scoonts.theminotaur-第87部分

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　〃So　you。。。〃　Jake　began。　〃You　wrote　the　letters　and　mailed　them？〃
　〃Yes。　The　National　Security　Agency　gave　me　the　puter　codes　I　needed　and　helped　with　the　encryptions。　But　I　had　to　sit　down　and　write　each　letter。　The　human　touch；　you　see。　Each　letter　would　reveal　something　of　the　man　who　wrote　it；　so　they　all　had　to　be　written　by　one　man。
　〃Much　to　our　dismay；　the　instrument　the　Soviets　chose　to　exploit　the　gifts　of　the　Minotaur　was　a　traitor…for…hire　who　had　already　approached　their　embassy　a　year　or　so　before。　Terry　Franklin。　What　Terry　Franklin　didn't　know　was　that　the　National　Security　Agency　has　special　programs　that　reveal　when　each　selected　classified　document　is　accessed。　He　wrote　a　trapdoor　program　that　got　him　by　the　first　security　layer；　but　there　was　another　that　he　didn't　know　about。　So　we　were　immediately　on　to　him。　And　immediately　faced　with　a　dilemma。〃
　〃If　you　arrested　him　too　soon；　the　Soviets　might　just　ignore　the　Minotaur。〃
　〃Precisely；　Captain。　For　this　to　work；　the　information　had　to　be　very　good　stuff；　the　best。　And　we　had　to　give　them　enough　so　that　they　would　bee　addicted　to　it。　Then；　and　only　then；　would　they　feel　the　potential　profit　was　enough　to　risk　deep　plants　that　had　been　in　place　for　twenty　to　thirty　years。〃　The　secretary　looked　from　face　to　face。　〃Don't　you　see？　These　sleepers　were　assets！　They　belonged　to　someone　in　the　GRU　who　had　built　his　career　on　the　fact　that　he　had　these　assets；　which　would　someday；　at　the　right　moment；　be　of　incalculable　value。　Our　task　was　to　convince　him　or　his　superiors　that　now　was　that　moment。〃
　〃So　you　let　Franklin　do　his　thing。〃
　〃Precisely。　And　we　gave　them　excellent　information。　We　let　them　see　the　best　stuff　that　we　had。　We　got　them　addicted；　and　curious。　So　one　day　Franklin's　control　approached　Camacho；　Tsybov。〃　He　lifted　a　finger　skyward　for　dramatic　effect。　〃That　was　a　very　important　event。　The　Soviets　had　gone　to　one　of　the　names　on　the　list。　Now　we　knew　we　were　on　the　right　track。　We　were　heartened。〃
　Caplinger　rose　quickly　from　his　chair　and　began　to　pace。　He　explained　that　Harlan　Albright；　the　control；　was　a　GRU　colonel。　He　made　contact　with　Camacho；　moved　into　the　house　beside　him；　insisted　on　biweekly　briefings。　〃What　the　Soviets　wanted；　of　course；　was　the　identity　of　the　Minotaur。　So　the　game　began　for　Luis　Camacho。　We　didn't　authorize　him　to　reveal　the　Minotaur's　identity。　But　he　knew。　He　had　to　know。　He　knew　from　the　first。　He　was　the　man　who　was　actually　going　to　uncover　the　sleepers。〃
　He　was　silent　for　a　moment；　thinking　it　over　yet　again。　〃Once　Camacho　was　in　the　game；　he　became　the　key　player。　It　was　inevitable。　He　had　to　appear　to　be　a　double　agent　and　yet　he　had　to　force　the　Soviets　to　act。　To　act　as　we　wanted　them　to。　He　was　playing　a　dangerous　role。　And　to　appreciate　how　good　he　was　at　it；　you　would　have　to　have　known　Luis　Camacho　very；　very　well。　I　didn't；　but　I　got　the　flavor　of　the　man。　In　his　own　way；　in　his　own　field；　he　was　a　master。〃
　Caplinger　stopped　at　the　window　and　looked　out　at　the　meadows　and　distant　blue　mountains；　which　were　a　thin　line　on　the　western　horizon。　〃Inevitably；　and　I　do　not　use　that　word　lightly；　people　were　going　to　get　hurt。　Smoke　Judy　was　an　information　peddler。　He　killed　Harold　Strong…your　predecessor；　Captain…when　Strong　found　out　about　his　activities。　Camacho　learned　his　identity；　but　we　thought　he　might　be　of　use　later；　so　the　mittee　ordered　him　left　alone。　Certainly　no　one　could　foresee　that　an　indirect　result　of　that　decision　would　be　the　loss　of　the　TRX　prototype　and　your　wife's　injuries；　Lieutenant；　but。。。　there　were　reasons　that　looked　good　at　the　time　why　it　was　handled　the　way　it　was。〃　He　finished　lamely　and　turned　to　face　Tarkington。　〃I　am　sorry。〃
