tc.redrabbit-第114部分

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　　　〃Hello；〃　Zaitzev　said；　in　English。　〃You　are　travel　agent？〃
　　　〃Yes；　we　both　are。　This　is　Mr。　Ryan。〃
　　　〃Ryan？〃　Zaitzev　asked。　〃There　is　KGB　operation　by　that　name。〃
　　　〃Really？〃　Jack　asked；　surprised。　He　hadn't　heard　about　that　one　yet。
　　　〃We　can　discuss　that　later；　rade　Zaitzev。　We　must　leave　now。〃
　　　〃Da。〃　He　turned　to　shake　his　wife　awake。　She　started　violently　when　she　saw　the　two　unexpected　men　in　her　room。
　　　〃Irina　Bogdanova；〃　Oleg　said　with　a　touch　of　sternness　in　his　voice。　〃We　are　taking　an　unexpected　trip。　We　are　leaving　right　now。　Get　Svetlana　ready。〃
　　　Her　eyes　came　fully　open　in　surprise。　〃Oleg；　what　is　this？　What　are　we　doing？〃
　　　〃We　are　leaving　right　now　for　a　new　destination。　You　must　get　moving　now。〃
　　　Ryan　didn't　understand　the　words；　but　the　content　was　pretty　clear。　Then　the　woman　surprised　him　by　ing　to　her　feet　and　moving　like　an　automaton。　The　daughter　was　on　a　small　children's　bed。　Mother　Rabbit　lifted　the　sleeping　child　to　semi…wakefulness　and　got　her　clothes　organized。
　　　〃What　are　we　doing　exactly？〃　the　Rabbit　asked。
　　　〃We　are　taking　you　to　England…tonight；〃　Hudson　emphasized。
　　　〃Not　America？〃
　　　〃England　first；〃　Ryan　told　him。　〃Then　I　will　take　you　to　America。〃
　　　〃Ah。〃　He　was　in　a　very　tense　state；　Ryan　saw；　but　that　was　to　be　expected。　This　guy　had　laid　his　life　on　the　craps　table；　and　the　dice　were　still　in　the　air。　It　was　Ryan's　job　to　make　sure　they　didn't　e　up　snake　eyes。　〃What　do　I　bring？〃
　　　〃Nothing；〃　Hudson　said。　〃Not　a　bloody　thing。　Leave　all　your　papers　here。　We　have　new　ones　for　you。〃　He　held　up　three　passports　with　a　lot　of　faked　stamps　on　the　inside　pages。　〃For　now　I　will　hold　these　for　you。〃
　　　〃You　are　CIA？〃
　　　〃No；　I　am　British。　Ryan　here　is　CIA。〃
　　　〃But…why？〃
　　　〃It's　a　long　story；　Mr。　Zaitzev；〃　Ryan　said。　〃But　right　now　we　must　leave。〃
　　　The　little　girl　was　dressed　now；　but　still　sleepy；　as　Sally　had　been　on　that　horrible　night　at　Peregrine　Cliff；　Jack　saw。
　　　Hudson　looked　around；　suddenly　delighted　to　see　the　empty　vodka　bottle　on　the　night　table。　Bloody　good　luck　that　was。　Mother　Rabbit　was　still　confused；　by　the　bination　of　three　or　four　drinks　and　the　post…midnight　earthquake　that　had　exploded　around　her。　It　had　taken　less　than　five　minutes　and　everyone　looked　ready　to　leave。　Then　she　saw　her　pantyhose　bag；　and　moved　toward　it。
　　　〃Nyet；〃　Hudson　said　in　Russian。　〃Leave　them。　There　are　many　of　those　where　we　are　taking　you。〃
　　　〃But…but…but。。。〃
　　　〃Do　what　he　says；　Irina！〃　Oleg　snarled；　his　equilibrium　upset　by　the　drink　and　the　tension　of　the　moment。
　　　〃Everyone　ready？〃　Hudson　asked。　Next；　Irina　scooped　her　daughter　up；　her　face　a　mass　of　utter　confusion；　and　they　all　went　to　the　door。　Hudson　looked　out　into　the　corridor；　then　waved　for　the　others　to　follow。　Ryan　took　the　rear；　closing　the　door；　after　making　sure　it　was　unlocked。
