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s of citizens he helped to protect； despised by the news media…whom he in turn despised…and never being able to defend himself with the truth of what he did。 What a hell of a life。
But it did have its satisfactions； like getting the Rabbit the hell out of Dodge City。
If BEATRIX worked。
Foley told himself that now； once more； he knew what it was like to pitch in the World Series。
Istvan Kovacs lived a few blocks from the Hungarian parliamentary palace； an ornate building reminiscent of the Palace of Westminster； on the third floor of a turn…of…the…century tenement； whose four toilets were on the first floor of a singularly dreary courtyard。 Hudson took the local metro over to the government palace and walked the rest of the way； making sure that he didn't have a tail。 He'd called ahead…remarkably； the city's phone lines were secure； uncontrolled mainly because of the inefficiency of the local phone systems。
Kovacs was so typically Hungarian as to deserve a photo in the non existent tourist brochures： five…eight； swarthy； a mainly circular face with brown eyes and black hair。 But he dressed rather better than the average citizen because of his profession。 Kovacs was a smuggler。 It was almost an honored livelihood in this country； since he traded across the border to a putatively Marxist country to the south； Yugoslavia； whose borders were open enough that a clever man could purchase Western goods there and sell them in Hungary and the rest of Eastern Europe。 The border controls on Yugoslavia were fairly loose； especially for those who had an understanding with the border guards。 Kovacs was one such person。
〃Hello； Istvan；〃 Andy Hudson said； with a smile。 〃Istvan〃 was the local version of Steven； and 〃Kovacs〃 the local version of Smith； for its ubiquity。
〃Andy； good day to you；〃 Kovacs replied in greeting。 He opened a bottle of Tokaji； the local tawny wine made of grapes with the noble rot； which afflicted them every few years。 Hudson had e to enjoy it as the local variant of sherry； with a different taste but an identical purpose。
〃Thank you； Istvan。〃 Hudson took a sip。 This was good stuff； with six baskets of nobly rotten grapes on the label； indicating the very best。 〃So； how is business？〃
〃Excellent。 Our VCRs are popular with the Yugoslavs； and the tapes they sell me are popular with everyone。 Oh； to have such a prick as those actors do！〃 He laughed。
〃The women aren't bad； either；〃 Hudson noted。 He'd seen his share of such tapes。
〃How can a kurva be so beautiful？〃
〃The Americans pay their whores more than we do in Europe； I suppose。 But； Istvan； they have no heart； those women。〃 Hudson had never paid for it in his life…at least not up front。
〃It's not their hearts that I want。〃 Kovacs had himself another hearty laugh。 He'd been hitting the Tokaji already this day； so he wasn't making a run tonight。 Well； nobody worked all the time。
〃I may have a task for you。〃
〃Bringing what in？〃
〃Nothing。 Bringing something out；〃 Hudson clarified。
〃That is simple。 What trouble the hatar rseg give us is when we e in； and then not much。〃 He held up his right hand； rubbing thumb and forefinger together in the universal gesture for what the border guards wanted…money or something negotiable。
〃Well； this package might be bulky；〃 Hudson warned。
〃How bulky？ A tank you want to take out？〃 The Hungarian army had just taken delivery of new Russian T…72s； and that had made the TV； in an attempt to buck up the fighting spirit of the troops。 A waste of time； Hudson thought。 〃That might be hard； but it can be done； for a price。〃 But the Poles had already given one of those to SIS； a fact not widely known。
〃No； Istvan； smaller than that。 About my size； but three packages。〃
〃Three people？〃 Kovacs asked； getting a dull stare in return。 He got the message。 〃Bah； a simple task…baszd meg？〃 he concluded： Fuck it。
〃I thought I could count on you； Istvan；〃 Hudson said with a smile。 〃How much？〃
〃For three people into Yugoslavia。。。〃 Kovacs pondered that for a moment。 〃Oh。 Five thousand d…mark。〃
