tc.redstormrising-第21部分

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〃Not　at　all；　Dionna。　In　fact；　more　than　anything　they　seemed　concerned　for　our　safety。　In　addition　to　the　militia　captain；　we　have　a　squad　of　Red　Army　infantrymen　with　us　now；　and　their　officer　was　very　careful　to　say　that　he　was　here　to　protect　us；　not　to　threaten　us。　We　were　not　allowed　to　approach　the　site　of　the　incident；　and　of　course　we　were　not　allowed　to　leave　the　area…but　we　wouldn't　have；　anyway。　The　tape　was　just　returned　to　us　a　few　minutes　ago；　and　we　were　informed　that　we'd　be　allowed　to　make　this　live　broadcast。〃　The　camera　shifted　to　the　building。　〃As　you　can　see；　there　are　roughly　five　hundred　fire；　police；　and　military　personnel　still　here；　sorting　through　the　wreckage　and　looking　for　additional　bodies；　and　just　to　our　right　is　a　Soviet　TV　news　crew；　doing　the　same　thing　we　are。〃　Toland　examined　the　television　picture　closely。　The　one　body　he　could　see　looked　awfully　small。　He　wrote　it　off　to　distance　and　perspective。
〃Dionna；　what　we　seem　to　have　here　is　the　first　major　terrorist　incident　in　the　history　of　the　Soviet　Union…〃
〃Since　the　bastards　set　themselves　up；〃　Toland　snorted。
〃We　know　for　certain…at　least　we've　been　told…that　a　bomb　was　detonated　in　the　Council　of　Ministers　building。　They're　certain　it　was　a　bomb；　not　some　kind　of　accident。　And　we　know　for　sure　that　three；　possibly　more　people　were　killed；　and　perhaps　as　many　as　forty　or　fifty　wounded。
〃Now　the　really　interesting　thing　about　this　is　that　the　Politburo　had　been　scheduled　to　hold　a　meeting　here　at　about　that　time。〃
〃Holy　shit！〃　Toland　set　the　aerosol　can　on　the　night　table；　one　hand　still　covered　in　shaving　cream。
〃Can　you　tell　us　if　any　of　them　were　among　the　dead　or　wounded？〃　Dionna　asked　at　once。
〃No；　Dionna。　You　see；　we're　more　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away；　and　the　senior　Kremlin　officials　arrive　by　car…when　they　do；　that　is；　they　e　in　from　the　other　side　of　the　fortress；　through　another　gate。　So；　we　never　even　knew　that　they　were　here；　but　the　militia　captain　with　our　team　did；　and　he　kind　of　blurted　it　out。　His　exact　words　were；　'My　God；　the　Politburo's　in　there！〃'
〃Rich；　can　you　tell　us　what　the　reaction　in　Moscow　has　been　like？〃
〃It's　still　pretty　hard　for　us　to　gauge；　Dionna；　since　we've　been　right　here　covering　the　story　as　it　unfolds。　The　Kremlin　Guards'　reaction　is　just　what　you　might　imagine…just　like　American　Secret　Service　people　would　react；　I　supposed　mixture　of　horror　and　rage；　but　I　want　to　make　it　clear　that　that　rage　is　not　being　directed　against　anyone；　certainly　not　against　Americans。　I　told　the　militia　officer　who's　been　with　us　that　I　was　in　the　U。S。　Capitol　building　when　the　Weathermen's　bomb　was　set　off；　back　in　1970；　and　he　replied　rather　disgustedly　that　munism　was　indeed　catching　up　with　capitalism；　that　the　Soviet　Union　was　growing　a　bumper　crop　of　hooligans。　It's　a　measure　of　how　seriously　they're　taking　this　that　a　Soviet　police　officer　would　ment　so　openly　on　a　subject　that　they're　not　all　that　willing　to　discuss　normally。　So；　if　I　had　to　pick　one　word　to　describe　the　reaction　here；　that　word　would　be　'shock。'
〃So；　to　summarize　what　we　know　to　this　point；　there　has　been　a　bombing　incident　within　the　Kremlin　walls；　possibly　an　attempt　to　eliminate　the　Soviet　Politburo；　though　I　must　emphasize　we　are　not　certain　of　that。　We　have　had　it　confirmed　by　police　at　the　scene　that　at　least　three　people　are　dead；　with　forty　or　so　other　wounded；　those　wounded　being　evacuated　to　nearby　hospitals。　We　will　be　reporting　throughout　the　day　as　more　information　bees　available。　This　is　Rich　Suddler；　CNN；　ing　to　you　live　from　the　Kremlin。〃　The　scene　shifted　back　to　the　anchor　desk。
