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〃Good evening； Oleg Ivanovich；〃 Hudson said quietly。 〃Do not turn around。〃
〃Who are you？〃 Zaitzev whispered back。
〃I am your travel agent。 I understand you wish to take a little trip。〃
〃Where might that be？〃
〃Oh； in a westerly direction。 You are concerned for the safety of someone； are you not？〃
〃You are CIA？〃 Zaitzev could not utter the acronym in anything but a hiss。
〃I am in an unusual line of work；〃 Hudson confirmed。 No sense confusing the chap at the moment。
〃So； what will you do with me？〃
〃This night you will sleep in another country； my friend；〃 Hudson told him； adding； 〃along with your wife and your lovely little daughter。〃 Hudson watched his shoulders slump…with relief or fear； the British spook wondered。 Probably both。
Zaitzev cleared his throat before whispering again。 〃What must I do？〃
〃First； you must tell me that you wish to go forward with your plan。〃
Only the briefest hesitation before： 〃Da。 We will proceed。〃
〃In that case； just do your business in here…〃 they were approaching the head of the line 〃…and then enjoy the rest of the concert； and return to your hotel。 We shall speak again there at one…thirty or so。 Can you do that？〃
Just a curt nod and a gasping single syllable： 〃Da〃 Oleg Ivan'ch really needed to use the urinal now。
〃Be at ease； my friend。 All is planned。 All will go well；〃 Hudson said to him。 The man would need assurance and confidence now。 This had to be the most frightening moment of his life。
There was no further reply。 Zaitzev took the next three steps to the marble urinal； unzipped； and relieved himself in more than one way。 He turned to leave without seeing Hudson's face。
But Trent saw his； as he stood there and sipped a glass of white wine。 If he'd made any signal to a fellow KGB spook in the room； the British officer hadn't seen it。 No rubbing the nose or adjusting his tie； no physical sign at all。 He just walked back through the swinging door and back to his seat。 BEATRIX was looking better and better。
The audience was back in its seats。 Ryan was doing his best to look like just one more classical music fan。 Then Hudson and Trent reentered the box。
〃Well？〃 Ryan rasped。
〃Bloody good music； isn't it？〃 Hudson replied casually。 〃This Rozsa chap is first…rate。 Amazing that a munist country can turn out anything better than a reprise of the Internationale。 Oh； after it's over；〃 Hudson added； 〃how about a drink with some new friends？〃
Jack let out a very long breath。 〃Yeah； Andy； I'd like that。〃 Son of a bitch； Ryan thought。 It's really going to happen。 He had lots of doubts； but they'd just subsided half a step or so。 It wasn't really very much； but it was a damned sight better than it could have been。
The second half of the concert started with more Bach； the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor。 Instead of strings； this one was a celebration of brass； and the lead cornet here might have taught Louis Armstrong himself something about the higher notes。 This was as much Bach as Ryan had ever heard at one time； and that old German poser had really had his shit wired； the former Marine thought； for the first time relaxing enough to enjoy it somewhat。 Hungary was a country that respected its music； or so it seemed。 If there was anything wrong with this orchestra； he didn't notice it； and the conductor looked as though he were in bed with the love of his life； so transfixed he was by the joy of the moment。 Jack wondered idly if Hungarian women were any good at that。 There was an earthy look to them； but not much smiling。。。 Maybe that was the munist government。 Russians were not known for smiling； either。
〃So； any news？ 〃Judge Moore asked。
Mike Bostock handed over the brief dispatch from London。 〃Basil says his COS Budapest is going to make his move tonight。 Oh； you'll love this part。 The Rabbit is staying in a hotel right across the street from the KGB rezidentura。〃
Moore's eyes flared a bit。 〃You have to be kidding。〃
〃Judge； do you think I'd say that for the fun of it？〃
〃When does Ritter get back？〃
〃Later today； flying back on Pan Am。 From what he sent to us from Seoul； everything went pretty well with the KCIA meetings。〃
〃He'll have a heart attack when he finds out about BEATRIX；〃 the DCI predicted。
〃It will get his eyes opened；〃 the Deputy DDO agreed。
〃Especially when he finds out that this Ryan boy is in on it？〃
〃On that； sir； you can bet the ranch； the cattle； and the big house。〃
Judge Moore had himself a good chuckle at that one。 〃Well； I guess the Agency is bigger than any one individual； right？〃
〃So they tell me； sir。〃
〃When will we know？〃
〃I expect Basil will let us know when the plane takes off from Yugoslavia。 It's going to be a long day for our new friends； though。〃
The next selection was Bach's 〃Sheep May Safely Graze。〃 Ryan recognized it as the tune played in a Navy recruiting mercial。 It was a gentle piece； very different from that which had preceded it。 He wasn't sure if this evening's performance was a showcase for Johann Sebastian or for the conductor。 In either case； it was pleasant enough； and the audience was wildly appreciative； noisier than for the concert selection。 One more piece。 Ryan had a program； but hadn't bothered looking at it； since it was printed in Magyar； and he couldn't read Martian any better than he could decipher the spoken form。
The last selection was Pachelbel's Canon； a justly famous piece； one that had always struck Ryan like a movie of a pretty girl saying her prayers back in the seventeenth century； trying to concentrate on her devotions instead of thinking about the handsome boy down the lane from her farmhouse…and not quite succeeding。
With the end； Jozsef Rozsa turned to the audience； which leapt again to its feet and howled its approval for endless minutes。 Yeah； Jack thought； the local boy had gone away； but he'd e home to make good； and the home boys from the old days were glad to have him back。 The conductor hardly smiled； as though exhausted from running the marathon。 And he was sweating； Jack saw。 Was conducting that hard？ If you were that far into it； maybe it was。 He and his Brit panions were standing and applauding as much as everyone else…no sense standing out…before； finally； the noise stopped。 Rozsa waved to the orchestra； which caused the cheering to continue； and then to the concertmaster of the orchestra； the first fiddle。 It seemed gracious of Rozsa； but probably the thing you had to do if you wanted the musicians to put out their best for you。 And then； at long last； it was time for the crowd to break up。
〃Enjoy the music； Sir John？〃 Hudson asked with a sly grin。
〃It beats what they play on the radio at home；〃 Ryan observed。 〃Now what？〃
〃Now we get a nice drink in a quiet place。〃 Hudson nodded to Trent； who made his own way off； and took Ryan in tow。
The air was cool outside。 Ryan immediately lit a cigarette； along with every other man in view and most of the women。 Hungarians didn't plan to live all that long； or so it seemed。 He felt as tied to Hudson as a child to his mother； but that wouldn't last too much longer。 The street had mostly apartment…type buildings。 In a Western city； it would have been condos； but those probably didn't exist here。 Hudson waved for Ryan to follow and they walked two blocks to a bar； ending up following about thirty people leaving the concert。 Andy got a corner booth from which he could scan the room； and a waiter came with a couple glasses of wine。
〃So； we go？〃 Jack asked。
Hudson nodded。 〃We go。 I told him we'd be to the hotel about one…thirty。〃
〃And then？〃
〃And then we drive to the Yugoslav border。〃
Ryan didn't ask further。 He didn't have to。
〃The security to the south is trivial。 Different the other way；〃 Andy explained。 〃Near the Austrian border； it's fairly serious； but Yugoslavia； remember； is a sister munist state…that's the local fiction in any case。 I'm no longer sure what Yugoslavia is； politically speaking。 The border guards on the Hungarian side do well for themselves…many friendly arrangements with the smugglers。 That is a growth industry； but the smart ones don't grow too much。 Do that and the Belugyminiszterium；