　　　The　lobby　was　still　vacant。　They　didn't　know　what　Tom　Trent　had　done；　but　whatever　it　was；　it　had　worked。　Hudson　led　the　others　out　the　side　door　and　onto　the　street。　There　was　the　embassy　car　Trent　had　brought　over；　and　Hudson　had　the　spare　set　of　keys。　On　the　way；　he　waved　at　the　truck　for　Small　and　Truelove。　The　car　was　a　Jaguar；　painted　a　dark　blue；　with　left…hand　drive。　Ryan　loaded　them　into　the　backseat；　closed　the　door；　and　hopped　in　the　front。　The　big　V…8　started　instantly…the　Jag　was　lovingly　maintained　for　purposes　like　this　one…and　Hudson　started　driving。
　　　Their　taillights　were　still　visible　as　Small　and　Truelove　stepped　out　of　their　truck；　hustling　to　the　back。　Each　took　one　of　the　adult　bags　and　headed　in　the　side　door。　The　lobby　was　still　empty；　and　they　raced　up　the　stairs；　each　with　a　heavy　and　limp　burden。　The　upstairs　corridor　was　also　empty。　The　two　retired　soldiers　moved　as　stealthily　as　possible　into　the　room。　There　they　unzipped　the　bags；　and　with　gloved　hands　removed　the　bodies。　That　was　a　hard　moment　on　each　of　them。　Professional　soldiers　that　they　were；　both　with　bat　experience；　the　immediate　sight　of　a　burned　human　body　was　hard　to　take　without　a　deep　breath　and　an　inner　mand　to　take　charge　of　their　feelings。　They　laid　the　man's　and　the　woman's　bodies　from　different　countries　and　continents　side　by　side　on　the　double　bed。　Then　they　left　the　room　to　return　to　the　truck；　taking　the　empty　body　bags　with　them。　Small　got　the　smallest　of　the　bags　out　of　the　truck；　while　Truelove　got　the　rest　of　the　necessary　gear；　and　back　in　they　went。
　　　Small's　job　proved　the　hardest；　removing　the　little　girl's　body　from　the　plastic　bag　was　something　he'd　work　hard　to　erase　from　his　memory。　She　went　on　the　cot；　as　he　thought　of　it；　in　her　nearly　incinerated　nightgown。　He　might　have　patted　her　little　head　had　her　hair　not　been　entirely　burned　off　with　a　blowtorch；　and　all　he　could　do　was　whisper　a　prayer　for　her　innocent　little　soul　before　his　stomach　nearly　lost　control；　and　to　prevent　that　he　turned　abruptly　away。
　　　The　former　Royal　Engineer　was　already　into　his　own　task。　He　made　sure　they'd　left　nothing。　The　last　of　the　plastic　bags　was　folded　and　tucked　into　his　belt。　They　both　still　had　their　work　gloves；　and　so　there　was　nothing　they'd　brought　to　be　left　in　the　room。　He　took　his　time　looking　around；　and　then　waved　Small　out　into　the　corridor。
　　　Then　he　tore　the　top　off　the　milk　carton…it　had　been　washed　clean　and　dried　beforehand。　He　lit　the　candle　with　his　butane　lighter　and　dripped　a　dollop　of　hot　wax　into　the　bottom　of　the　carton；　to　make　sure　it　would　have　a　good　place　to　stand。　Then　he　blew　out　the　candle　and　made　sure　it　was　secure　in　its　place。
　　　Then　came　the　dangerous　part　Truelove　opened　the　top　of　me　alcohol　container；　first　pouring　nearly　a　quart　into　the　carton；　to　within　just　less　than　an　inch　of　the　top　of　the　candle。　Next　he　poured　the　alcohol　on　the　adult　bed；　and　more　onto　the　child's　cot。　The　remainder　went　on　the　floor；　much　of　it　around　the　milk　carton。　Finished；　he　tossed　the　empty　alcohol　container　to　Bob　Small。
