按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
n Martian。 Otherwise they were the European sort； showing the speed limit in black numbers on a white disc within a red circle。
Hudson was a petent driver； puffing away on his cigars and driving as though he were on his way to Covent Garden in London。 Ryan thanked God that he'd made a trip to the head before walking to the hotel…otherwise he might lose control of his bladder。 Well； probably his face didn't show how nervous he was； Jack hoped。 He kept telling himself that his own life wasn't on the line； but those of the people in the back were； and they were now his responsibility； and something in him； probably something learned from his policeman father； made that a matter of supreme importance。
〃What is your full name？〃 Oleg asked him； breaking the silence unexpectedly。
〃Ryan； Jack Ryan。〃
〃What sort of name is Ryan？〃 the Rabbit pressed on。
〃My ancestry is Irish。 John corresponds to Ivan； I think； but people call me Jack； like Vanya； maybe。〃
〃And you are in CIA？〃
〃Yes； I am。〃
〃What is your job in CIA？〃
〃I am an analyst。 Mostly I sit at a desk and write reports。〃
〃I also sit at desk in Centre。〃
〃You are a munications officer？〃
A nod。 〃Da； that is my job in Centre。〃 Then Zaitzev remembered that his important information was not for the back of a car； and he shut back up。
Ryan saw that。 He had things to say； but not here； and that was fair enough for the moment。
The trip went smoothly。 Four cigars for Hudson； and six cigarettes for Ryan； until they approached the town of Csurgo。
Ryan had expected something more than this。 Csurgo was barely a wide place in the road； with not even a gas station in evidence； and surely not an all…night 7…Eleven。 Hudson turned off the main road onto a dirt track； and three minutes later there was the shape of a mercial truck。 It was a big Volvo； he saw in a moment； with a black canvas cover on the back and two men standing next to it； both smoking。 Hudson pulled around it； finding concealment behind some nondescript sort of shed a few yards from it； and stopped the Jaguar。 He hopped out； and motioned to the rest to do the same。
Ryan followed the Brit spook to the two men。 Hudson walked right up to the older of the two and shook his hand。
〃Hello； Istvan。 Good of you to wait for us。〃
〃Hello； Andy。 It is a dull night。 Who are your friends？〃
〃This is Mr。 Ryan。 These are the Somerset family。 We're going across the border；〃 Hudson explained。
〃Okay；〃 Kovacs agreed。 〃This is Jani。 He's my driver for tonight。 Andy； you can ride in front with us。 The rest will be in the back。 e；〃 he said； leading the way。
The truck's tailgate had ladder steps built in。 Ryan climbed up first； and bent down to lift the little girl…Svetlana； he remembered； was her name…and watched her mother and father climb up。 In the cargo area； he saw； were some large cardboard boxes； perhaps containers for the tape machine Hungarians made。 Kovacs climbed up also。
〃You all speak English？〃 he asked； and got nods。 〃It is a short way to the border； just five kilometer。 You will hide in boxes here。 Please make no noise。 Is important。 You understand？ Make no noise。〃 He got more nods； noting that the man…definitely not an Englishman； he could see…translated to his wife。 The man took the child； Kovacs saw also。 With his cargo hidden away； he closed the tailgate and walked forward。
〃Five thousand d…mark for this； eh？〃 Istvan asked。
〃That is correct；〃 Hudson agreed。
〃I should ask more； but I am not a greedy man。〃
〃You are a trusted rade； my friend；〃 Hudson assured him； briefly wishing that he had a pistol in his belt。
The Volvo's big diesel lit up with a rumbling roar and the truck jerked off； back to the main road； with Jani at the large； almost flat steering wheel。
It didn't take long。
And that was a good thing for Ryan； crouching in the cardboard box in the back。 He could only guess how the Russians felt； like unborn babies in a horrible womb； one with loaded guns outside it。
Ryan was afraid even to smoke a final cigarette； fearing someone might smell the smoke over the pungent diesel exhaust； which was altogether unlikely。
