u'd all be dead or in goddamn Siberia。 Meanwhile； like it or not I got to deal with you。 We need Hong Kong as a window and right now your cops to guard the carrier。
〃Rog； thanks for the extra men；〃 he said。 〃We sure appreciate it。〃
〃We wouldn't want any trouble while she's here either。 Pretty ship。 I envy you having her。〃
〃Her captain'll have the ship and crew under tight wraps … the shore parties'll all be briefed； and warned； and we'll cooperate a hundred percent。〃
〃I'll see you get a copy of the list of bars I've suggested your sailors stay out of … some're known munist hangouts； and some are frequented by our lads off H。M。S。 Dart。〃 Crosse smiled。 〃There'll still be the odd brawl。〃
〃Sure。 Rog； this Voranski killing's too much of a coincidence。 Can I send a Shanghai speaker to assist the interrogation？〃
〃I'll let you know if we need help。〃
〃Can we have our copies of the tai…pan's other AMG reports now？ Then we can get out of your hair。〃
Crosse stared back at him twisting uneasily； even though he was prepared for the question。 〃I'll have to get approval from Whitehall。〃
Rosemont was surprised。 〃Our top man in England's been on to your Great White Father and it's approved。 You should have had it an hour ago。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Sure。 Hell； we'd no idea AMG was on the tai…pan's payroll let alone passing classified stuff for chrissake！ The wires've been red hot since Ed got the top copy of AMG's last will and testament。 We got an all…points from Washington on getting copies of the other reports and we're trying to trace the call to Switzerland but … 〃
〃Say again？〃
〃Kiernan's call。 The second call he made。〃
〃I don't follow you。〃
Rosemont explained。
Crosse frowned。 〃My people didn't tell me about that。 Nor did Dunross。 Now why should Dunross lie … or avoid telling me that？〃 He related to them exactly what Dunross had told him。 〃There was no reason for him to hide that； was there？〃
〃No。 All right； Rog： Is the tai…pan kosher？〃
Crosse laughed。 〃If you mean is he a one hundred percent British Royalist freebooter whose allegiance is to his House； himself and the Queen … not necessarily in that order … the answer's an emphatic yes。〃
〃Then if we can have our copies now； Rog； we'll be on our way。〃
〃When I've got Whitehall's approval。〃
〃If you'll check your decoding room … it's a Priority l…4a。 It says to let us have copies on receipt。〃
1…4a's were very rare。 They called for immediate clearance and immediate action。
Crosse hesitated； wanting to avoid the trap he was in。 He dared not tell them he did not yet have possession of the AMG reports。 He picked up the phone and dialed。 〃This is Mr。 Crosse。 Is their anything for me from Source？ A 1…4a？〃
〃No sir。 Other than the one we sent up an hour ago … that you signed for；〃 the SI woman said。
〃Thank you。〃 Crosse put the phone down。 〃Nothing yet；〃 he said。
〃Shit；〃 Rosemont muttered； then added； 〃They swore they'd already beamed it out and you'd have it before we got here。 It's got to be here any second。 If you don't mind we'll wait。〃
〃I've an appointment in Central shortly。 Perhaps later this evening？〃
Both men shook their heads。 Langan said； 〃We'll wait。 We've been ordered to send 'em back instantly by hand with a twenty…four…hour guard。 An army transport's due now at Kai Tak to carry the courier … we can't even copy them here。〃
〃Aren't you overreacting？〃
〃You could answer that。 What's in them？〃
Crosse toyed with his lighter。 It had Cambridge University emblazoned on it。 He had owned it since his undergraduate days。 〃Is it true what AMG said about the CIA and the Mafia？〃
Rosemont stared back at him。 〃I don't know。 You guys used all sort of crooks during World War Two。 We learned from you to take advantage of what we've got … that was your first rule。 Besides；〃 Rosemont added with utter conviction； 〃this war's our war and whatever it takes we're going to win。〃
〃Yes； yes we must；〃 Langan echoed； equally sure。 〃Because if we lose this one； the whole world's gone and we'll never get another chance。〃