　　　Okay；　Truelove　thought；　fully　a　gallon　of　pure　grain　alcohol　soaked　into　the　bedclothes　and　another　on　the　cheap　rug　on　the　floor。　A　demolitions　expert…in　fact；　he　had　many　fields　of　technical　expertise；　like　most　military　engineers…he　knew　to　be　careful　for　the　next　part。　Bending　down；　he　flicked　his　lighter　again　and　lit　the　candle　wick　with　the　same　care　a　heart　surgeon　might　have　exercised　in　a　valve　replacement。　He　didn't　waste　a　second　leaving　the　room；　except　to　make　sure　the　door　was　properly　locked　and　the　do…not…disturb　card　hung　on　the　knob。
　　　〃Time　to　leave；　Robert；〃　Rodney　said　to　his　colleague；　and　in　thirty　seconds　they　were　out　the　side　door　and　off　to　the　street。　〃How　long　on　the　candle？〃　Small　asked　by　the　truck。
　　　〃Thirty　minutes　at　most；〃　the　Royal　Engineer　sergeant　answered。
　　　〃That　poor　little　girl…you　suppose？〃　he　almost　asked。
　　　〃People　die　in　house　fires　every　day；　mate。　They　didn't　do　it　special　for　this　lot。〃
　　　Small　nodded　to　himself。　〃I　reckon。〃
　　　Just　then　Tom　Trent　appeared　in　the　lobby。　They'd　never　found　the　camera　he　lost　in　an　upstairs　room；　but　he　tipped　the　desk　clerk　for　his　effort。　It　turned　out　that　he　was　the　only　employee　on　duty　until　five　in　the　morning。
　　　Or　so　the　chap　thinks；　Trent　told　himself；　getting　into　the　truck。
　　　〃Back　to　the　embassy；　lads；〃　the　spook　told　the　security　men。　〃There's　a　good　bottle　of　single…malt　Scotch　whiskey　waiting　for　us　all。〃
　　　〃Good。　I　could　use　a　dram；〃　Small　observed；　thinking　of　the　little　girl。　〃Or　two。〃
　　　〃Can　you　say　what　this　adventure　is　all　about？〃
　　　〃Not　tonight。　Perhaps　later；〃　Trent　replied。
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　28　…　BRITISH　MIDLANDS
　　　The　candle　burned　normally；　not　knowing　the　part　it　was　playing　in　the　night's　adventures；　consuming　wick　and　wax　at　a　slow　pace；　gradually　burning　down　to　the　still　surface　of　the　alcohol…soon　to　play　the　part　of　an　accelerant　in　an　arson　fire。　All　in　all；　it　took　thirty…four　minutes　before　the　surface　of　the　flammable　fluid　ignited。　What　started　then　is　called　a　class…B　fire　by　professionals…a　flammable…liquid　event。　The　alcohol　burned　with　an　enthusiasm　hardly　less　than　that　of　gasoline…this　was　why　the　Germans　had　used　alcohol　rather　than　kerosene　in　their　V…2　missile…and　rapidly　consumed　the　cardboard　of　the　milk　carton；　releasing　the　burning　quart　of　alcohol　onto　the　floor。　That　ignited　the　soaked　surface　of　the　hotel　room's　rug。　The　blue　wave　of　the　fire…front　raced　across　the　room's　floor　in　a　matter　of　seconds；　like　a　living　thing；　a　blue　line　followed　by　an　incandescent　white　mass　as　the　fire　reached　up　to　consume　the　available　oxygen　in　the　high…ceilinged　room。　Another　moment　and　both　beds　ignited　as　well；　enveloping　the　bodies　in　them　with　flames　and　searing　heat。
　　　The　Hotel　Astoria　was　an　old　one；　lacking　both　smoke　detectors　and　automatic　sprinklers　to　warn　of　danger　or　extinguish　the　blaze　before　it　got　too　dangerous。　Instead　the　flames　climbed　almost　immediately　to　the　water…stained　white　ceiling；　burning　off　paint　and　charring　the　underlying　plaster；　plus　attacking　the　cheap　hotel　furniture。　The　inside　of　the　room　turned　into　a　crematorium　for　three　human　beings　already　dead；　eating　their　bodies　like　the　carnivorous　animal　the　ancient　Egyptians　thought　a　fire　to　be。　The　worst　of　the　damage　took　just　five　mi