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〃Entirely routine。 We observe the Rabbit and his family…we'll keep them under intermittent surveillance…and when the time is right； we'll whisk them out of the city and into Yugoslavia。〃
〃How？〃
〃Car or truck； haven't decided yet；〃 Hudson answered。 〃Hungary is the only possible problem。 The Yugoslavs care sod…all about people crossing their border…they have a million citizens working overseas in various capacities。 And our relations with the border guards is very cordial indeed；〃 Andy assured him。
〃Payoffs？〃
Hudson nodded as he took a turn around a modest…sized park。 〃It's a good way for them to outfit their families with fashionable items。 I know people who smuggle hard drugs in…I make no use of them； of course。 Drugs are one thing the locals at least pretend to care about； but some border guards are more open to negotiation than others…hell； they probably all are； or damned nearly all。 It's remarkable what you can get for some hard currency or a pair of Reebok running shoes。 The black market here is a lively one； and since it often brings hard currency into the country； the political leadership will look the other way so long as it doesn't get too out of hand； you see。〃
〃Then how did the CIA station get clobbered？〃
〃Bad bloody luck。〃 Hudson went on to explain for a minute or two。 〃Like being run over by a lorry on an empty road。〃
〃Damn； does that sort of thing really happen？〃
〃Not often； rather like winning a state lottery。〃
〃You gotta play to win；〃 Ryan murmured。 It was the motto for the Maryland State Lottery； which was just one more form of tax for those dumb enough to partake； just one that was a little more cynical than the other kinds。
〃Yes； that's right。 It's a chance we all take。〃
〃And how does that apply to getting the Rabbit and his family out？〃
〃One in ten thousand。〃
To Ryan； those sounded like betting odds； but there was one other hang…up to worry about。 〃Have they told you his wife and kid don't know how extended his vacation is？〃
That made Hudson's head turn。 〃You're bloody joking。〃
〃Nope。 That's what he told our people in Moscow。 plication？〃
His hands flexed on the wheel。 〃Only if she's noisy。 I suppose we can handle that if we must。〃 But it was plain on his face that it was something to worry about。
〃European women； they tell me； are less assertive than American ones。〃
〃They are； as a matter of fact；〃 Hudson agreed。 〃Particularly true of the Russians； I believe。 Well； we shall see。〃
One last turn onto Harm Utca； and they were at the British Embassy。 Hudson parked the car and got out。
〃That building there is the Budapesti Rendorfokapitansag； the police head quarters。 Good to be in a secure location…they are little threat to us。 The local police are not very highly regarded。 The local language is bloody impossible。 Indo…Altaic； philologists call it。 Origin is somewhere in Mongolia； if you can believe it。 Unrelated to any language you've ever heard about。 Not too many people here speak English； but some German； because Austria is the next country over。 Not to worry； you'll have one of us with you at all times。 I'll take you on a walkabout tomorrow morning。 Don't know about you； but traveling always tires me out。〃
〃Yeah；〃 Ryan agreed at once。 〃I call it travel shock。〃
〃So； we'll get you settled in your quarters upstairs。 The embassy canteen is quite adequate； and your quarters will be fortable if not elaborate。 Let me get your bag。〃
You couldn't knock the hospitality； Jack thought ten minutes later。 A bed； private bath； a TV； and a VCR with a dozen or so tapes。 He decided on The Cruel Sea with Jack Hawkins； and he made it to the end before fading off to sleep。
CHAPTER 26 … TOURISTS
All of them woke up about the same time。 Little zaichik was first； quickly followed by her mother and finally her father。 The Hotel Astoria even had room service； an unheard…of luxury for Soviet citizens。 Their room had a telephone； and Irina； after taking down the orders； called it in to the right extension； then was told that their food would arrive in about thirty minutes。
〃I could fix it faster；〃 Irina observed； with a hint of sourness。 But even she had to admit that not having to fix it wasn't a bad deal for her at all。 And so they all took turns in the bathroom in anticipation of their morning meal。
Ryan got himself showered and found his way to the embassy canteen about a quarter to eight。 Evidently； the Brits liked their luxuries as much as American foreign service officers。 He got himself a pile of scrambled eggs and bacon…Ryan loved English bacon； though their most popular sausages seemed to him to use sawdust as a filler…and four slices of white toast； figuring that he'd need a big breakfast to make it through this day。
The coffee wasn't all that bad。 On asking； he found out that it was Austrian in origin； which explained the quality。
〃The Ambassador insisted on that；〃 Hudson said； sitting down across the table from his American guest。 〃Dickie loves his coffee。〃
〃Who？〃 Jack asked。
〃Richard Dover。 He's the Ambassador…back in London at the moment； just left day before yesterday。 Too bad。 He'd enjoy meeting you。 Good boss； he is。 So； sleep well？〃
〃No plaints。 What the hell； only one hour's worth of time difference。 Is there a way for me to call London？ I didn't get a chance to talk to my wife before I left yesterday。 Don't want her to worry；〃 Jack explained。
〃Not a problem； Sir John；〃 Hudson told him。 〃You can do that from my office。〃
〃She thinks I'm in Bonn on NATO business。〃
〃Really？〃
〃Cathy knows I'm Agency； but she doesn't know much about what I do…and besides； I don't know what the hell I'm doing here anyway。 Analyst；〃 Ryan explained； 〃not an operations guy。〃
〃So the signal about you said。 Bollocks；〃 the field officer observed tersely。 〃Think of this as a new experience for your collection。〃
〃Thanks a bunch； Andy。〃 Ryan looked up with a very crooked smile。 〃I got plenty already； pal。〃
〃Well； then； the next time you do a memo； you'll have a better appreciation for how things are at the sharp end。〃
〃Fine with me； just so I don't get blunted by a brick wall。〃
〃It's my job to prevent that。〃
Ryan took a long sip of the coffee。 It wasn't up to Cathy's but； for industrial coffee； not too shabby。 〃What's the plan for today？〃
〃Finish breakfast； and I'm your tour guide。 We'll get you a feel for the land and start thinking about how we plete Operation BEATRIX。〃
The Zaitzev family was agreeably surprised by the quality of the food。 Oleg had heard good things about Hungarian cuisine； but the proof of the pudding is always in the eating； and the surprise was a pleasant one。 Eager to see the new city； they finished； got dressed； and asked for directions。 Since Irina was the one most interested in the local opportunities； she asked for the best shopping street。 This； the desk clerk said； was Vaci Utca； to which they could take the local metro； which； he told them； was the oldest in Europe。 And so they walked to Andrassy Utca and walked down the steps。 The Budapest…Metro； they saw； was really an ordinary streetcar tram； just underground。 Even the tram car was of wooden construction； with the same overhead catenary you usually found over the street。 But it was underground； if barely so； and it moved efficiently enough。 Barely ten minutes after boarding； they were at Vorosmarty Ter； or Red Marty Square； a short walk from Vaci Street。 They didn't notice the man who acpanied them at a discreet distance…Tom Trent…who was quite amazed to see them walking directly toward the British Embassy on Harm Utca。
Ryan went back to his room to get his raincoat…Hudson had advised a topcoat for the morning's jaunt…and then hustled down to the foyer； then outside onto the street。 The weather was broken clouds； which suggested rain later in the day。 Hudson nodded at the security officer at the door and led Ryan out； rather to his surprise when he got there。 Hudson's first look was to the left at police headquarters； but there was Tom Trent； not seventy…five yards away。。。
Following the Rabbit family？
〃Uh； Jack？〃
〃Yeah； Andy？〃
〃That's our bloody Rabbit； Mrs。 Rabbit； and