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y system。 The Liberals split the vote in our favor。 We have to encourage them。〃 Happily he finished his beer and got two more from the refrigerator。 〃If it wasn't for the Liberals； Labour would have never got in； not never！ And never will again。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
〃At the best of times the vote for Labour's only about 45 percent of the population； a little under 45 percent。 Tory … Conservatives … are about the same； usually a little more。 Most of the other 10…odd percent vote Liberal。 If there was no Liberal candidate the majority'd vote with the Conservatives。 They're all fools；〃 he said smugly。 〃The British are stupid； rade； the Liberal Party's Labour's permanent passport to power … therefore ours。 Soon the BCP'll control the TUC； and so Labour pletely … secretly of course。〃 He drank deeply。 〃The great British unwashed are stupid； the middle class stupid； the upper class stupid … it's almost no challenge anymore。 They're all lemmings。 Only a very few believe in democratic socialism。 Even so；〃 he added with great satisfaction； 〃we pulled down their rotten Empire and pissed all over them with Operation Lion。〃 Operation Lion was formulated as soon as the Bolsheviks had e to power。 Its purpose； the destruction of the British Empire。 〃In just eighteen years； since 1945； the greatest empire the world has ever seen's bee nonexistent。〃
〃Except for Hong Kong。〃
〃Soon that will go too。〃
〃I cannot tell you how important my superiors consider your work；〃 Suslev said with pretended open admiration。 〃You and all our fraternal British brothers。〃 His orders were to be deferential to this man； to debrief him on his Chinese mission； to pass on instructions as requests。 And to flatter him。 He had read Grey's dossier and the Finns'。 Robin Grey had a Beria…KGB classification 4/22/a： 〃An important British traitor paying lip service to Marxist…Leninist ideals。 He is to be used but never trusted； and； should the British munist Party ever reach power； is subject to immediate liquidation。〃
Suslev watched Grey。 Neither Grey nor the Finns knew his real position； only that he was a minor member of the Vladivostok munist Party … which was also on his SI dossier。
〃You have some information for me？〃 Grey asked。
〃Yes； tovarich； and also； with your permission； a few questions。 I was told to ask about your implementation of Directive 72/Prague。〃 This highly secret directive put top priority on infiltrating covert； hard…core experts into positions as shop stewards； in every car…manufacturing plant throughout the U。S。 and the West … the motor industry； because of its countless allied industries； being the core of any capitalist society。
〃We're full speed ahead；〃 Grey told him enthusiastically。 〃Wildcat strikes are the way of the future。 With wildcats we can get around union hierarchies without disrupting existing unionism。 Our unions're fragmented。 Deliberately。 Fifty men can be a separate union and that union can dominate thousands … and so long as there's never a secret ballot； the few will always rule the many！〃 He laughed。 〃We're ahead of schedule； and now we've fraternal brothers in Canada； New Zealand； Rhodesia； Australia … particularly Australia。 Within a few years we'll have trained agitators in every key machine…shop union in the English…speaking world。 A Brit will lead the workers wherever there's a strike … Sydney； Vancouver； Johannesburg； Wellington。 It'll be a Brit！〃
〃And you're one of the leaders； tovarich！ How marvelous！〃 Suslev let him continue； leading him on； disgusted that it was so easy to flatter him。 How dreadful traitors are； he told himself。 〃Soon you'll have the democratic paradise you seek and there'll be peace on earth。〃
〃It won't be long；〃 Grey said fervently。 〃We've cut the armed services and we'll cut them even more next year。 War's over forever。 The bomb's done that。 It's only the rotten Americans and their arms race who stand in the way but soon we'll force even them to lay down their arms and we'll all be equal。〃
〃Did you know America's secretly arming the Japanese？〃
〃Eh？〃 Grey stared at him。
〃Oh； didn't you know？〃 Suslev was well aware of Grey's three and a half years in Japanese POW camps。 〃Didn't you know the U。S。 has a military mission there right now asking them if they'd accept nuclear weapons？〃
〃They'd never dare。〃
〃But they have； Mr。 Grey；〃 Suslev said； the lie ing so easily。 〃Of course it's all totally secret。〃
〃Can you give me details I could use in Parliament？〃
〃Well； I'll certainly ask my superiors to furnish that to you if you think it'd be of value。〃
〃Please； as soon as possible。 Nuclear bombs 。。。 Christ！〃
〃Are your people； your trained experts； in British nuclear plants too？〃
〃Eh？〃 Grey concentrated with an effort； heaving his mind off Japan。 〃Nuclear plants？〃
〃Yes。 Are you getting your Brits？〃
〃Well； no； there's only one or two plants in the U。K。 and they're unimportant。 The Yanks're really arming the Japs？〃
〃Isn't Japan capitalist？ Isn't Japan a U。S。 protégé？ Aren't they building nuclear plants too？ If it wasn't for America 。。。〃
〃Those American sods！ Thank God you've the bombs too or we'd all have to kowtow！〃
〃Perhaps you should concentrate some effort on your nuclear plants； eh？〃 Suslev said smoothly； astounded that Grey could be so gullible。
〃Why？〃
〃There's a new study out； by one of your countrymen。 Philby。'
〃Philby？〃 Grey remembered how shocked and frightened he had been at Philby's discovery and flight； then how relieved he was that Philby and the others had escaped without giving lists of the inner core of the BCP that they must have had。 〃How is he？〃
〃I understand he's very well。 He's working in Moscow。 Did you know him？〃
〃No。 He was Foreign Office； stratosphere。 None of us knew he was one of us。〃
〃He points out in this study that a nuclear plant is self…sustaining； that one plant can generate fuel for itself and for others。 Once a nuclear plant is operating； in effect it is almost perpetual； it requires only a few highly skilled； highly educated technicians to operate it； no workers； unlike oil or coal。 At the moment all industry in the West's dependent on coal or oil。 He suggests it should be our policy to encourage use of oil； not coal； and pletely discourage nuclear power。 Eh？〃
〃Ah； I see his point！〃 Grey's face hardened。 〃I shall get myself on the parliamentary mittee to study atomic energy。〃
〃Will that be easy？〃
〃Too easy； rade！ Brits are lazy； they want no problems； they just want to work as little as possible for as much money as possible； to go to the pub and football on Saturdays … and no unpaid work； no tedious mittees after hours； no arguments。 It's too easy … when we have a plan and they don't。〃
Suslev sighed； very satisfied； his work almost done。 〃Another beer？ No； let me get it； it's my honor； Mr。 Grey。 Do you happen to know a writer who's here at the moment； a U。S。 citizen； Peter Marlowe？〃
Grey's head snapped up。 〃Marlowe？ I know him very well； didn't know he was a U。S。 citizen though。 Why？〃
Suslev kept his interest hidden and shrugged。 〃I was just asked to ask you； since you are English and he originally was English。〃
〃He's a rotten upper…class sod with the morals of a bar