On the closed…in bridge of the Sovetsky Ivanov three men had binoculars trained on the nuclear carrier。 One of the men was a civilian and he wore a throat mike that fed into a tape recorder。 He was giving an expert； technical running mentary of what he saw。 From time to time the other two would add a ment。 Both wore light naval uniform。 One was Captain Gregor Suslev； the other his first officer。
The carrier was ing up the roads nicely； tugs in attendance； but no tug ropes。 Ferries and freighters tooted a jaunty wele。 A marine band played on her aft deck。 White…clad sailors waved at passing ships。 The day was very humid and the afternoon sun cast long shadows。
〃The captain's expert；〃 the first officer said。
〃Yes。 But with all that radar even a child could handle her；〃 Captain Suslev replied。 He was a heavy…shouldered； bearded man； his Slavic brown eyes deepset in a friendly face。 〃Those sweepers aloft look like the new GEs for very long…range radar。 Are they； Vassili？〃
The technical expert broke off his transmission momentarily。 〃Yes； rade Captain。 But look aft！ They've four F5 interceptors parked on the right flight deck。〃
Suslev whistled tonelessly。 〃They're not supposed to be in service till next year。〃
〃No；〃 the civilian said。
〃Report that separately as soon as she docks。 That news alone pays for our voyage。〃
〃Yes。〃
Suslev fine…tuned his focus now as the ship turned slightly。 He could see the airplanes' bomb racks。 〃How many more F5's does she carry in her guts； and how many atomic warheads for them？〃
They all watched the carrier for a moment。
〃Perhaps we'll get lucky this time； rade Captain；〃 the first officer said。
〃Let's hope so。 Then Voranski's death won't be so expensive。〃
〃The Americans are fools to bring her here … don't they know every agent in Asia'll be tempted by her？〃
〃It's lucky for us they are。 It makes our job so much easier。〃 Once more Suslev concentrated on the F5's that looked like soldier hornets among other hornets。
Around him the bridge was massed with advanced surveillance equipment。 One radar was sweeping the harbor。 A gray…haired impassive sailor watched the screen； the carrier a large clear blip among the myriad of blips。
Suslev's binoculars moved to the carrier's ominous bridge plex； then wandered the length of the ship。 In spite of himself he shivered at her size and power。 〃They say she's never refueled … not since she was launched in 1960。〃
Behind him the door to the radio room that adjoined the bridge opened and a radio operator came up to him and saluted； offering the cable。 〃Urgent from Center； rade Captain。〃
Suslev took the cable and signed for it。 It was a meaningless jumble of words。 A last look at the carrier and he let the binoculars rest on his chest and strode off the bridge。 His sea cabin was just aft on the same deck。 The door was guarded； like both entrances to the bridge。
He relocked his cabin door behind him and opened the small； concealed safe。 His cipher book was secreted in a false wall。 He sat at his desk。 Quickly he decoded the message。 He read it carefully； then stared into space for a moment。
He read it a second time； then replaced the cipher book； closed the safe and burned the original of the cable in an ashtray。 He picked up his phone。 〃Bridge？ Send rade Metkin to my cabin！〃 While he waited he stood by the porthole lost in thought。 His cabin was untidy。 Photographs of a heavyset woman； smiling self…consciously； were on his desk in a frame。 Another of a good…looking youth in naval uniform； and a girl in her teens。 Books； a tennis racket and a newspaper on the half…made bunk。
A knock。 He unlocked the door。 The sailor who had been staring at the radar screen stood there。
〃e in； Dimitri。〃 Suslev motioned at the decoded cable and relocked the door after him。
The sailor was short and squat； with graying hair and a good face。 He was； officially； political missar and therefore senior officer on the ship。 He picked up the decoded message。 It read： 〃Priority One。 Gregor Suslev。 You will assume Voranski's duties and responsibilities at once。 London reports optimum CIA and MI…6 interest in information contain