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filled with anonymous people。
And so no one would note that he was getting off at the wrong station。
The American Embassy was just a couple of blocks away； and he headed that way； checking his watch。
He knew the proper timing because he'd been here once before； as a cadet in the KGB Academy； brought here early one morning in a bus along with forty…five other members of his class。 They'd even worn their official uniforms for the trip； probably to remind them of their professional identity。 Even then； it had seemed a foolish waste of time； but the academy mandant back then had been a hard…liner； and now the trip served a purpose that would have outraged the man。 Zaitzev lit another cigarette as the building came into view。
He checked his watch。 At precisely 0730 hours every day； they raised their flag。 The academy mandant； ten years before； had pointed and said； 〃See there； rades； that is the enemy！ That is where he lives in our fine city of Moscow。 In that building live spies which those of you who enter the Second Chief Directorate will endeavor to identify and expel from our fair land。 There live and work the ones who spy on our country and our people。 That is their flag。 Remember it always。〃 And then； exactly on time； the flag had been hoisted to the top of a white pole with a bronze eagle at the top； hauled up by members of the United States Marine Corps in their pretty uniforms。 Zaitzev had checked his watch in the metro station。 It should be right about。。。 now。
A bugle blew a tune that he didn't know。 He could just make out the white caps of the Marines； barely visible above the stone parapet of the building's flat roof。 He was on the other side of the street； just by the old church； which KGB had crammed full of electronic devices。
There； he thought； staring； along with a handful of other passersby on the cracked cement sidewalk。
Yes； he saw。 The top part of the flag as it appeared was red and white horizontal stripes； not the blue canton with its fifty white stars。 The flag was being hoisted upside down！ It was unmistakably wrong。 And it went all the way to the top of the pole that way。
So； they did as I asked。 Quickly； Zaitzev walked to the end of the block and turned right； then right again； and back to the metro station he'd just left； and； with the payment of a large five…kopeck copper coin； he boarded another subway car for the trip to Dzerzhinskiy Square。
Just that quickly； his hangover went away； as though by magic。 He scarcely even noticed until he took the escalator up to the street level。
The Americans want to help me； the munications officer told himself。 They will help me。 Perhaps I can save the life of that Polish priest after all。 There was a spring in his step as he entered The Centre。
〃Sir； what the fuck was that all about？〃 Gunnery Sergeant Drake asked Dominic Corso。 They'd just fixed the flag back properly atop its pole。
〃Gunny； I can't say；〃 was the best Corso could do； though his eyes said a little more。
〃Aye aye； sir。 How do I log it？〃
〃You don't log it； Gunny。 Somebody made a dumb mistake； and you fixed it。〃
〃You say so； Mr。 Corso。〃 The gunnery sergeant would have to explain it to his Marines； but he'd explain it in much the same way in which it had just been explained to him； though； in his case； rather more profanely。 If anyone in the Marine Embassy Regiment asked him； he'd just say he'd gotten orders from somebody in the embassy； and Colonel d'Amici would just have to deal with it。 What the hell； he could hand the colonel off to Corso。 They were both wops； maybe they'd understand each other； the sergeant from Helena； Montana； hoped。 If not； then Colonel d'Amici would tear him and his Marines each a new and bloody asshole。
Zaitzev took his seat after relieving Major Dobrik。 The morning traffic was a little lighter than usual； and he began his normal morning routine。
Forty minutes later； that changed again。
〃rade Major；〃 a newly familiar voice said。 Zaitzev turned to see
Colonel Rozhdestvenskiy。
〃Good morning； rade Colonel。 You have something for me？〃
〃This。〃 Rozhdestvenskiy handed over the message blank。 〃Please send it out immediately； on the pad。〃
〃By your mand。 Information copy to you？〃
〃Correct。〃 Rozhdestvenskiy nodded。
〃I presume it's permissible to use an internal messenger to get that to your hand？〃
〃Yes； it is。〃
〃Very well。 I'll have it out in a few minutes。〃
〃Good。〃 Rozhdestvenskiy took his leave。
Zaitzev looked at the dispatch。 It was agreeably short。 Encryption and transmission took only fifteen minutes。
MOST SECRET
IMMEDIATE AND URGENT
FROM： OFFICE OF CHAIRMAN； Moscow CENTRE
To： REZIDENT SOFIA
REFERENCE： OPERATIONAL DESIGNATOR 15…8…82…666
OPERATIONAL APPROVAL EXPECTED TODAY； VIA CHANNELS DISCUSSED IN OUR MEETING。 REPORT WHEN PROPER CONTACTS ESTABLISHED。
And that meant that operation …666 was going forward。 The day before； that notice had chilled Zaitzev； but not today。 Today he knew he'd be doing something to prevent it。 If anything bad happened now； it would be the fault of the Americans。 That made a considerable difference。 Now he just had to figure how to establish some sort of regular contact with them。。。
Upstairs； Andropov had the Foreign Minister in his office。
〃So； Andrey； how do we go about this？〃
〃Ordinarily our Ambassador would meet with their First Secretary； but； in the interests of security； we might want to try another method of approach。〃
〃How much executive authority does their First Secretary have？〃 the Chairman asked。
〃About as much as Koba did thirty years ago。 Bulgaria is run in a very tight way。 Their Politburo members represent various constituencies； but only their Party First Secretary really has decision…making power。〃
〃Ah。〃 That was good news to Yuriy Vladimiroviclh。 He lifted his desk phone。 〃Send in Colonel Rozhdestvenskiy；〃 he told his secretary。
The colonel appeared through the dresser door in two minutes。 〃Yes； rade Chairman。〃
〃Andrey； this is Colonel Rozhdestvenskiy； my executive assistant。 Colonel； does our Sofia rezident talk directly to the Bulgarian head of government？〃
〃Rarely； rade； but he has done so occasionally in the past。〃 Rozhdestvenskiy was surprised that the Chairman didn't know that； but he was still learning how field operations worked。 At least he had the good sense to ask questions； and he was not embarrassed to do so。
〃Very well。 For security reasons； we would prefer that the entire Bulgarian Politburo not know the scope of this operation …666。 So； do you think we could have Colonel Bubovoy brief in their party chief and get approval by a more direct route？〃
〃To that end； a signed letter from rade Brezhnev would probably be necessary；〃 Rozhdestvenskiy answered。
〃Yes； that would be the best way to do it；〃 the Foreign Minister agreed at once。 〃A good thought； colonel；〃 he added approvingly。
〃Very well。 We'll get that today。 Leonid Ilyich will be in his office； Audrey？〃
〃Yes； Yuriy。 I will call ahead and tell him what is needed。 I can have it drafted in my office if you wish； or would you prefer it to be done here？〃
〃With your permission； Andrey；〃 Andropov said graciously； 〃better that we should do it。 And we'll have it couriered to Sofia for delivery tomorrow or the day after。〃
〃Better to give our Bulgarian rade a few days； Yuriy。 They are our allies； but they remain a sovereign country； after all。〃
〃Quite so； Andrey。〃 Every country in the world had a bureaucracy； whose entire purpose was to delay important things from happening。
〃And we don't want the world to know that our rezident is making a highly important call on the man；〃 the Foreign Minister added； teaching the KGB Chairman a little lesson in operational security； Colonel Rozhdestvenskiy noted。
〃How long after that； Aleksey Nikolay'ch？〃 Andropov asked his aide；
〃Several weeks； at least。〃 He saw annoyance in his boss's eyes and decided to explain。 〃rade Chairman； selecting the right assassin will not be a matter of lifting a phone and dialing a number。 Strokov will necessarily be careful in making his selection。 People are not as predictable as machines； after all； and t