　Tarkington　was　examining　his　running　shoes。　He　retied　one　of　the　laces。
　〃Anyway；　there　were　several　other　deaths。　A　woman　was　killed　who　witnessed　a　drop　set　up　by　the　Soviets　to　give　Terry　Franklin　information；　a　Mrs。　Matilda　Jackson。　Harlan　Albright　killed　her；　after　we　ordered　Camacho　to　reveal　her　identity　to　Albright　as　proof　of　his　bona　fides；　his　mitment。　Camacho　refused　at　first；　but　we　convinced　him。　This　was　the　way　it　had　to　be。　Better　to　sacrifice　one　to　save　the　many。〃　The　secretary　went　back　to　his　chair　and　sat　heavily。　He　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃Too　often；〃　he　said　softly；　〃we　must　assume　some　of　God's　burden。　It　is　not　light。〃
　〃Too　bad；〃　said　Toad　Tarkington；　now　staring　at　the　secretary；　〃that　after　you　gave　an　innocent　civilian　the　chop；　this　whole　thing　fizzled。〃
　〃Did　it？〃　Caplinger's　voice　assumed　an　edge；　a　hard　flinty　edge。　〃Did　it　now？〃
　When　Toad　didn't　respond；　Caplinger　went　on；　his　voice　back　to　normal。　〃So　after　three　years　and　some　damn　tragic　risks；　the　stage　was　set。　After　a　few　carefully　chosen　facts　were　fed　to　Albright；　he　killed　Terry　Franklin。　That　was　a　masterpiece　of　cunning；　well　set　up　by　Camacho。　Of　course　Luis　didn't　like　it；　not　he；　but　he　played　his　part　to　perfection。　Albright　personally　eliminated　the　Soviets'　only　access　to　the　Pentagon　puter。　He　had　to　find　another。　Because　now　the　Minotaur　offered　the　richest　gift　of　all：　Athena。〃
　〃Smoke　Judy；〃　said　Jake　Grafton；　unable　to　keep　silent。
　〃Yes。　Smoke　Judy；　a　bitter　little　man　who　had　killed　once　and　found　how　easy　it　is。　Of　course；　that　was　the　crisis。　When　Judy　failed；　as　fail　he　surely　would　with　Luis　Camacho　watching　him；　Albright　would　have　no　other　choice。　He　would　have　to　go　to　another　deep　plant　on　the　list！　And　he　would　make　this　inevitable　choice　of　his　own　free　will；　unpressured　by　anyone。　That　was　our　thinking；　at　least。　Didn't　work　out　that　way。　Camacho　thought　Albright　was　onto　him　and　made　a　decision　on　his　own　to　warn　Vice　Admiral　Henry　about　the　risk　to　Athena。〃　He　gestured　to　the　heavens。　〃It　was　all　downhill　from　there。　Henry　took　it　upon　himself　to　apprehend　Judy。　You　know　how　that　turned　out。　The　jig　was　up。　Camacho　had　no　choice。　He　sent　men　to　arrest　Albright。〃
　〃You　were　willing　to　give　away　Athena？〃　Jake's　horror　was　in　his　voice…
　〃We　on　the　mittee　were　willing　to　take　the　risk　Albright　would　get　it；　which　isn't　precisely　the　same　thing；　Captain。　By　now　the　Minotaur's　credentials　were　impeccable。　We　thought　that　surely；　for　this　exquisite　technical　jewel；　the　Soviets　would　brush　the　dirt　off　one　or　two　deep　agents。〃
　〃But　they　didn't？〃
　〃No。　Perhaps　Albright　was　suspicious。　Probably　was。　Camacho　knew　that　Albright　saw　the　whole　operation　too　clearly；　so　he　revealed　the　Minotaur's　actual　identity　to　save　the　game。　It　wasn't　enough。　With　Judy　and　Albright　in　hiding；　the　Minotaur　wrote　one　more　letter；　giving　the　access　codes　for　the　new　Athena　file。　Then　we　waited　for　the　Soviets　to　activate　one　of　the　sleepers。　They　didn't。　What　happened　next　was　Albright　kidnapped　you；　swiped　all　the　Athena　information　he　could　readily　lay　hands　on；　then　went　to　Camacho's　house　to　kill　him。　Camacho　had　been　expecting　Albright　to　try　something；　but　we　didn't　know　exactly　what　it　would　be。　When　Luis　Camacho　came　down　those　stairs　and　saw　you　there　that　afternoon…then　he　knew。　The　Soviets　weren't　going　to　invest　any　more　major　assets　in　this　operation。　His　sole　hope　of　getting　the　sleepers'　names　was　Harlan　Albright；　who　might　know。〃