〃So； Istvan；〃 Hudson asked in the cab； 〃what is the routine？〃
〃Watch。 We usually travel at night。 Is more…dramatic； you say？ I know the Hatar…rseg here many years now。 Captain Budai Laszlo is good man to do business with。 He has wife and little daughter； always want present for daughter Zsoka。 I have；〃 Kovacs promised； holding up a paper bag。
The border post was sufficiently well lighted that they could see it three kilometers off； and blessedly there was little traffic this time of night。 Jani drove up normally； slowing and stopping there when the private of the border guards； the Hatar…rseg； waved for them to halt。
〃Is Captain Budai here？〃 Kovacs asked at once。 〃I have something for him。〃 The private headed into the guardhouse and returned instantly with a more senior man。
〃Laszlo！ How are you this cold night？〃 Kovacs called in Magyar； then jumped down from the cab with the paper shopping bag。
〃Istvan； what can I say； it is dull night；〃 the youngish captain replied。
〃And your little Zsoka； she is well？〃
〃Her birthday is next week。 She will be five。〃
〃Excellent！〃 the smuggler observed。 He handed over the bag。 〃Give her these。〃
〃These〃 were a pair of candy…apple…red Reebok sneakers with Velcro closures。
〃Lovely；〃 Captain Budai observed； with genuine pleasure。 He took them out to look at them in the light。 Any female child in the world loved the things； and Laszlo was as happy as his daughter would be in four days。 〃You are a good friend； Istvan。 So； what do you transport tonight？〃
〃Nothing of value。 I'm making a pickup this morning in Beograd； though。 Anything you need？〃
〃My wife would love some tapes for the Walkman you got her last month。〃 The amazing thing about Budai was that he was not an overly greedy man。 That was one of the reasons Kovacs liked to travel across the border on his watch。
〃What groups？〃
〃The Bee Gees； I think she called them。 For me； some show tunes； if you don't mind。〃
〃Anything in particular？ The music from American movies； like Star Wars； perhaps。〃
〃I have that one； but not the new one； the Empire Attacks Back； perhaps？〃
〃Done。〃 They shook hands。 〃How about some Western coffee？〃
〃What kind？〃
〃Austrian or American； maybe？ There's a place in Beograd that has American Folgers coffee。 It is very tasty；〃 Kovacs assured him。
〃I have never tried that。〃
〃I'll get you some and you can try it…no charge。〃
〃You are a good man；〃 Budai observed。 〃Have a good night。 Pass；〃 he concluded； waving to his corporal。
And it was just that easy。 Kovacs walked back around and climbed into his truck。 He wouldn't have to part with the present he had for Sergeant Kerekes Mikaly； and that was good； too。
Hudson was surprised。 〃No paper check？〃
〃Laszlo just runs the name through the teletype to Budapest。 Some people there are also on my payroll。 They are more greedy than he is； but is not major expense。 Jani； go；〃 he said to the driver； who started up and pulled across the line painted on the pavement。 And just that easily； the truck left the Warsaw Pact。
In the back； Ryan had rarely felt so good to feel a vehicle start to move。 It stopped again in a minute； but this was a different border。
And going into Yugoslavia； Jani handled it； just trading a few words with the guard； not even killing the engine； before being waved forward and into the semi…munist country。 He drove three kilometers before being told to pull off onto a side road。 There； after a few bumps； the Volvo stopped。 Yugoslavian border security； Hudson saw； was sod…all。
Ryan was already out of his cardboard box and standing at the back when the canvas cover was flipped aside。
〃We're here； Jack；〃 Hudson said。
〃Where is that exactly？〃
〃Yugoslavia； my lad。 The nearest town is Legrad； and here we part pany。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Yes； I'm turning you over to Vic Lucas。 He's my counterpart in Belgrade。 Vic？〃 Hudson beckoned。
The man who came into view might have been Hudson's twin； except for the hair； which was black。 He was also two or three