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had gotten a good bunch of immigrants out of it。 Not a total loss。
〃And the local Secret Police？〃
〃Just down Andrassy Utca from here； Number sixty。 It's an ordinary…looking building that positively drips with blood。 Not as bad now as it used to be。 The original lot there were devotees of Iron Feliks； more ruthless than Hitler's Gestapo。 But after the failed rebellion； they moderated somewhat and changed their name from Allamvedelmi Osztaly to Allavedelmi Hivatal。 State Security Bureau instead of State Security Section。 The former boss was replaced； and they got gentler。 Formerly； they had a deserved reputation for torture。 Supposedly； that is a thing of the past。 The reputation alone is enough to make a suspect crumble。 Good thing to have a diplomatic passport；〃 Andy concluded。
〃How good are they？〃 Jack asked next。
〃Oafish。 Perhaps they recruited petent people once； but that is well in the past。 Probably a lingering effect of how evil they were in the forties and fifties。 Good people don't want to work there and there's no real benefit from doing so； of the kind that KGB can offer its recruits。 In fact； this country has some superb universities。 They turn out remarkably good engineers and people in the sciences。 And the Semmelweis medical school is first…rate。〃
〃Hell； half the guys in the Manhattan Project were Hungarians； weren't they？〃
Hudson nodded。 〃Indeed they were； and many of them Hungarian Jews。 Not too many of those left； though in the big war the Hungarians saved about half of theirs。 The Chief of State； Admiral Horthy； was probably killed over that…he died under what are euphemistically called 'mysterious circumstances。' Hard to say what sort of chap he actually was； but there is a school of thought that says he was a rabid anti…munist； but decidedly not a pro…Nazi。 Perhaps just a man who picked a bad place and time to be born。 We may never know for sure。〃 Hudson enjoyed being a tour guide for a change。 Not a bad change of pace from being a king…well； maybe prince…spook。
But it was time to get back to business。 〃Okay； how are we going to do this？〃 Jack asked。 He was looking around for a tail； but if there was one about； it was invisible to him； unless there was a team of the ubiquitous…dirty…Lada automobiles following them about。 He'd have to trust Hudson to scan for that possibility。
〃Back to the car。 We'll go see the hotel。〃 It was just a few minutes of driving time down Andrassy Utca； a route of remarkably French…style architecture。 Ryan had never been to Paris； but； closing his eyes； he thought he might well have been。
〃There； that's it；〃 Hudson said； pulling over。 One nice thing about munist countries： It wasn't hard to find a parking space。
〃Nobody watching us？〃 Ryan wondered； trying not to look too obvious in his turning around。
〃If so； he's being very clever about it。 Now； right there across the street is the local KGB station。 The Soviet Cultural and Friendship House； sadly lacking in culture or friendship； but we reckon thirty or forty KGB types there…none interested in us；〃 Hudson added。 〃The average Hungarian would probably rather catch gonorrhea than go inside。 Hard to tell you how detested the Soviets are in this country。 The locals will take their money and perhaps even shake hands after the money is exchanged； but not much more than that。 They remember 1956 here； Jack。〃
The hotel struck Ryan as something from what H。 L。 Mencken had called the gilded age…champagne ambition on a beer budget。
〃I've stayed in better；〃 Jack observed。 It wasn't the Plaza in New York or London's Savoy。
〃Our Russian friends probably have not。〃
Damn。 If we get them to America； they're going to be in hog heaven； Jack thought at once。
〃Let's go inside。 There's a rather nice bar；〃 Hudson told him。
And so there was； off to the right and down some steps； almost like a New York City disco bar； though not quite as noisy。 The band wasn't there yet； just some records playing； and not too loudly。 The music； Jack noted； was American。 How odd。 Hudson ordered a couple glasses of Tokaji。
