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The other two went over to him。 The great nuclear carrier was just rounding North Point heading for the navy yard。 Hong Kong side。 She was dressed overall； all her obligatory flags stiff in the breeze； crowds of white…clothed sailors on her vast deck； with neat lines of her vicious fighter jet airplanes。 Almost 84；000 tons。 No smokestack； just a vast； ominous bridge plex； with an eleven…hundred…foot angled runway that could retrieve and launch jets simultaneously。 The first of a generation。
〃That's some ship；〃 Crosse said enviously。 This was the first time the colossus had entered Hong Kong since her missioning in 1960。 〃Pretty；〃 he said； hating the fact she was American and not British。 〃What's her top speed？〃
〃I don't know … that's classified along with most everything else。〃 Rosemont turned to watch him。 〃Can't you send that goddamn Soviet spy ship to hell out of port？〃
〃Yes； and we could blow it up； but that would be equally foolish。 Stanley； relax； you have to be a little civilized about these things。 Repairing their ships … and some of them really do need it … is a good source of revenue； and intelligence； and they pay their bills promptly。 Our ways have been tried and tested over the years。〃
Yes； Rosemont was thinking without rancor； but your ways don't work anymore。 The British Empire's no more； the British raj no more and we've a different enemy now； smarter rougher dedicated totalitarian fanatic； with no Queensberry rules and a worldwide plan that's lavishly funded by whatever it takes。 You British've no dough now； no clout； no navy； no army； no air force； and your goddamn government's filled with socialist and enemy pus； and we think they sold you out。 You've been screwed from within； your security's the pits from Klaus Fuchs and Philby on down。 Jesus； we won both goddamn wars for you； paid for most of it and both times you've screwed up the peace。 And if it wasn't for our Strategic Air mand； our missiles； our nuclear strike force； our navy； our army； our air force our taxpayers our dough； you'd all be dead or in goddamn Siberia。 Meanwhile； like it or not I got to deal with you。 We need Hong Kong as a window and right now your cops to guard the carrier。
〃Rog； thanks for the extra men；〃 he said。 〃We sure appreciate it。〃
〃We wouldn't want any trouble while she's here either。 Pretty ship。 I envy you having her。〃
〃Her captain'll have the ship and crew under tight wraps … the shore parties'll all be briefed； and warned； and we'll cooperate a hundred percent。〃
〃I'll see you get a copy of the list of bars I've suggested your sailors stay out of … some're known munist hangouts； and some are frequented by our lads off H。M。S。 Dart。〃 Crosse smiled。 〃There'll still be the odd brawl。〃
〃Sure。 Rog； this Voranski killing's too much of a coincidence。 Can I send a Shanghai speaker to assist the interrogation？〃
〃I'll let you know if we need help。〃
〃Can we have our copies of the tai…pan's other AMG reports now？ Then we can get out of your hair。〃
Crosse stared back at him twisting uneasily； even though he was prepared for the question。 〃I'll have to get approval from Whitehall。〃
Rosemont was surprised。 〃Our top man in England's been on to your Great White Father and it's approved。 You should have had it an hour ago。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Sure。 Hell； we'd no idea AMG was on the tai…pan's payroll let alone passing classified stuff for chrissake！ The wires've been red hot since Ed got the top copy of AMG's last will and testament。 We got an all…points from Washington on getting copies of the other reports and we're trying to trace the call to Switzerland but … 〃
〃Say again？〃
〃Kiernan's call。 The second call he made。〃
〃I don't follow you。〃
Rosemont explained。
Crosse frowned。 〃My people didn't tell me about that。 Nor did Dunross。 Now why should Dunross lie … or avoid telling me that？〃 He related to them exactly what Dunross had told him。 〃There was no reason for him to hide that； was there？〃
〃No。 All right； Rog： Is the tai…pan kosher？〃
Crosse laughed。 〃If you mean is he a one hundred percent British Royalist freebooter whose allegiance is to his House； himself and the Queen … not necessarily in that order … the answer's an emphatic yes。〃
〃Then if we can have our copies now； Rog； we'll be on our way。〃
〃When I've got Whitehall's approval。〃
〃If you'll check your decoding room … it's a Priority l…4a。 It says to let us have copies on receipt。〃
1…4a's were very rare。 They called for immediate clearance and immediate action。
Crosse hesitated； wanting to avoid the trap he was in。 He dared not tell them he did not yet have possession of the AMG reports。 He picked up the phone and dialed。 〃This is Mr。 Crosse。 Is their anything for me from Source？ A 1…4a？〃
〃No sir。 Other than the one we sent up an hour ago … that you signed for；〃 the SI woman said。
〃Thank you。〃 Crosse put the phone down。 〃Nothing yet；〃 he said。
〃Shit；〃 Rosemont muttered； then added； 〃They swore they'd already beamed it out and you'd have it before we got here。 It's got to be here any second。 If you don't mind we'll wait。〃
〃I've an appointment in Central shortly。 Perhaps later this evening？〃
Both men shook their heads。 Langan said； 〃We'll wait。 We've been ordered to send 'em back instantly by hand with a twenty…four…hour guard。 An army transport's due now at Kai Tak to carry the courier … we can't even copy them here。〃
〃Aren't you overreacting？〃
〃You could answer that。 What's in them？〃
Crosse toyed with his lighter。 It had Cambridge University emblazoned on it。 He had owned it since his undergraduate days。 〃Is it true what AMG said about the CIA and the Mafia？〃
Rosemont stared back at him。 〃I don't know。 You guys used all sort of crooks during World War Two。 We learned from you to take advantage of what we've got … that was your first rule。 Besides；〃 Rosemont added with utter conviction； 〃this war's our war and whatever it takes we're going to win。〃
〃Yes； yes we must；〃 Langan echoed； equally sure。 〃Because if we lose this one； the whole world's gone and we'll never get another chance。〃
On the closed…in bridge of the Sovetsky Ivanov three men had binoculars trained on the nuclear carrier。 One of the men was a civilian and he wore a throat mike that fed into a tape recorder。 He was giving an expert； technical running mentary of what he saw。 From time to time the other two would add a ment。 Both wore light naval uniform。 One was Captain Gregor Suslev； the other his first officer。
The carrier was ing up the roads nicely； tugs in attendance； but no tug ropes。 Ferries and freighters tooted a jaunty wele。 A marine band played on her aft deck。 White…clad sailors waved at passing ships。 The day was very humid and the afternoon sun cast long shadows。
〃The captain's expert；〃 the first officer said。
〃Yes。 But with all that radar even a child could handle her；〃 Captain Suslev replied。 He was a heavy…shouldered； bearded man； his Slavic brown eyes deepset in a friendly face。 〃Those sweepers aloft look like the new GEs for very long…range radar。 Are they； Vassili？〃
The technical expert broke off his transmission momentarily。 〃Yes； rade Captain。 But look aft！ They've four F5 interceptors par