Gray was beaming. “You’ll both be heroes,” he said. He turned to Lesya. “Your coming over to our side has made all the difference. If there is peace between the U.S. and what’s left of the Soviet Union, it will be in large measure because of you. And though it can never be made public, you will have earned the eternal gratitude of your adopted nation. You and Ray have risked your lives countless times on behalf of this country and I bring a message directly from the president that he expresses his heartfelt gratitude for all that you’ve done for America.”
The film ran for a few more minutes and then stopped. Lesya said, “I have never seen any human beings who could lie as well as your Carter Gray and Roger Simpson. Next to them, I was but a rank amateur.”
“Why the hell didn’t you show us this before?” Alex demanded.
“When you gave us the written orders?” Finn added.
“Only fools give up all they have on the first go-round. You keep something back always. I had the film saved and put on this device before I placed it inside the bear and gave it to Susie.”
“My God, people died, Milton died,” Caleb said in a hushed tone.
“I could do nothing about that,” she said simply. “If we had given them this too, where would we be? People would still be dead. Your friend would still be dead. And we would have nothing.”
“But what do we do with this?” Alex said.
“I want to meet with Carter Gray.”
“What!” Finn exclaimed.
“Gray and I must sit down face-to-face.”
“What if he won’t?” Alex said.
Lesya smiled. “Let me talk to him on the phone. Then he will see me.”
CHAPTER 95
“IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME, Lesya,” Gray said as the two sat across from each other. They were in a motel room in Fredericksburg, Virginia. “You’ve changed quite a bit,” he added politely.
“Given recent events it is clear that you haven’t changed at all.”
“You said on the phone that you had something I needed to see?”
“I know you have men outside. You always have men outside, Carter.”
“Yes, in my line of work one has to take precautions. The thing you wanted to show me? I don’t have a lot of time.”
Lesya opened the laptop computer she’d brought with her. Gray sat watching it until the screen went dark. He looked over at her.
“Was the film Rayfield’s idea?”
“Yes.”
“If he suspected the truth, why did he carry out the plan?”
“He was loyal. You were not. But he really did it to protect me. He knew how vulnerable I would be. He at least had the cover of the Americans. I had nothing.”
“What happened to you and Rayfield was something that I’ve always deeply regretted, Lesya. In many ways he was the best friend I ever had.”
“He trusted you, Carter. I did not, but he did. It was Simpson he was always wary of.”
“He was a good judge of character.” Gray sat forward, seeming eager to finally tell the truth. “Lesya, I did not order his death. That was Roger’s doing. I never would have done that to Ray. Never. I was furious when I found out, but there was nothing I could do. And I tried with all my might to have Ray’s name removed from the Wall of Shame at CIA. But Roger had fixed that up too neatly. He had built a very convincing story of Ray’s treason. And with Ray dead, and unable to defend himself, there was nothing I could do.”
“I don’t want your explanations, Carter. What’s done is done. Nothing can bring my husband back.”
“But the right result was achieved. You of all people understand what that meant for the world. Ray would have understood that.”
“Oh yes, he would. But my husband died. And his name is now synonymous with traitor in the country of his birth. He died for his country and they call him a traitor. This I cannot live with.”
“If there had been anything I could do about that, I would have. But my hands were tied. If I exposed Roger, I would have exposed myself. He knew that. He may be dishonorable, but he’s not stupid.”
“So you would not expose yourself to save the reputation of your ‘best’ friend? You would not give up your career to do that? Rayfield might have been your best friend, but you were clearly not his friend.”
“I admit that I was weak and selfish not to give myself up for Ray.”
“Yes, you were,” she said bluntly. “So the assassinations were not authorized by your government? It was you and Simpson and a few others. None in political leadership positions. I know you won’t answer my question, but it is the truth. I’ve had many decades to think about it.” She sat back and studied him. Gray’s normally confident demeanor had faded markedly.
He said, “Roger was afraid that if Ray found out the plan wasn’t authorized he would have exposed him. And the truth is Ray would have. Regardless of the damage it would have done to him personally.”
“That is exactly right. My husband was an honorable man. And yet he was murdered and Roger Simpson has a fine career as a senator of this country.”
“Lesya, you know how things were back then.”
With a wave of her hand, she cut him off. “Things back then were exactly the same as they are today. Nothing has changed except the people. And the people who play these games are all the same. They talk of doing good, of making the world a better place. That is all bullshit. It is about power and about protecting their interests. That is all it is ever about. Always!”
Gray sat back. “So what do you want? I’m sure you’ve thought about that too over all these decades.”
“Oh yes, I have thought about it. And I know exactly what I want. And I have been waiting to tell you for thirty years, you son of a bitch. And you’re going to sit there and listen. And then you’re going to do exactly as I say.”
When she had finished, Gray rose to go. “Can I expect to have the original of that film and all copies in return for doing what you’ve asked?”
“No, you cannot. You only have my word that I will take it to my grave. And you and Simpson should consider yourselves fortunate. I could destroy you both. Nothing would make me happier. But I am a person who actually thinks of things besides my own happiness. And that is the only thing that has saved you and the miserable Simpson. Now leave me. I do not want to see you again. Oh, but you can tell the good senator something for me.”
“What’s that?”
“I’ve heard he wants to be president.”
“Yes, he intends on running.”
“Well, you can tell him to rethink his plans. Unless he wants to explain the contents of that film to the American people. You will tell him that.”
“I will. Good-bye, Lesya. And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”
With another wave of her hand she dismissed a man who would shortly be running America’s intelligence empire once more.
Rayfield Solomon’s picture was taken down from the Wall of Shame at CIA. A bogus reason was given for his revised history. It was hidden under the rubric, “New evidence coming to light.” And then the CIA classified the evidence. Scholars might get a shot at it in a hundred years or so. Solomon was then posthumously given the CIA’s highest award for fieldwork. Never again would his name be spoken in the same sentence as traitor.
Lesya Solomon was awarded the Medal of Freedom, the first time it had been given to a former Russian spy. Again the reasons for this were classified, but it still made the national news. She even gave an interview praising the progress in American-Russian relations. She finished by saying that she wished her heroic husband, who did so much to end the Cold War, could have lived to see it. She refused all other interviews and once more disappeared.
Not surprisingly, Gray’s nomination to be the intelligence chief sailed through the Senate. A chopper flew him from his highly secure Maryland retreat to his office in Virginia every day. His life was once again filled with clandestine activities, hard decisions that influenced the entire world. One word from Carter Gray and nations trembled, it was said. The man was in his element once more.