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〃I agree； now they can； but they won't。 They've no balls。〃 Suslev drank again。 〃And soon？ Just a little more time and we'll stick their noses up their asses！〃 He sighed。 〃It will be good when we begin。〃
〃It'll be terrible。〃
〃No； a short； almost bloodless war against America and then the rest'll collapse like the pus…infected corpse it is。〃
〃Bloodless？ What about their atom bombs？ Hydrogen bombs？〃
〃They'll never use atomics or missiles against us； they're too scared； even now； of ours！ Because they're sure we'll use them。〃
〃Will we？〃
〃I don't know。 Some manders would。 I don't know。 We'll certainly use them back。 But first？ I don't know。 The threat will always be enough。 I'm sure we'll never need a fighting war。〃 He lit a corner of the decoded message and put it in the ashtray。 〃Another twenty years of détente … ah what Russian genius invented that … we'll have a navy bigger and better than theirs； an air force bigger and better than theirs。 We've got more tanks now and more soldiers； but without ships and airplanes we must wait。 Twenty years is not long to wait for Mother Russia to rule the earth。〃
〃And China？ What about China？〃
Suslev gulped the vodka and refilled both glasses again。 The bottle was empty now and he tossed it onto his bunk。 His eyes saw the burning paper in the ashtray twist and crackle； dying。 〃Perhaps China's the one place to use our atomics；〃 he said matter…of…factly。 〃There's nothing there we need。 Nothing。 That'd solve our China problem once and for all。 How many men of military age did they have at last estimate？〃
〃116 million between the ages of eighteen and twenty…five。〃
〃Think of that！ 116 million yellow devils sharing 5；000 miles of our frontiers 。。。 and then foreigners call us paranoiac about China！〃 He sipped the vodka； this time making it last。 〃Atomics'd solve our China problem once and for all。 Quick； simple and permanent。〃
The other man nodded。 〃And this Dunross？ The papers of AMG？〃
〃We'll get them from him。 After all； Dimitri； one of our people is family； another one of his partners； another's in Special Intelligence； there's Arthur and Sevrin everywhere he turns； and then we've a dozen decadents to call on in his parliament； some in his government。〃 They both began laughing。
〃And if he's destroyed the papers？〃
Suslev shrugged。 〃They say he's got a photographic memory。〃
〃You'd do the interrogation here？〃
〃It'd be dangerous to do an in…depth chemic quickly。 I've never done one。 Have you？〃
〃No。〃
The captain frowned。 〃When you report tonight； get Center to ready an expert in case we need one … Koronski from Vladivostok if he's available。〃
Dimitri nodded； lost in thought。 This morning's Guardian； lying half…crumpled on the captain's bunk； caught his eye。 He went over and picked it up； his eyes alight。 〃Gregor … if we have to detain Dunross； why not blame them； then you've all the time you'll need？〃 The screaming headline read； SUSPECTS IN WEREWOLVES KIDNAP CASE。 〃If Dunross doesn't return 。。。 perhaps our man'd bee tai…pan！ Eh？〃
Suslev began to chuckle。 〃Dimitri； you're a genius。〃
Rosemont glanced at his watch。 He had waited long enough。 〃Rog； can I use your phone？〃
〃Certainly；〃 Crosse said。
The CIA man stubbed out his cigarette and dialed the central CIA exchange in the consulate。
〃This is Rosemont … give me 2022。〃 That was the CIA munications center。
〃2022。 Chapman … who's this？〃
〃Rosemont。 Hi； Phil； anything new？〃
〃No； excepting Marty Povitz reports a lot of activity on the bridge of the Ivanov； high…powered binoculars。 Three guys； Stan。 One's a civilian； others're the captain and the first officer。 One of their short…range radar sweep's working overtime。 You want us to notify the Corregidor's captain？〃
〃Hell no； no need to make his tail wriggle more than needs be。 Say； Phil； we get a confirm on our 40…41？〃
〃Sure Stan。 It came in at 。。。 stand by one 。。。 it came in at 1603 local。〃
〃Thanks； Phil； see you。〃
Rosemont lit another cigarette。 Sourly Langan； a nonsmoker； watched him but said nothing as Crosse was smoking too。
〃Rog； what are you pulling？〃 Rosemont asked harshly； to Langan's shock。 〃You got your Priority 1…4a at 1603； same time as we did。 Why the stall？〃
〃I find it presently convenient；〃 Crosse replied； his voice pleasant。
Rosemont flushed； so did Langan。 〃Well I don't and we've instructions； official instructions； to pick up our copies right now。〃
〃So sorry； Stanley。〃
Rosemont's neck was now very red but he kept his temper。 〃You're not going to obey the 1…4a？〃
〃Not at the moment。〃
Rosemont got up and headed for the door。 〃Okay； Rog； but they'll throw the book at you。〃 He ripped the bolt back； jerked the door open and left。 Langan was on his feet； his face also set。
〃What's the reason； Roger？〃 he asked。
Crosse stared back at him calmly。 〃Reason for what？〃
Ed Langan began to get angry but stopped； suddenly appalled。 〃Jesus； Roger； you haven't got them yet？ Is that it？〃
〃e now； Ed；〃 Crosse said easily； 〃you of all people should know we're efficient。〃
〃That's no answer； Roger。 Have you or haven't you？〃 The FBI man's level eyes stayed on Crosse； and did not faze Crosse at all。 Then he walked out； closing the door after him。 At once Crosse touched the hidden switch。 The bolt slid home。 Another hidden switch turned off his tape recorder。 He picked up his phone and dialed。 〃Brian？ Have you heard from Dunross？〃
〃No sir。〃
〃Meet me downstairs at once。 With Armstrong。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
Crosse hung up。 He took out the formal arrest document that was headed DETAINMENT ORDER UNDER THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT。 Quickly he filled in 〃Ian Struan Dunross〃 and signed both copies。 The top copy he kept； the other he locked in his drawer。 His eyes roamed his office； checking it。 Satisfied； he delicately positioned a sliver of paper in the crack of his drawer so that he alone would know if anyone had opened it or tampered with it。 He walked out。 Heavy security locks slid home after him。
23
5：45 P。M。：
Dunross was in the Struan boardroom with the other directors of Nelson Trading； looking at Richard Kwang。 〃No； Richard。 Sorry； I can't wait till after closing tomorrow。〃
〃It'll make no difference to you； tai…pan。 It will to me。〃 Richard Kwang was sweating。 The others watched him … Phillip Chen； Lando Mata and Zeppelin Tung。
〃I disagree； Richard；〃 Lando Mata said sharply。 〃Madonna； you don't seem to realize the seriousness of the run！〃
〃Yes；〃 Zeppelin Tung said； his face shaking with suppressed rage。
Dunross sighed。 If it wasn't for his presence he knew they would all be raving and screaming at each other； the obscenities flying back and forth as they do at any formal negotiation between Chinese； let alone one as serious as this。 But it was a Noble House law that all board meetings were to be conducted in English； and English inhibited Chinese swearing and also unsettled Chinese which was of course the whole idea。 〃The matter has to be dealt with now； Richard。〃
〃I agree。〃 Lando Mata was a handsome； sharp…featured Portuguese in his fifties； his mother's Chinese blood clear in his dark eyes and dark hair and golden plexion。 His long fine fingers drummed co