〃And　there　you　have　it；　another　exclusive　report　from　Cable　Network　News。〃　Dionna　the　anchorperson　smiled；　and　the　screen　faded　again；　this　time　to　a　mercial　for　Lite　Beer　from　Miller。　Marty　stood　up　and　put　on　a　robe。
〃I'll　get　the　coffee　going。〃
〃Holy　shit；〃　Toland　said　again。　He　took　longer　than　usual　to　shave；　nicking　himself　twice　as　he　kept　looking　in　the　mirror　at　his　own　eyes　rather　than　his　jawline。　He　dressed　quickly；　then　looked　in　on　his　sleeping　children。　He　decided　against　waking　them。
Forty　minutes　later；　he　was　in　his　car　heading　south；　down　U。S。　301；　with　his　windows　open；　allowing　cool　night　air　to　wash　over　him；　and　the　car　radio　tuned　to　an　all…news　station。　It　was　clear　enough　what　was　happening　in　the　U。S。　military。　A　bomb　had　been　set　off…probably　a　bomb　in　the　Kremlin。　Toland　reminded　himself　that　reporters　hard　up　against　deadlines；　or　TV　types　trying　to　score　an　instant　scoop；　often　did　not　have　the　time　to　check　things　out。　Maybe　it　was　a　gas　main？　Did　Moscow　have　gas　mains？　If　it　were　a　bomb；　he　was　sure　the　Soviets　would　instinctively　think　that　the　West　had　something　to　do　with　it；　regardless　of　what　that　Suddler　fellow　thought；　and　go　to　higher　alert　status。　The　West　would　automatically　do　the　same　in　anticipation　of　possible　Soviet　action。　Nothing　too　obvious；　nothing　to　provoke　them　further；　mainly　an　exercise　conducted　by　intelligence　and　surveillance　types。　The　Soviets　would　understand　that。　That's　how　the　game　was　played；　more　from　their　side　than　from　ours；　Toland　reflected；　remembering　assassination　attempts　against　American　presidents。
What　if　they　really　do　think？　Toland　wondered。　No；　he　decided；　they　had　to　know　that　no　one　was　that　crazy。　Didn't　they？

NORFOLK；　VIRGINIA
He　drove　for　another　three　hours；　wishing　that　he'd　drunk　more　coffee　and　less　wine；　and　listening　to　his　car　radio　to　stay　awake。　He　arrived　just　after　seven；　the　normal　beginning　of　the　day's　work。　He　was　surprised　to　find　Colonel　Lowe　at　his　desk。
〃I　don't　report　to　Lejeune　until　Tuesday；　so　I　decided　to　e　in　and　take　a　look　at　this。　How　was　the　drive？〃
〃I　made　it　alive…that's　about　all　I　can　say。　What's　happening？〃
〃You'll　love　it。〃　Lowe　held　up　a　telex　sheet。　〃We　pirated　this　off　the　Reuters　wire　half　an　hour　ago；　and　CIA　confirms…meaning　they　probably　stole　it；　too…that　the　KGB　has　arrested　one　Gerhardt　Falken；　a　West　German　national；　and　accused　him　of　setting　off　a　bomb　in　the　fuckin'　Kremlin！〃　The　Marine　let　out　a　long　breath。　〃He　missed　the　big　shots；　but　now　they're　saying　that　among　the　victims　are　six　Young　Octobrists　…from　Pskov；　by　God！…who　were　making　a　presentation　to　the　Politburo。　Kids。　There's　going　to　be　hell　to　pay。〃
Toland　shook　his　head。　It　couldn't　get　much　worse　than　that。　〃And　they　say　a　German　did　it？〃
〃A　West　German；〃　Lowe　corrected。　〃NATO　intel　services　are　already　going　ape　trying　to　run　him　down。　The　official　Soviet　statement　gives　his　name　and　address…some　suburb　of　Bremen…and　business；　a　small　import…export　house。　Nothing　else　yet　on　that　subject；　but　the　Russian　Foreign　Ministry　did　go　on　to　say　that　they　expect　'this　despicable　act　of　international　terrorism'　to　have　no　effect　on　the　Vienna　Arms　Talks；　that　while　they　do　not　believe　at　this　time　that　Falken　was　acting　on　his　own；　they　'have　no　wish'　to　believe　that　we　had　anything　to　do　with　it。〃
