Ogilvie said, 'Malcolm and I have discussed that and decided against it.' 'Wait a minute,' I said, and turned to Larry. 'How good is your conversational Russian?' 'Not bad,' he said modestly. 'It will have to be better than not bad,' I warned. 'You might have to fool a native Russian.' I didn't tell him Ashton was a Russian. He grinned. 'Which regional accent do you want?' Ogilvie caught on. 'I see,' he said thoughtfully. 'If the Russians don't make a mistake we make it for them. I'll buy that.' We discussed it for a while, then Michaelis said, 'We'll need a back-up scheme. If we're going to take him out against his will we'll need transport, a safe house and possibly a doctor.' That led to another long discussion in which plans were hammered out and roles allocated. Kidnapping a man can be complicated.
'What about Benson?' asked Gregory. 'Is he included in the deal?' 'I rather think so," said Ogilvie. 'I'm becoming interested in Benson.
But the primary target is Ashton. If it ever comes to a choice between taking Ashton or Benson, then drop Benson.' He turned to Michaelis.
'How long do you need?' 'If we use Plan Three we don't need a house, and the closed van I can hire inside an hour. But I'll have to go to Helsingborg or Malmo to arrange for the boat and that will take time.
Say three days.' 'How long to cross the strait to Denmark?' 'Less than an hour; you can nearly spit across it. But someone will have to organize a receiving committee in Denmark.' 'I'll do that.' Ogilvie stood up and said with finality, 'Three days, then; and we don't tell Cutler anything about it.' Three days later the operation began as planned and started well. The situation in Gamla Stan was becoming positively ridiculous: two of Cutler's men were idling away their time in antique shops ready for the emergence of Ashton and Benson and unaware that they were being watched by a couple of Russians who, in their turn, were not aware of being under the surveillance of the department. It could have been a Peter Sellers comedy. Each of our men was issued with a miniature walkie-talkie with strict instructions to stay off the air unless it was absolutely necessary to pass on the word. We didn't want to alert the Swedes that an undercover operation was under way; if they joined in there'd be so many secret agents in those narrow streets there'd be no room for tourists. I sat in my car, strategically placed to cover the bridges leading from Gamla Stan to the central city area, and kept a listening watch. Ogilvie stayed in his room in the hotel next to the telephone. At ten-thirty someone came on the air. 'Bluebird Two. Redbird walking north along Vasterlanggatan.' Ashton was coming my way so I twisted in my seat to look for him. Presently he rounded the corner and walked up the road next to the Royal Palace. He passed within ten feet of me, striding out briskly. I watched him until he turned to go over Helgeandsholmen by way of Norrbro, then switched on the car engine. Ahead I saw Larry slide out of his parking place and roll along to turn on to Norrbro.
His job was to get ahead of Ashton. I followed behind, passing Ashton who was already carrying a tail like a comet, crossed Norrbro and did a couple of turns around Gustav Adolfs Torg, making sure that everything was in order. I saw Gregory leave his parking place to make room for Larry; it was important that Larry should be in the right place at the right time. Michaelis was reserving a place further west should Ashton have decided to go into town via the Vasabron. I switched on my transmitter and said to him, 'Bluebird Four to Bluebird Three; you may quit.' At that point I quit myself because there was nothing left to do-everything now depended on Larry. I drove the short distance to the Grand Hotel, parked the car, and went to Ogilvie's room. He was nervous under his apparent placidity. After a few minutes' chat he said abruptly, 'Do you think Godwin is up to it? He's not very experienced.' 'And he never will be if he's not given the chance.' I smiled. 'He'll be all right. Any moment from now he'll be giving his celebrated imitation of an inexperienced KGB man. From that point of view his inexperience is an asset.' Time wore on. At twelve-thirty Ogilvie had smorgasbord sent up to the room. 'We might as well eat. If anything breaks you'll be eating on the run from now on.' At five to one the telephone rang. Ogilvie handed me a pair of earphones before he picked up the receiver. It was Brent, who said, 'Redbird is lunching at the Opera-so am I and so is everyone else concerned. He's looking a bit jumpy.' 'How did Godwin handle first contact?' 'Redbird went into that corner bookshop on the Nybroplan.
Godwin was standing next to him when he barked his shin on a shelf;
Larry swore a blue streak in Russian and Redbird jumped a foot. Then Larry faded out as planned.' 'And then?' 'Redbird wandered around for a bit and then came here. I saw him get settled, then signalled Larry to come in. He took a table right in front of Redbird who looked worried when he saw him. Larry has just had a hell of a row with a waiter in very bad, Russian-accented Swedish-all very noisy. Redbird is definitely becoming uncomfortable.' 'How are the others taking it?'
