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INCEMEAT； it had been called。 That concept had been very elegant indeed； as it had involved making the opposition feel smart； and people everywhere loved to feel smart。。。
Especially the dumb ones； Foley reminded himself。 And the German intelligence services in World War II hadn't been worth the powder to blow them to hell。 They were so inept that the Germans would have been better advised to do without them entirely…Hitler's astrologer would have been just as good； and probably a lot cheaper in the long run。
But the Russians； on the other hand； were pretty damned smart…smart enough that you wanted to be very careful playing head games with them； but not so smart that if they found something they expected to find； they would toss it in the trash can and go looking for what they didn't expect。 No； that was just human nature； and even the New Soviet Man they kept trying to build was subject to human nature； much as the Soviet government tried to breed it out of him。
So； how would we go about that？ he wondered quietly； as on the television a diesel truck…tractor changed into a two…legged robot； the better to fight off the forces of evil…whoever they were。。。
Oh。 Yeah。 It was pretty obvious； wasn't it？ You just had to give them what they needed to see to prove that the Rabbit and his little hutch…mates were dead； to give them what dead people always left behind。 That would be a major plication； but not so vast of one as to be impossible to arrange。 But they'd need assistance。 That thought did not make Ed Foley feel secure。 In his line of work； you trusted yourself more than you trusted anyone or anything else…and after that； maybe； others of your own organization； but as few of them as possible。 After that； when it became necessary to trust people in some other organization； you really gritted your teeth。 Okay； sure； on his pre…mission brief at Langley； he'd been told that Nigel Haydock could be relied upon as a very tame…and very able…Brit； and a pretty good field spook working for a closely allied service； and； okay； sure； he liked the look of the guy； and； okay； sure； they'd hit it off fairly well。 But； God damn it； he wasn't Agency。 But Ritter had told him that； in a pinch； Haydock could be relied upon for a helping hand； and the Rabbit himself had told him that Brit ms hadn't been cracked yet； and he had to trust the Rabbit to be an honest player。 Foley's life wasn't riding on that； but damned sure his career was。
Okay； but what…no； how…to work this one。 Nigel was the mercial Attache at the Brit Embassy； right across the river from the Kremlin itself； a station that went back to the czars； and one that had supposedly pissed Stalin off royally； to see the Union Jack every morning from his office window。 And the Brits had helped recruit； and had later run GRU Colonel Oleg Penkovskiy； the agent who'd prevented World War III and； along the way； recruited CARDINAL； the brightest jewel in CIA's crown。 So if he had to trust anyone； it would have to be Nigel。 Necessity was the mother of many things； and if the Rabbit came to grief； well； they'd know that SIS was penetrated。 Again。 He realized he'd have to apologize to Nigel just for thinking this way； but this was business； not personal。
Paranoia； Eddie； the COS told himself。 You can't suspect everybody。
The hell I can't！
But； probably； he knew； Nigel Haydock thought the same thing about him。 That was just how the game was played。
And if they got the Rabbit out； it was proof positive that Haydock was straight。 No way in hell that Ivan would let this bunny skip town alive。 He just knew too much。
Did Zaitzev have any idea at all of the danger he was walking into？ He trusted CIA to get him and his family out of Dodge City alive。。。
But with all the information to which he had access； wasn't he making an informed judgment？
Jesus； there were enough interlocking wheels in this to make a bicycle factory； weren't there？
The tape ended； and Master Truck Robot…or whatever the hell his name was…transformed himself back into a truck and motored off to the sound of 〃Transformers； more than meets the eye。。。〃 It was sufficient to the moment that Eddie liked it。 So； he'd arranged some quality time with his son and some good think time for himself…not a bad Sunday evening on the whole。
〃So； what's the plan； Arthur？〃 Greer asked。
〃Good question； James；〃 the DCI answered。 They were watching TV in his den； the Orioles and the White Sox playing in Baltimore。 Mike Flanagan was pitching； and looked to be on his way to another Cy Young Award； and the rookie shortstop the Orioles had just brought up was playing particularly well； and looked to have a big…league future。 Both men were drinking beer and eating pretzels； as though they were real people enjoying a Sunday afternoon of America's pastime。 That was partly true。
〃Basil will help。 We can trust him；〃 Admiral Greer opined。
〃Agreed。 Whatever problems he had are a thing of the past； and he'll partmentalize it as tight as the Queen's jewel box。 But we'll want one of our people involved at his end。〃
〃Who； do you suppose？〃
〃Not the COS London。 Everybody knows who he is； even the cabdrivers。〃 There was no disputing that。 The London Station Chief had been in the spook business for a very long time； and was more an administrator now than an active field officer。 The same could be said of most of his people； for whom London was a sinecure job； and mainly a sunset posting for people looking forward to retirement。 They were good men all； of course； just ready to hang up the spikes。 〃Whoever it is； he'll have to go to Budapest； and he'll have to be invisible。〃
〃So； somebody they don't know。〃
〃Yep。〃 Moore nodded as he took a bite of his sandwich and reached for some chips。 〃He won't have to do very much； just let the Brits know he's there。 Keep 'em honest； like。〃
〃Basil's going to want to interview this guy。〃
〃No avoiding that；〃 Moore agreed。 〃And he's entitled to dip his beak； too。〃 That was a line he had picked up as a judge on a rare organized…crime appeals case。 He and his fellow jurists in Austin； Texas； had laughed about it for weeks； after rejecting the appeal； 5…0。
〃We'll want one of our people in for that； too。〃
〃Bet your bippy； James；〃 Moore agreed again。
〃And better that our guy is based over there。 Timing might get a little tough。〃
〃You bet。〃
〃How about Ryan？〃 Greer asked。 〃He's way the hell under the radar。 Nobody knows who he is…he's one of mine； right？ He doesn't even look like a field officer。〃
〃His face has been in the papers；〃 Moore objected。
〃You think KGB reads the society page？ At most they might have noticed him as a rich wannabe writer； and if he has a file； it's in some sub…basement at The Centre。 That ought not to be a problem。〃
〃You think so？〃 Moore wondered。 For sure； this would give Bob Ritter a bellyache。 But that wasn't entirely a bad thing。 Bob had visions of taking over all CIA operations； and； good man that he was； he would never be DCI； for any number of reasons； not the least of which was that Congress didn't much like spooks with Napoleonic plexes。 〃Is he up to it？〃
〃The boy's an ex…Marine and he knows how to think on his feet； remember？〃
〃He has paid his dues； James。 He doesn't take a leak sitting down；〃 the DCI conceded。
〃And all he has to do is keep an eye on our friends； not play spook on enemy soil。〃
〃Bob will have a conniption fit。〃
〃It won't hurt our purposes to keep Bob in his place； Arthur。〃 Especially； he didn't add； if this works out。 And work out it should。 Once out of Moscow； it ought to be a fairly routine operation。 Tense； of course； but routine。
〃What if he screws things up？〃
〃Arthur； Jimmy Szell dropped the ball in Budapest； and he's an experienced field officer。 I know； probably not even his fault； probably just bad luck； but it proves the point。 A lot of this racket is just luck。 The Brits will be doing all the real work； and I'm sure Basil will pick a good team。〃
Moore weighed the thought quietly。 Ryan was very new at CIA； but he was a rising star。 What helped was his adventure； not yet a year old； where twice he'd faced loaded guns and gotten it done anyway。 One nice t