〃Cute。　It's　going　to　be　a　shame　to　lose　you　back　to　your　regiment；　Chuck。　You　have　such　a　nice　way　of　finding　the　important　quotes。〃
〃mander；　we　just　might　need　that　regiment　soon。　This　whole　thing　smells　like　dead　fish　to　me。　Last　night：　the　final　film　in　the　Eisenstein　film　festival；　Alexander　Nevsky；　a　new　digitalized　print；　a　new　soundtrack…and　what's　the　message？　'Arise；　ye　Russian　people；'　the　Germans　are　ing！　This　morning；　we　have　six　dead　Russian　kids；　from　Pskovl　and　a　German　is　supposed　to　have　planted　the　bomb。　The　only　thing　that　doesn't　fit　is　that　it　ain't　exactly　subtle。〃
〃Maybe；〃　Toland　said　speculatively。　He　spoke　like　a　halfhearted　devil's　advocate。　〃You　think　we　could　sell　this　bination　of　factors　to　the　papers　or　anybody　in　Washington？　It's　too　crazy；　too　coincidental…what　if　it　is　subtle；　but　backwards　subtle？　Besides；　the　object　of　the　exercise　wouldn't　be　to　convince　us；　it　would　be　to　convince　their　own　citizens。　You　could　say　it　works　both　ways。　That　make　sense；　Chuck？〃
Lowe　nodded。　〃Enough　to　check　out。　Let's　do　some　sniffing　around。　First　thing；　I　want　you　to　call　CNN　in　Atlanta　and　find　out　how　long　this　Suddler　guy's　been　trying　to　tape　his　story　about　the　Kremlin。　How　much　lead　time　did　he　have；　when　was　this　approved；　who　he　worked　through　to　get　it；　and　if　someone　other　than　his　regular　press　contact　finally　did　approve　it。〃
〃Setup。〃　Toland　said　it　out　loud。　He　wondered　if　they　were　being　clever…or　clinically　paranoid。　He　knew　what　most　people　would　think。
〃You　can't　smuggle　a　Penthouse　into　Russia　without　using　the　diplomatic　bag；　and　now　we're　supposed　to　believe　a　German　smuggled　a　bomb　in？　Then　tries　to　blow　up　the　Politburo？〃
〃Could　we　do　it？〃　Toland　wondered　aloud。
〃If　CIA　was　crazy　enough　to　try　it？　God；　that's　more　than　just　crazy。〃　Lowe　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　think　anybody　could　do　it；　even　the　Russians　themselves。　It's　got　to　be　a　layered　defense。　X…ray　machines。　Sniffer　dogs。　A　couple　of　hundred　guards；　all　from　three　different　mands；　the　Army；　KGB；　MVD；　probably　their　militia；　too。　Hell；　Bob；　you　know　how　paranoid　they　are　against　their　own　people。　How　do　you　suppose　they　feel　about　Germans？〃
〃So　they　can't　say　he　was　a　crazy　operating　on　his　own。〃
〃Which　leaves　。　。　。〃
〃Yeah。〃　Toland　reached　for　his　phone　to　call　CNN。

KIEV；　THE　UKRAINE
〃Children！〃　Alekseyev　barely　said　aloud。　〃For　our　maskirovka　the　Party　murders　children！　Our　own　children。　What　have　we　e　to？〃
What　have　I　e　to？　If　I　can　rationalize　the　judicial　murder　of　our　colonels　and　some　privates；　why　shouldn't　the　Politburo　blow　up　a　few　children　。　。　。　？　Alekseyev　told　himself　there　was　a　difference。
His　General　was　also　pale　as　he　switched　off　the　television　set。　〃'Arise；　ye　Russian　people。　We　must　set　these　thoughts　aside；　Pasha。　It　is　hard；　but　we　must。　The　State　is　not　perfect；　but　it　is　the　State　we　must　serve。〃
Alekseyev　eyed　his　mander　closely。　The　General　had　almost　choked　on　those　words；　he　was　already　practicing　how　to　use　them　on　the　crucial　few　who　would　know　of　this　outrage；　yet　had　to　perform　their　duties　as　though　it　never　existed。　There　will　e　a　day　of　reckoning；　Pasha　told　himself；　a　day　of　reckoning　for　all　the　crimes　mitted　in　the　name　of　Socialist　Progress。　He　wondered　if　he'd　live　to　see　it　and　decided　he　probably　wou