleton？〃 The eyes hardened even more and Suslev felt his chest tighten unbearably。 〃So it's a simple choice； Gregor。 It's you or Arthur。 If you shop him I'm in danger and so's everyone else。 If you don't concede to Sinders you're finished。 Of the two choices I'd prefer you dead … and me； Arthur and Sevrin safe。〃
〃The best solution's that I betray Arthur；〃 Suslev said。 〃But that before they catch him he flees。 He can e aboard the Ivanov。 Eh？〃
〃Sinders'll be ahead of you and he'll stop you in Hong Kong waters。〃
〃That's possible。 Not probable。 I'd resist a boarding at sea。〃 Suslev watched him； the bile in his mouth。 〃It's that or Arthur mits suicide … or is eliminated。〃
Crosse stared at him。 〃You must be joking！ You want me to send Jason into the Great Hereafter？〃
〃You said yourself； it's someone's neck。 Listen； at the moment we're just examining possibilities。 But it's a fact you're not expendable。 Arthur is。 The others。 I am；〃 Suslev said； meaning it。 〃So whatever happens it mustn't be you … and preferably not me。 I never did like the idea of dying。〃 He took another swig of the vodka and felt the lovely； stomach…warming sensation； then turned his eyes back on his ally。 〃You are an ally； aren't you？〃
〃Yes。 Oh yes。 So long as the money keeps up and I enjoy the game。〃
〃If you believed； you would live a longer and better life； tovarich。〃
〃The only thing that keeps me alive is that I don't。 You and your KGB friends can try and take over the world； infiltrate capitalism and any other ism you like； for whatever purpose you admit； or enjoy； and meanwhile； I shall jolly you along。〃
〃What does that mean？〃
〃It's an old English expression that means to help；〃 Crosse said dryly。 〃So you're going to shop Arthur？〃
〃I don't know。 Could you lay a false trail to the airport to give us time to escape Hong Kong waters？〃
〃Yes； but Sinders has already doubled surveillance there。〃
〃What about Macao？〃
〃I could do that。 I don't like it。 What about the others of Sevrin？〃
〃Let them burrow deeper； we close everything down。 You take over Sevrin and we activate again once the storm subsides。 Could deVille bee tai…pan after Dunross？〃
〃I don't know。 I think it'll be Gavallan。 Incidentally； two more Werewolf victims were discovered out at Sha Tin this morning。〃
Suslev's hope quickened and some of his dread left him。 〃What happened？〃
Crosse told him how they were found。 〃We're still trying to identify the poor buggers。 Gregor； shopping Arthur's dicey； whatever happens。 It might spill back to me。 Perhaps with the stock market crashing； the banks all messed up and Dunross vanishing； it might be cover enough。 It might。〃
Suslev nodded。 His nausea increased。 The decision had to be made。 〃Roger； I'm going to do nothing。 I'm just going to leave and take the chance。 I'll； I'll make a private report to forestall Sinders and tell Center what happened。 Whatever Sinders does； well； that's up to the future。 I've got friends in high places too。 Perhaps the Hong Kong disaster and having Dunross … I'll do the chemical debrief myself anyway； just in case he's cheating us and is as clever as you say he is 。。。 what is it？〃
〃Nothing。 What about Koronski？〃
〃He left this morning after I got all the chemicals。 I rescheduled the debrief to be on the Ivanov； not ashore。 Why？〃
〃Nothing。 Go on。〃
〃Perhaps the Hong Kong debacle'll placate my superiors。〃 Now that Suslev had made the decision he felt a little better。 〃Send an urgent report to Center through the usual channels to Berlin。 Get Arthur to do the same by radio tonight。 Make the report very pro…me； eh？ Blame the Metkin affair on the CIA here； the carrier leak； Voranski。 Eh？ Blame the CIA and the Kuomintang。〃
