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rest to CIA； but it was fairly settled that Yuriy Vladimirovich Andropov would be the next guy at the seat at the head of the table； absent a sudden death or a major foot put wrong in a political sense。 Andropov was too canny a political operator for that； however。 No； he was the current czarevich； and that was that。 Hopefully； he wouldn't be too vigorous…and he wouldn't if the stories about his liver disease were true。 Every time Foley saw him on Russian TV； he looked for the yellow tinge on his skin that announced that particular ailment…but makeup could hide that； if they used makeup on their political chieftains。。。 Hmm； how to check that？ he wondered。 Something to send back to the Science and Technology Directorate at Langley； maybe。
Zaitzev took his seat； after relieving Kolya Dobrik； and looked over his message traffic。 He decided to memorize as much as possible； and so he took a little longer than usual forwarding the messages to their end…recipients。 There was one from Agent CASSIUS again； routed for political…intelligence people upstairs； and also at the U。S。…Canada Institute； where the academicians read the tea leaves for The Centre as a backup。 There was one from NEPTUNE； requesting money for the agent who was giving KGB such good munications intelligence。 NEPTUNE suggested the sea； didn't it？ Zaitzev searched his memory for previous signals from that source。 Wasn't it mainly about the American navy？ And he was the reason he worried about American signals security。 Surely KGB was paying him a huge amount of money； hundreds of thousands of dollars in American cash； something KGB had a problem getting ahold of…it was far easier for the Soviet Union to pay in diamonds； since it could mine for diamonds in eastern Siberia。 They'd paid some Americans in diamonds； but they'd been caught by the vigilant American FBI； and KGB had never tried to negotiate their release。。。 so much for loyalty。 The Americans tried to do that； he knew； but most of the time the people they tried to get out had already been executed…a thought that stopped his thoughts cold in their tracks。
But there was no turning back now； and CIA was petent enough that KGB feared it； and didn't that mean that he was in good hands？
Then he remembered one other thing he had to do today。 In his drawer was a pad of contact reports。 Mary had suggested he report their meeting； and so he did。 He described her as pretty； in her late twenties or early thirties； mother of a fairly nice little son； and none too bright…very American in mannerisms； he wrote…with modest language skills； good vocabulary but poor syntax and pronunciation； which made her Russian understandable but stilted。 He didn't make an evaluation of her likelihood to be an intelligence officer； which； he figured； was the smart thing to do。 After fifteen minutes of writing； he walked it over to the department security officer。
〃This was a waste of time；〃 he said； handing it to the man； a captain passed over for promotion twice。
The security officer scanned it。 〃Where did you meet her？〃
〃It's right there。〃 He pointed to the contact form。 〃I took my zaichik for a walk in the park； and she showed up with her little boy。 His name is Eddie； actual name is evidently Edward Edwardovich…Edward Junior； as the Americans say it…age four； I think she said； a nice little boy。 We talked a few minutes about not very much； and the two of them walked away。〃
〃Your impression of her？〃
〃If she is a spy； then I am confident of the victory of socialism；〃 Zaitzev replied。 〃She is rather pretty； but far too skinny； and not overly bright。 What I suppose is a typical American housewife。〃
〃Anything else？〃
〃It's all there； rade Captain。 It took longer to write that up than it did to speak with her。〃
〃Your vigilance is noted； rade Major。〃
〃I serve the Soviet Union。〃 And Zaitzev headed back to his desk。 It was a good idea on her part； he thought； to cross this t so assiduously。 There might have been a shadow on her； after all； and if not； then there would be a new entry in her KGB file； reported by a KGB officer； certifying that she was no threat to world socialism。
Back at his desk； he returned to making extra…careful mental notes of his daily work。 The more he gave CIA； the better he'd be paid。 Maybe he would take his daughter to that Disney Planet amusement park； and maybe his little zaichik would enjoy herself there。 His signals included other countries； too； and he memorized those as well。 One code…named MINISTER in England was interesting。 He was probably in their Foreign Ministry； and provided excellent political/diplomatic intelligence that they loved upstairs。
Foley took an embassy car for the drive to the British Embassy。 They were cordial enough once he showed his ID； and Nigel came down to meet him in the grand foyer； which was indeed quite grand。
〃Hello； Ed！〃 He gave a hearty handshake and a smile。 〃e this way。〃 They went up the marble stairs and then right to his office。 Haydock closed the door and pointed him to a leather chair。
〃What can I do for you？〃
〃We got a Rabbit；〃 Foley said； skipping the preliminaries。
And that said it all。 Haydock knew that Foley was a spook…a 〃cousin〃 in the British terminology。
〃Why are you telling me？〃
〃We're going to need your help getting him out。 We want to do that through Budapest； and our station there just got burned down。 How's your shop there？〃
〃The chief is Andy Hudson。 Former officer in the Parachute Regiment； able chap。 But do back up； Edward。 What can you tell me； and why is this so important？〃
〃He's a walk…in； I guess you'd say。 He seems to be a munications guy。 He feels real as hell； Nigel。 I've requested permission to bust him right out； and Langley has green…lighted it。 Pair of fives； man；〃 he added。
〃So； high priority and high reliability on this chappie？〃
Foley bobbed his head。 〃Yep。 Want the good news？〃
〃If there is any。〃
〃He says our ms may be promised； but your new system hasn't been cracked yet。〃
〃Good to hear。 So； that means I can municate freely； but you cannot？〃
Another nod。 〃I learned this morning that a munications aid is on its way to me…perhaps they ginned up a couple of pads for me to use。 I'll find out later today； maybe。〃
Haydock leaned back in his chair and lit up a smoke； a low…tar Silk Cut。 He'd switched to them to make his wife happy。
〃You have a plan？〃 the Brit spook asked。
〃I figure he takes the train to Budapest。 For the rest of it； well。。。〃 Foley outlined the idea he and Mary Pat had figured out。
〃That is creative； Edward。〃 Haydock thought。 〃When did you read up on MINCEMEAT？ It's part of the syllabus at our academy； you know。〃
〃Back when I was a kid。 I always thought it was pretty clever。〃
〃In the abstract； not a bad idea…but； you know； the pieces you need are not something you pick up at the ironmongers。〃
〃I kinda figured that； Nigel。 So； if we want to make the play； better that we get moving on it right quick。〃
〃Agreed。〃 Haydock paused。 〃Basil will want to know a few things。 What else can I tell him？〃
〃He ought to get a hand…carried letter from Judge Moore this morning。 All I can really say is； this guy looks pretty real。〃
〃You said he's a munications officer…in The Centre； is it？〃
〃Yep。〃
〃That could be very valuable indeed；〃 Haydock agreed。 〃Especially if he's a mail clerk。〃 He pronounced it clark。 The invocation of the name of Foley's training officer almost caused him to smile。。。 but not quite。
It was a slower nod this time； with Foley's eyes locked in on his host。 〃That's what we're thinking； guy。〃
It finally got home。 〃Bloody hell；〃 Haydock breathed。 〃That would be valuable。 And he's just a walk…in？〃
〃Correct。 A little more plicated than that； but that's what it es down to； bud。〃
〃Not a trap； not a false…flag？〃
〃I've thought about that； of course； but it just doesn't make sense； does it？〃 Foley asked。 The Brit knew he was Agency； but didn't know he was Station Chief。 〃If they've ID'd me； why tip their hand this early？〃
〃True；〃 Nigel had to agree。 〃That would be clumsy。 So； Budapest； is it？ Easier than out of Moscow…at least there's that。〃
〃There's bad news； too。 His wif