The real Russians look bloody surprised. Cutler's chap… wait a minute.' After a pause Brent chuckled. 'Cutler's chap is heading for the telephones right now. I think he wants to report that the Russians have arrived. I think I'll let him have this telephone.' 'Stay with it,' said Ogilvie. 'Stick to Ashton.' He replaced the receiver and looked up. 'It's starting.' 'Everything is ready,' I said soothingly.
I picked up the telephone and asked the hotel operator to transfer my calls to Ogilvie's room. We had not long to wait. The telephone rang and I answered. Cutler said, 'Jaggard, there may be an important development.' 'Oh,' I said seriously. 'What's that?' 'My man with Ashton seems to think the Russians are interested.' 'In Ashton?'
'That's right.' 'Oh. That's bad! Where is Ashton now?' 'Lunching at the Opera. Shall I put someone on to the Russian? There may be time.'
Ogilvie had the earphone to his ear and shook his head violently. I grinned, and said, 'I think not. In fact I think you'd better pull out all your men as soon as you can get word to them. You don't want the Russians to know you're on to Ashton, do you?' 'My God, no I-' said Cutler quickly. 'We can't have the Embassy involved. I'll do as you say at once.' He rang off, seemingly relieved. Ogilvie grunted. 'The man's an idiot. He's well out of it.' 'It does clear the field,' I said, and put on my jacket. 'I'm going over to Gamla Stan for the beginning of the second act. If Larry does his stuff we should get a firm reaction from Ashton,' I paused. 'I don't like doing it this way, you know. I'd much prefer we talk to him.' 'I know,' said Ogilvie sombrely. 'But your preferences don't count. Get on with it, Malcolm.'
So I got on with it. I went to Gamla Stan and met Henty in a bar-restaurant in Vasterlanggatan, joining him in a snack of herring and aquavit. He had been watching the flat, so I said, 'Where's Benson?' 'Safe at home. His Russian is still with him but Cutler's boy has vanished. Maybe Benson lost him.' 'No. Cutler is no longer with us.' I described what had happened. Henty grinned. 'Something should break any moment then.' He finished his beer and stood up. 'I'd better get back.' 'I'll come with you.' As we left I said, 'You're our Swedish expert. Supposing Ashton makes a break-how can he do it?' 'By air from Bromma or Arlanda, depending on where he's going. He can also take a train. He doesn't have a car.' 'Not that we know of. He could also leave by sea.' Henty shook his head. 'At this time of year I doubt it. There's a lot of ice in the Baltic this year-the Saltsjon was frozen over this morning. It plays hell with their schedules. If I were Ashton I wouldn't risk it; he could get stuck on a ship which didn't move for hours.' The bone conduction contraption behind my ear came to life. 'Bluebird Two. Redbird by Palace heading for Vasterlanggaitan and moving fast.' Bluebird Two was Brent. I said to Henty, 'He's coming now. You go on ahead, spot him and tag that bloody Russian. I don't want Ashton to see me.' He quickened his pace while I slowed down, strolling from one shop window to the next. Presently there came the news that Ashton was safely back home, and then Henty came back with Larry Godwin. Both were grinning, and Henty remarked, 'Ashton's in a muck-sweat.' I said to Larry, 'What happened?' 'I followed Ashton from the Opera-very obviously. He tried to shake me; in fact, he did shake me twice, but Brent was able to steer me back on course.' Henty chuckled. 'Ashton came along Vasterlanggatan doing heel-and-toe as though he was in a walking race, with Godwin trying hard for second place. He went through his doorway like a rabbit going down a hole.' 'Did you speak to him, Larry?' 'Well, towards the end I called out, "Grazhdaninu Ashton-ostanovites!" as though I wanted him to stop. It just made him go faster.' I smiled slightly. I doubt if Ashton relished being called 'citiz en' in Russian, especially when coupled with his English name. 'The ball is now in Ashton's court, but I doubt he'll move before nightfall. Larry, go and do an ostentatious patrol before Ashton's flat. Be a bit haphazard-reappear at irregular intervals.' I had a last word with Henty, and then did the rounds, checking that every man was in his place and the Russians were covered. After that I reported by telephone to Ogilvie. Larry caught up with me in about an hour. 'One of those bloody Russians tackled me,' he said. 'He asked me what the hell I thought I was doing.' 'In Russian?' 'Yes. I asked him for his authority and he referred me to a Comrade Latiev in the Russian Embassy. So I got a bit shirty and told him that Latiev's authority had been superseded, and if Latiev didn't know that himself he was even more stupid than Moscow thought. Then I said I didn't have time to waste and did a quick disappearing act.'