Ryan sipped his。 It wasn't bad。
〃It's bottled in California； too； I think。 Your chaps call it Tokay； the national drink of Hungary。 It's an acquired taste； but better than grappa。〃
Ryan chuckled。 〃I know。 That's Italian for 'lighter fluid。' My uncle Mario used to love it。 De gustibus； as they say。〃 He looked around。 There was nobody within twenty feet。 〃Can we talk？〃
〃Better just to look about。 I'll e here tonight。 This bar closes after midnight； and I need to see what the staff is like。 Our Rabbit is in Room 307。 Third floor； corner。 Easy access via the fire stairs。 Three entrances； front and either side。 If； as I expect； there's only a single clerk at the desk； it's just a matter of distracting him to get our packages up and the Rabbit family out。〃
〃Packages up？〃
Hudson turned。 〃Didn't they tell you？〃
〃Tell me what？〃
Bloody hell； Hudson thought； they never get the necessary information out to everyone who needs it。 Never changes。
〃We'll talk about it later；〃 he told Ryan。
Uh…oh； Ryan thought at once。 Something was up that he wouldn't like。 Sure as hell。 Maybe he should have brought his Browning with him。 Oh； shit。 He finished his drink and went looking for the men's room。 The symbology helped。 The room had not been recently scrubbed； and it was a good thing he didn't need to sit down。 He emerged to find Andy waiting for him； and followed him back outside。 Soon they were back in his car。
〃Okay； can we discuss that little problem now？〃 Jack asked。
〃Later；〃 Hudson told him。 It just made Ryan worry a little more。
The packages were just arriving at the airport…three rather large boxes with diplomatic stickers on them…and an official from the embassy was at the ramp to make sure they weren't tampered with。 Someone had made sure to put them in identifying boxes from an electronics pany…the German pany Siemens； in this case…thus making it seem that they were coding machines or something else bulky and sensitive。 They were duly loaded in the embassy's own light truck and driven downtown with nothing more than curiosity in their wake。 The presence of an embassy officer had prevented their being x…rayed； and that was important。 That might have damaged the microchips inside； of course； the customs people at the airport thought； and so made up their official report to the Belugyminiszterium。 Soon it would be reported to everyone interested； including the KGB； that the U。K。 Budapest Embassy had taken on some new encryption gear。 The information would be duly filed and forgotten。
〃Enjoy your tour？〃 Hudson asked； back in his office。
〃Beats doing a real audit。 Okay； Andy；〃 Ryan shot back。 〃You want to walk me through this？〃
〃The idea es from your people。 We're to get the Rabbit family out in such a way that KGB think them dead； and hence not defectors who will cooperate with the West。 To that end； we have three bodies to put into the hotel room after we get Flopsy； Mopsy； and Cotton…tail out。〃
〃Okay； that's right；〃 Ryan said。 〃Simon told me about it。 Then what？〃
〃Then we torch the room。 The three bodies are victims of domestic fires。 They ought to have arrived today。〃
All Ryan could still feel was a visceral disgust。 His face showed it。
〃This is not always a tidy business； Sir John；〃 the SIS COS informed his guest。
〃Christ； Andy！ Where are the bodies from？〃
〃Does that matter to anyone？〃
A long breath。 〃No； I suppose not。〃 Ryan shook his head。 〃Then what？〃
〃We drive them south。 We'll meet with an agent of mine； Istvan Kovacs； a professional smuggler who is being well paid to get us over the border into Yugoslavia。 From there into Dalmatia。 Quite a few of my countrymen like to get some sun there。 We put the Rabbit family aboard a mercial airliner to take them…and you…back to England； and the operation is concluded to everyone's satisfaction。〃
〃Okay。〃 What else can I say？ Jack thought。 〃When？〃
〃Two or three days； I think。〃
〃Are you going to be packing？〃 he wondered next。
〃A pistol； you mean？〃
〃Not a slingshot；〃 Ryan clarified。
Hudson just shook his head。 〃Not really very useful things； guns。 If w