“Yes, I have, and if you say there’s nothing on them, then I accept that,” Shaw agreed patiently, “but there’s always a first time, isn’t there?”
“True, true.” Treece marched up and down the room, hands clasped tightly behind the thick, square back. “All the same—” he broke off. “Anyhow, Shaw, just what do you suggest we do? What line should we go on now?”
“Surely, it’s obvious? We have to regard the Lake Baikal-Kyakhta area in general, and the Chalok Dam in particular, as the danger zone — and Kosyenko’s stay there as the danger period, right from the time he touches down at Kyakhta airfield. Now, for a start, that narrows the field down to manageable proportions, so—”
“What d’you think, Jones?” Treece asked, rounding abruptly to face the man.
Jones said worriedly, hitching at his pants, “I really don’t know. The first thing that occurs to me is that if we concentrate on the one area, and the one time, we’re going to leave the rest of Russia open for anything to happen.”
Shaw stared at him coldly. “Russia’s a biggish place. Around nine million square miles, if I’m not mistaken. We’ve got to narrow the field.”
“Ye — es, but—”
“And,” Shaw continued, “Miss MacKinlay and I have to be given fresh cover. That’s the second point. I can’t risk the KGB now — I’m sorry, but there it is.” He paused. “Meanwhile I’d be glad if you’d brief me as to what Kosyenko’s actual purpose is in visiting the area. That is, if you have any more information than I have.”
Jones frowned and ran a hand through his hair. He said, “The short answer is, publicity pure and simple. You might almost say bull, really.”
“That seems a little odd, doesn’t it, considering the Soviet authorities are concerned about Chinese being in the area?”
Jones looked put out for no apparent reason and said huffily, “The area isn’t secret any more. It was all highly secret until the nuclear power plants and so forth were in full operation. It was a closed area then — no one outside it knew anything much about what went on there — and certainly it’s fair to say nothing was known about it outside the Soviet Union. Now, however, the Government appears to have decided the time has come to show it off, to impress the world with Soviet industrial development and achievement. And that’s just what Kosyenko’s visit is… a show-off to both the West and China — but only a surface show-off, I need hardly say. They still guard their real secrets pretty carefully, of course. They’d naturally be concerned, vitally concerned about any unauthorized infiltration of Chinese, men who might be trying to pick up highly secret information. The Press won’t get all the dope.”
“Do I take it,” Shaw asked, “that it’s being given Press coverage — Kosyenko’s visit, I mean?”
“Yes, of course,” Jones said impatiently. “How else is it to get full publicity? There’s to be a large-scale turn-out. The world’s Press’ll be there.”
Shaw nodded. “I see! In that case,” he said briskly, “I have a request to make, and it’s this. Can you fix it for me to be flown out to Kyakhta — with the Press party?”
Jones looked startled. “Good heavens — I say, that’s really asking something!”
“I dare say it is, but I’m being asked to do something too, remember. I’m being asked to short-circuit someone unknown, who’s about to kill a top Russian for a purpose unknown-let me finish, if you don’t mind — in an area we can’t pinpoint any more accurately than I’ve already tried to do, though in point of fact I’m pretty certain I’m right about that. Now, that’s a sizeable job — agreed?”
Jones nodded half-heartedly.
“Right, then I’m entitled to expect some cooperation, whatever the Embassy thinks about assisting agents, and the co-operation I happen to need is — to be flown out with the Press. And it’d suit me down to the ground if I could be given cover as a Press reporter myself.”
Jones snorted at that. “Quite impossible, my dear chap! Why,” he added indignantly, “you’d need a brand new identity, forged papers and passes and Press authorizations—”
Shaw interrupted brusquely. “Get with it, for heaven’s sake! I’ve already made the point that we need fresh cover in any case, and, believe me, I wasn’t fooling! And there’s no time now for messing around. If I’m right, and Wicks and Fawcett are going to that part of the world, it’s vital I follow — fast! Now, that means the people who produce faked papers and new identities have got to get their fingers out and earn their keep!”
Treece had stopped perambulating now and was watching Shaw. Jones took off his thick glasses and blinked and said huffily, “You know as well as I do the Embassy doesn’t deal in that kind of thing.”
“Of course not,” Shaw agreed, “And I never suggested they did or should. This isn’t the kind of conversation I’d have with H.E, or even Sir Hubert. But I doubt if you came to Moscow without being prepared for certain eventualities… prepared, that is, in a way which the Embassy wouldn’t necessarily have to know a thing about. I don’t think,” he added, “I need to elaborate?”
Jones said, “No, you don’t have to do that.” He glanced at Treece, evidently for guidance, and Treece took over. In his abrupt way he said, “Look here, Shaw, Jones came in with his forgery section all right, don’t you worry. I gave the order myself. Needless to say, they’re not housed in the Embassy.” Biting again at a fingernail, he stared thoughtfully at Jones. “You know, my lad, I think Shaw’s right. Seems to be the only thing we can do. Dammit, we’ve no other leads!”
“The difficulties,” Jones began, “are really—”
Treece seemed to bristle. “The difficulties aren’t by any means insuperable. Difficulties, so I’ve always heard, exist only to be overcome. All the necessary papers and permissions and all that can be arranged for, also the hotel reservation will be seen to. We haven’t much time, but we’ll cope — or you will, Jones.”
“I don’t like it, sir.” Jones had become very formal.
“Well, neither do I, let’s face it, but needs must when the devil drives — hey? Now, I want you, Shaw, and Miss MacKinlay, to remain here for the time being. In the meantime Jones’ll fix the documentation and also your transport to the airfield. All necessary items of luggage will be waiting for you at the airport. Jones, when are these Press chaps leaving, exactly?”
Jones said with a mutinous air, “Six this evening, from Bykovo.”
Treece nodded. “Shaw will leave with them. See to it.” He swung round on Shaw, head down like a bull. “Your orders will be as before, with particular instructions to keep a watch on Wicks and Fawcett if they should be in the vicinity. I suppose it’s possible one of them could be Conroy if you’re right in what you’ve told us, or at least that they could have some close connection with him, so we won’t leave it to chance. Now — Miss MacKinlay.” He stood solidly in front of the American girl. “Your position is somewhat equivocal. I understand you have orders from your own people to work on the gold smuggling, and that alone — officially.”
She looked him in the eye. “That’s right.”
Treece grunted, then perambulated once again, thick brows drawn together in a heavy line. “You’ve been in this most of the way along, as it happens… and I’ve no doubt you can be useful to Shaw. He’ll need assistance, probably, and there’s no one else available. I want Jones here in Moscow. Care to go east with Shaw?”
Looking pleased and surprised, Virginia said, “I’d be glad to go, and thanks for suggesting it, but what about my Embassy?”