jamesclavell.noblehouse-第158部分

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ithout　attracting　attention。　At　last　he　went　into　the　open…faced　restaurant　and　sat　down　and　ordered　a　beer。　Armstrong　sighed　again；　happy　now。
　It　seemed　to　take　the　man　an　interminable　time　before　he；　too；　got　up；　asked　where　the　toilet　was；　walked　through　the　few　diners　and　went　under　the　bead　curtain。　In　time　he　reappeared　and　went　for　his　table。　At　once　the　four　coolie　diners　fell　on　him　from　behind；　pinioning　his　arms　and　holding　him　helpless；　while　another　strapped　a　stiff　high　collar　around　his　neck。　Other　diners；　real　customers；　and　not　undercover　SI　police；　gaped；　one　dropped　his　chopsticks；　a　couple　fled　and　the　others　froze。
　Armstrong　got　up　from　his　stool　leisurely　and　walked　over。　He　saw　the　tough…looking　Chinese　behind　the　counter　take　off　his　apron。　〃Shut　up；　you　bastard；〃　the　fellow　said　in　Russian　to　the　man　who　cursed　and　struggled　impotently。　〃Evening；　Superintendent；〃　he　added　to　Armstrong　with　a　sly　grin。　His　name　was　Malcolm　Sun；　he　was　a　senior　agent；　SI；　and　ranking　Chinese　on　this　16/2。　It　was　he　who　had　organized　the　intercept　and　had　paid　off　the　cook　who　usually　worked　this　shift　and　had　taken　his　place。
　〃Evening；　Malcolm。　You　did　very　well。〃　Armstrong　turned　his　attention　to　the　enemy　agent。　〃What's　your　name？〃　he　asked　pleasantly。
　〃Who　you？　Let　me　go　。。。　let　go！〃　the　man　said　in　heavily　accented　English。
　〃All　yours；　Malcolm；〃　Armstrong　said。
　At　once；　Sun　said　in　Russian；　〃Listen　you　mother…eater；　we　know　you're　off　the　Ivanov；　we　know　you're　a　courier　and　you've　just　picked　up　a　drop　from　the　American　off　the　nuclear　carrier。　We've　already　got　the　bastard　in　custody　and　you'd　bet…　〃
　〃Lies！　You've　made　a　mistake；〃　the　man　blustered　in　Russian。　〃I　know　nothing　of　any　American。　Let　me　go！〃
　〃What's　your　name？〃
　〃You've　made　a　mistake。　Let　me　go！〃　A　crowd　of　gaping；　gawking　onlookers　was　now　surrounding　the　store。
　Malcolm　Sun　turned　to　Armstrong。　〃He's　a　ripe　one；　sir。　Doesn't　understand　very　good　Russian。　I'm　afraid　we'll　have　to　take　him　in；〃　he　said　with　a　twisted　smile。
　〃Sergeant；　get　the　Black　Maria。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃　Another　agent　went　off　quickly　as　Armstrong　went　closer。　The　Russian　was　gray…haired；　a　squat　man　with　small；　angry　eyes。　He　was　held　perfectly　with　no　chance　of　escape　and　no　chance　to　put　a　hand　into　a　pocket　or　into　his　mouth　to　destroy　evidence；　or　himself。
　Armstrong　searched　him　expertly。　No　manual　or　roll　of　film。　〃Where　did　you　put　it？〃　he　asked。
　〃I　no　understand！〃
　The　man's　hatred　did　not　bother　Armstrong。　He　bore　him　no　malice；　the　man　was　just　a　target　who　had　been　trapped。　I　wonder　who　shopped　this　poor　bugger　who's　frightened　to　death；　rightly；　who's　now　ruined　with　the　KGB　and　with　his　own　people　forever　and　might　as　well　be　a　dead　man。　I　wonder　why　it's　our　coup　and　not　old　Rosemont's　and　his　CIA　boys？　How　is　it　we're　the　ones　who　knew　about　the　drop　and　not　the　Yanks？　How　is　it　Crosse　got　to　know　about　this？　All　Crosse　had　told　him　was　the　where　and　the　how　and　that　the　drop　was　going　to　be　made　by　a　sailor　from　the　carrier　and　intercepted　by　someone　off　the　Ivanov。
　〃You're　in　charge；　Robert；　and　please；　don't　make　a　balls　up。〃
　〃I　won't。　But　please　get　someone　else　for　Brian　K…　〃
　〃For　the　last　time；　Robert；　you're　doing　the　Kwok　interrogation　and　you're　seconded　to　SI　until　I　release　you。　And　if　you　bitch　once　more　I'll　have　you　out　of　the　force；　out　of　Hong　Kong；　out　of　your　pension　and　I　hardly　need　remind　you　SI's　reach　is　very　long。　I　doubt　if　you'd　work　again；　unless　you　go　criminal；　and　then　God　help　you。　Is　that　finally　clear？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃Good。　Brian　will　be　ready　for　you　at　six　tomorrow　morning。〃
　Armstrong　shivered。　How　impossibly　lucky　we　were　to　catch　him！　If　Spectacles　Wu　hadn't　e　from　Ning…tok　…　if　the　old　amah　hadn't　talked　to　the　Werewolf　…　if　the　run　on　the　bank　…　Christ；　so　many　ifs。　But　then　that's　how　you　catch　a　fish；　a　big　fish。　Pure；　bloody；　unadulterated　luck　most　times。　Jesus　Christ；　Brian　Kwok！　You　poor　bugger！
　He　shivered　again。
　〃You　all　right；　sir？〃　Malcolm　Sun　asked。
　〃Yes。〃　Armstrong　looked　back　at　the　Russian。　〃Where　did　you　put　the　film；　the　roll　of　film？〃
　The　man　stared　back　at　him　defiantly。　〃Don't　understand！〃
　Armstrong　sighed。　〃You　do；　too　well。〃　The　big　black　van　came　through　the　gawking　crowd　and　stopped。　More　SIs　got　out。　〃Put　him　in　and　don't　let　go　of　him；〃　Armstrong　said　to　those　holding　him。　The　crowd　watched　and　chattered　and　jeered　as　the　man　was　frog…marched　into　the　van。　Armstrong　and　Sun　got　in　after　him　and　closed　the　door。
　〃Off　you　go；　driver；〃　Armstrong　ordered。
　〃Yes　sir。〃　The　driver　let　in　his　clutch　easing　through　the　crowds　and　joined　the　snarled　traffic　heading　for　Central　HQ。
　〃All　right；　Malcolm。　You　can　begin。〃
　The　Chinese　agent　took　out　a　razor…sharp　knife。　The　Soviet　man　blanched。
　〃What's　your　name？〃　Armstrong　asked；　sitting　on　a　bench　opposite　him。
　Malcolm　Sun　repeated　the　question　in　Russian。
　〃D　。。。　Dimitri　Metkin；〃　the　man　muttered；　still　held　viselike　by　the　four　men　and　unable　to　move　a　finger　or　a　toe。　〃Seaman；　first　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？〃
　
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　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