〃Certainly。 For a double fee。 By the way； Gregor； if I were you I'd clean my prints off that bottle。〃
〃Eh？〃
Sardonically Crosse told him about Rosemont filching the glass in the raid and how； months ago； to protect Suslev he had extracted his prints from his dossier。
The Russian was white。 〃The CIA have my prints on file？〃
〃Only if they've a better dossier than ours。 I doubt that。〃
〃Roger； I expect you to cover my back。〃
〃Don't worry； I'll make the report so lily…white they'll promote you。 In return you remend my bonus's 100；000 dol… 〃
〃That's too much！〃
〃That's the fee！ I'm getting you out of one helluva mess。〃 The mouth smiled； the eyes did not。 〃It's fortunate we're professionals。 Isn't it？〃
〃I'll … I'll try。〃
〃Good。 Wait here。 Clinker's phone's bugged。 I'll phone from Jason's flat the moment I know about Dunross。〃 Crosse put out his hand。 〃Good luck； I'll do what I can with Sinders。〃
〃Thanks。〃 Suslev gave him a bear hug。 〃Good luck to you too； Roger。 Don't fail me on Dunross。〃
〃We won't fail。〃
〃And keep up the good work； eh？〃
〃Tell your friends to keep up the money。 Eh？〃
〃Yes。〃 Suslev closed the door behind Crosse； then wiped the palms of his hands on his trousers and took out the roll of film。 Quietly he cursed it and Dunross and Hong Kong and Sinders； the specter of the KGB questioning him about Metkin swamping him。 Somehow I've got to avoid that； he told himself； the cold sweat running down his back。 Perhaps I should shop Arthur after all。 How to do it； and keep Roger in the clear？ There must be a way。
Outside on the landing； Roger Crosse got into the elevator and pressed the ground…floor button。 Alone now he leaned exhaustedly against the rickety walls and shook his head to try to get the fear out。 〃Stop it！〃 he muttered。 With an effort he dominated himself and lit a cigarette； noticing his fingers were trembling。 If that bugger chemical debriefs Dunross； he told himself； I'm up the creek。 And I'll bet fifty dollars to a pile of dung Suslev still hasn't ruled out the possibility of shopping Plumm。 And if he does that； Christ my whole pack of cards can e tumbling down about my ears。 One mistake； one tiny slip and I'm finished。
The elevator stopped。 Some Chinese got in noisily but he did not notice them。
On the ground floor； Rosemont was waiting。
〃And？〃
〃Nothing； Stanley。〃
〃You and your hunches； Rog。〃
〃You never know； Stanley； there might have been something；〃 Crosse said； trying to get his mind working。 He had invented the hunch and invited Rosemont along … to wait below … the ruse just to throw off Rosemont's CIA men he knew were still watching the foyer。
〃You all right； Rog？〃
〃Oh yes。 Yes； thanks。 Why？〃
Rosemont shrugged。 〃You want a coffee or a beer？〃 They walked out into the night。 Rosemont's car was waiting outside。
〃No thanks。 I'm going there。〃 Crosse pointed to Rose Court； the highrise that loomed over them on the road above。 〃It's a cocktail party obligation。〃 He felt his fear welling again。 What the hell do I do now？
〃What's up； Rog？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Rose Court； huh？ Maybe I should get me an apartment there。 Rosemont of Rose Court。〃
〃Yes。〃 Crosse mustered his strength。 〃Do you want to e down to the dock to see the Ivanov off？〃
〃Sure； why not？ I'm glad you sent that mother packing。〃 Rosemont stifled a yawn。 〃We broke that puter bastard tonight。 Seems he had all sorts of secrets stacked away。〃
〃What？〃
〃Bits and pieces about the Corregidor； her top speed； where her nukes e from； their arming codes； things like that。 I'll give you a rundown tonight。 You pick me up at midnight； okay？〃
〃Yes； yes all right。〃 Crosse turned and hurried off。 Rosemont frowned after him； then looked up at Rose Court。