　Jake　said；　〃I　wondered　why　the　Athena　file　was　suddenly　renamed；　all　the　access　codes　changed。〃
　〃Henry　shouldn't　have　done　that。　Camacho　shouldn't　have　warned　him。　But　Camacho　was　worried　he　didn't　have　all　the　possible　holes　covered　and　he　knew　Athena's　real　value。　Still；　it　would　have　worked　if　Henry　hadn't　interfered。〃　Caplinger　sounded　as　if　he　was　trying　to　convince　himself。
　〃We　had　to　let　the　Russians　work　at　it。　If　they　succeeded　too　easily；　they　would　have　smelled　the　setup。　No；　our　mistake　was　giving　them　the　real　Minotaur。　Perhaps　they　found　his　identity　too　troublesome　once　they　knew。〃
　Caplinger　shrugged。　〃After　Judy　failed；　we　wanted　Albright　badly。　Our　thinking　then　was　that　perhaps　we　could　get　the　names　from　him；　willingly　or　with　hypnosis　and　drugs。　We　thought　the　odds　about　three　to　one　that　he　knew　the　names　then。　If　the　GRU　was　even　contemplating　using　a　sleeper；　the　controller　had　to　be　briefed　in　advance；　before　the　possibility　became　the　necessity。　Yet　Albright　evaded　the　clowns　sent　to　pick　him　up。　The　agents　thought　they　were　going　to　arrest　a　mail…fraud　suspect。〃　Caplinger　spread　his　hands；　a　gesture　of　frustration。　〃So　we　waited；　hoping　against　hope　a　sleeping　mole　would　awaken。　It　didn't　happen。〃
　〃So　you　failed；〃　Toad　said。
　〃Oh　no；　Mr。　Tarkington。　The　Minotaur　succeeded　beyond　our　wildest　dreams。　Not　exactly　in　the　way　we　expected；　of　course；　but　the　benefits　are　real　and　tangible。　This　operation　was　one　of　the　most　successful　covert　intelligence　operations　ever　undertaken　by　any　nation。　Ever。〃
　〃Please　explain；　sir。〃
　〃I　see　the　disbelief　written　all　over　your　face；　Captain。〃
　〃My　impression　is　that　you　people　gave　away　the　ranch；　sir。　Just　how　many　top　secret　programs　did　you　promise？〃
　〃We　showed　them　the　crown　jewels；　Captain。　We　had　to。　They　would　never　have　taken　the　bait　otherwise。　The　three　buried　moles　are　very　valuable。〃
　〃Pooh。〃　Tarkington　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　not　buying　it。　Those　three　agents　may　have　turned；　exactly　like　Camacho。　If　the　Soviets　ever　try　to　use　them；　those　guys　may　run　straight　to　the　FBI。　The　Russians　may　not　even　know　where　they　are　now。〃
　〃You　are　a　very　young　man；　Lieutenant。〃　Caplinger　was　scathing。　〃You　have　a　lot　to　learn。　The　deep　plants　are　valuable　to　the　Soviets　as　chips　in　the　Cold　War　poker　games；　at　home　and　abroad。　They　are　valuable　in　exactly　the　same　way　that　thermonuclear　weapons　are　valuable；　ICBMs；　boomer　submarines…I　could　go　on。　Those　three　buried　agents　are　hole　cards。　Lieutenant。　They　may　even　be　dead。　Yet　we　can　never　afford　to　ignore　them。　Do　you　begin　I　to　understand？〃
　〃Yessir。〃　Toad　looked　miserable。　〃But…〃
　〃There　are　layers　and　layers　and　layers。〃
　〃But　listen；〃　Toad　objected　reasonably。　〃We　didn't　even　know　these　men　existed　until　four　years　ago。　What　if　they　don't？〃
　〃Aha！　The　light　bees　a　glow！〃
　Caplinger　leaped　from　his　chair；　galvanized。　〃Perhaps　they　don't　exist！　Perhaps　the　defection　of　a　mid…level　KGB　officer　was　a　ploy；　and　the　list　was　bait　to　make　us　thi