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〃I can keep this？〃 Crosse asked。
〃Sure。 By the way； we have a tail on Dunross too。 W… 〃
Crosse said angrily； 〃Would you kindly not interfere in our jurisdiction！〃
〃I told you you were in Shitsville； Rog！〃 Tautly Rosemont placed another cable on the table。
Rosemont； Hong Kong。 You will hand this cable to Chief of SI personally。 Until further orders Rosemont is authorized to proceed independently to assist in the uncovering of the hostile in any way he chooses。 He is； however； required to stay within the law and keep you advised personally of what he is doing。 Source 8…98/3。
Rosemont saw Crosse bite back an explosion。 〃What else've you authorized？〃 Crosse asked。
〃Nothing。 Yet。 Next： We'll be at the bank on Fri… 〃
〃You know where Dunross's put the files？〃
〃It's all over town … among the munity。 I told you your mole's been working overtime。〃 Abruptly Rosemont flared； 〃e on for chrissake； Rog； you know if you tell a hot item to someone in London； it's all over town！ We've all got security problems but yours're worse！〃 With an effort the American simmered down。 〃You could've leveled with me about the Dunross screw…up … it would've save us all a lot of heartache and a lotta face。〃
Crosse lit a cigarette。 〃Perhaps。 Perhaps not。 I was trying to maintain security。〃
〃Remember me？ I'm on our side！〃
〃Are you？〃
〃You bet your ass！〃 Rosemont said it very angrily。 〃And if it was up to me I'd have every safety deposit box open before sundown … and the hell with the consequences。〃
〃Thank God you can't do that。〃
〃For chrissake we're at war and God only knows what's in those other files。 Maybe they'll finger your goddamn mole and then we can get the bastard and give him his！〃
〃Yes；〃 Crosse said； his voice a whiplash； 〃or maybe there's nothing in the papers at all！〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Dunross agreed to hand the files over to Sinders on Friday。 What if there's nothing in them？ Or what if he burned the pages and gives us just the covers？ What the hell do we do then？〃
Rosemont gaped at him。 〃Jesus … is that a possibility？〃
〃Of course it's a possibility！ Dunross's clever。 Perhaps they're not there at all； or the vault ones are false or nonexistent。 We don't know he put them there； he just says he put them there。 Jesus Christ； there're fifty possibilities。 You're so smart； you CIA fellows； you tell me which deposit box and I'll open it myself。〃
〃Get the key from the governor。 Give me and some of my boys private access for five hours an … 〃
〃Out of the question！〃 Crosse snarled； suddenly red…faced； and Armstrong felt the violence strongly。 Poor Stanley； you're the target today。 He suppressed a shudder； remembering the times he had had to face Crosse。 He had soon learned that it was easier to tell the man the truth； to tell everything at once。 If Crosse ever really went after him in an interrogation； he knew beyond doubt he would be broken。 Thank God he's never yet had reason to try； he thought thankfully； then turned his eyes on Rosemont who was flushed with rage。 I wonder who Rosemont's informants are； and how he knows for certain that Fong…fong and his team have been obliterated。
〃Out of the question；〃 Crosse said again。
〃Then what the hell do we do？ Sit on our goddamn lard till Friday？〃
〃Yes。 We wait。 We've been ordered to wait。 Even if Dunross has torn out pages； or sections； or disposed of whole files； we can't put him in prison … or force him to remember or tell us anything。〃
〃If the director or Source decide he should be leaned on； there're ways。 That's what the enemy'd do。〃
Crosse and Armstrong stared at Rosemont。 At length Armstrong said coldly； 〃But that doesn't make it right。〃
〃That doesn't make it wrong either。 Next： For your ears only； Rog。〃
At once Armstrong got up but Crosse motioned him to stay。 〃Robert's my ears。〃 Armstrong hid the laughter that permeated him at so ridiculous a statement。
〃No。 Sorry； Rog； orders … your brass and mine。〃
Armstrong saw Crosse hesitate perfectly。 〃Robert； wait outside。 When I buzz e back in。 Check on Brian。〃
〃Yes sir。〃 Armstrong went out and closed the door； sorry that he would not be present for the kill。
〃Well？〃
The American lit another cigarette。 〃Top secret。 At 0400 today the whole Ninety…second Airborne dropped into Azerbaijan supported by large units of Delta Force and they've fanned out all along the Iran…Soviet border。〃 Crosse's eyes widened。 〃This was at the direct request of the Shah； in response to massive Soviet military preparations just over the border and the usual Soviet…sponsored riots all over Iran。 Jesus； Rog； can't you get some air conditioning in here？〃 Rosemont mopped his brow。 〃There's a security blanket all over Iran now。 At 0600 support units landed at Teheran airport。 Our Seventh Fleet's heading for the Gulf； the Sixth … that's the Mediterranean … is already at battle stations off Israel； the Second； Atlantic； is heading for the Baltic； NORAD's alerted； NATO's alerted； and all Poseidons are one step from Red。〃
〃Jesus Christ； what the hell's going on？〃
〃Khrushchev is making another real play for Iran … always an optimum Soviet target right？ He figures he has the advantage。 It's right on his own border where his own lines of munication're short and ours huge。 Yesterday the Shah's security people uncovered a 'democratic socialist' insurrection scheduled to explode in the next few days in Azerbaijan。 So the Pentagon's reacting like mashed cats。 If Iran goes so does the whole Persian Gulf； then Saudi Arabia and that wraps up Europe's oil and that wraps up Europe。〃
〃The Shah's been in trouble before。 Isn't this more of your overreacting？〃
The American hardened。 〃Khrushchev backed down over Cuba … first goddamn time there's been a Soviet backoff … because JFK wasn't bluffing and the only thing mies understand is force。 Big…massive…honest…to…goddamn force！ The Big K better back off this time too or we'll hand him his head。〃
〃You'll risk blowing up the whole bloody world over some illiterate； rioting； fanatic nutheads who've probably got some right on their side anyway？〃
〃I'm not into politics； Rog； only into winning。 Iran oil； Persian Gulf oil； Saudi oil're the West's jugular。 We're not gonna let the enemy get it。〃
〃If they want it they'll take it。〃
〃Not this time； they won't。 We're calling the operation Dry Run。 The idea's to go in heavy； frighten 'em off and get out fast； quietly； so no one's the wiser except the enemy； and particularly no goddamn liberal fellow…traveler congressman or journalist。 The Pentagon figures the Soviets don't believe we could possibly respond so fast； so massively from so far away； so they'll go into shock and run for cover and close everything down … until next time。〃
The silence thickened。
Crosse's fingers drummed。 〃What am I supposed to do？ Why're you telling me this？〃
〃Because the brass ordered me to。 They want all allied chief SIs to know because if the stuff hits the fan there'll be sympathy riots all over； as usual； well…coordinated rent…a…mob riots； and you'll have to be prepared。 AMG's papers said that Sevrin had been activated here … maybe there's a tie…in。 Besides； you here in Hong Kong are vital to us。 You're the back do