〃Ez kurva draga！〃 Hudson objected； or ostensibly so。 It was cheap at the price； hardly a thousand quid。 〃Very well； you thief！ I'll pay it because you are my friend…but just this one time。〃 He finished his drink。 〃You know； I could just fly the packages out；〃 Hudson suggested。
〃But the airport is the one place where the hatar rseg are alert；〃 Kovacs pointed out。 〃The poor bastards are always in the light； with their senior officers about。 No chance for them to be open to。。。 negotiations。〃
〃I suppose that is so；〃 Hudson agreed。 〃Very well。 I will call you to keep track of your schedule。〃
〃That is fine。 You know where to find me。〃
Hudson stood。 〃Thanks for the drink； my friend。〃
〃It lubricates the business；〃 Kovacs said； as he opened the door for his guest。 Five thousand West German marks would cover a lot of obligations and buy him a lot of goods to resell in Budapest for a handsome profit。
CHAPTER 23 … ALL ABOARD
Zaitzev called the travel office at 1530。 He hoped that this didn't show an unusual eagerness； but everyone was interested in their vacation arrangements； he figured。
〃rade Major； you are on the train day after tomorrow。 It leaves Kiev Station at thirteen hours thirty and arrives in Budapest two days later at fourteen hours exactly。 You and your family are booked into Carriage nine…oh…six in partments A and B。 You are also booked into Budapest's Hotel Astoria； Room three…oh…seven； for eleven days。 The hotel is directly across the street from the Soviet Culture and Friendship House； which is； of course； a KGB operation with a liaison office； should you need any local assistance。〃
〃Excellent。 Thank you very much for your help。〃 Zaitzev thought for a moment。 〃Is there anything I might purchase for you in Budapest？〃
〃Why； thank you； rade。〃 His voice just lit up。 〃Yes； perhaps some pantyhose for my wife；〃 the functionary said in a furtive voice。
〃What size？〃
〃My wife is a real Russian；〃 he replied； meaning decidedly not anorexic。
〃Very good。 I will find something…or my wife will assist me。〃
〃Excellent。 Have a grand trip。〃
〃Yes； I shall；〃 Zaitzev promised him。 With that settled； Oleg Ivan'ch left his desk and went to his watch supervisor to announce his plans for the ing two weeks。
〃Isn't there some upstairs project that only you are cleared for？〃 the lieutenant colonel asked。
〃Yes； but I asked Colonel Rozhdestvenskiy； and he said not to be concerned about it。 Feel free to call him to confirm that； rade；〃 Zaitzev told him。
And he did； in Zaitzev's presence。 The brief call ended with a 〃thank you； rade；〃 and then he looked up at his subordinate。 〃Very well； Oleg Ivan'ch； you are relieved of your duties beginning this evening。 Say； while you are in Budapest。。。〃
〃Certainly； Andrey Vasili'yevich。 You may pay me for them when I get back。〃 Andrey was a decent boss； who never screamed； and helped his people when asked。 A pity he worked for an agency that murdered innocent people。
And then it was just a matter of cleaning up his desk； which wasn't difficult。 KGB regulations dictated that every desk be set up exactly the same way； so that a worker could switch desks without confusion； and Zaitzev's desk was arranged exactly according to office specifications。 With his pencils properly sharpened and lined up； his message log up to the moment； and all his books properly in place； he dumped his trash and walked to the men's room。 There he selected a stall； removed his brown tie； and replaced it with his striped one。 He checked his watch。 He was actually a little early。 So Zaitzev took his time on the way out； smoked two cigarettes instead of one； and took a moment to enjoy the clear afternoon； stopping off to get a paper along the way； and； to pamper himself； six packs of Krasno…presnensky； the premium cigarette smoked by Leonid Brezhnev himself； for two rubles forty。 Something nice to smoke on the train。 Might as well spend his rubles now； he decided。 They'd be valueless where he was going。 Then he walked down to the metro station and checked the clock。 The train； of course； came right on time。
Foley was in the