按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
gs they would never buy for themselves。 He told her about his brother； who had died； and his sister； who was married with three children。 〃Sometimes；〃 he said； refilling their glasses with vodka； ''I think that my sister is the lucky one。 She lives a simple； unplicated life； and her worries are small ones； mon ones； not so much to bear。 She had a little trouble with the last baby； it was born with a heart murmur； but the child is fine now。 She lives under the signs of love； of contentment； of the family。 These are everything to her； without them； she is lost。〃
Later； he said； 〃You know； it's funny about my sister。 We weren't close when the three of us were growing up。 My brother and I were inseparable； and she was； well； an outsider； I suppose。 The enemy。 We never confided in her for fear that she would pass on our secrets to our mother。 Imagine my surprise when； years later at my brother's funeral； she recounted our boyhood secrets。 She had known them all the time because she was far smarter than either of us boys had been。 And she had kept them to herself。 Our secrets had been sacred to her； even though we excluded her from everything we did； even though we teased her and made fun of her。 Now we're very close。 I have e to cherish our time together； because she is the one oasis of sanity in my insane world。 Her love of the prosaic…this country； her children who will one day join the party； make their contribution to the Soviet way of life…constantly reminds me of the importance of what I am trying to acplish。''
Irina wanted to ask Mars just what that was； but she downed more pepper vodka instead。 She already had； like a professional； an instinct for when to ask questions and when to keep her mouth shut。 The same instinct made for great military manders： the need to attack had to be tempered with the necessities of parrying and of retreat； not only to cut losses； but to avoid casualties altogether。
Attack meant； by definition； exposure； and Irina did not think that the time had e for her to take that risk。 Mars was not vulnerable enough； he was still watchful； too much in control； despite the vodka。 his cheeks might be flushed； his eyes over…bright； but she could feel beneath it that his mind continued to function unimpaired。
Such was not the case by the time they returned to Mars's apartment。 The vodka had had time to saturate his entire system； and his libido had usurped control from his mind。
As usual； he made love at the approximate speed of an express train； as if he could not wait to get to the conclusion； or in some secret way； could not abide the pleasure he derived from it。 From the beginning of their relationship； Irina had felt this odd in a man who obviously felt deeply； a patriot who； as far as she could see； was far more straightforward than Valeri。 In any case； whether it was his abrupt manner in bed or something inside herself； she could not bring herself to fulfillment with Mars。 Instead she acted； somehow feeling more ashamed of this fakery than the more purely mental exercise of making him care for her。 One was akin to being up on a stage； making an audience （of one） react； the other was much more intimate。
And； as usual； in the cool aftermath as he slipped out of her； she felt sadder； even more isolated； than she had before。 She had an image of herself： a tropical fish swimming around and around a glass bowl。 She squeezed her eyes shut； but the image remained。 Around and around； until she longed even to feel dizzy； so that the emptiness would go away。
Afterward； Mars chain…smoked black Turkish cigarettes and drank black Turkish coffee； thick as honey； into which he poured a finger of vodka。 He sat； naked； at a hideous Danish modern desk； all angles； blond wood and chrome； brought his goose…neck lamp down close and read…through files he brought home in a battered leather attache case。 If he could work twenty…four hours a day； Irina thought； he would。
His face was half hidden by acrid smoke； but Irina continued to watch him as she lay belly down on the bed。 〃The only good news I've had all week；〃 Mars said； 〃is that support for the United States' resolutions in the U。N。 is at an historic low。 Perhaps we will be able to isolate America； after all。〃
Irina； testing the atmosphere； scented an absence of defenses。 The time seemed right to expose herself； and see if he suspected anything。 〃Where is all the bad news ing from？〃 she said casually。
〃From right here；〃 Mars said； flipping a page。 〃Right here。〃
Irina knew his files would probably be of interest to her…that is to say； to Valeri…but she was smarter than to try to gain access to them。 That would be tantamount to suicide。 Irina yawned。 〃How do you mean？〃
Mars closed the cover of the file； raised his gaze。 He regarded her for some time； smoking slowly； almost indolently。 Irina was afraid that he already knew about her。 But how could he？ It was impossible； she told herself。
Then Mars opened another file； began to scan it； and Irina realized that he had not been looking at her； but through her。 She relaxed。
〃Hafnium。〃
Irina blinked。 What language was he speaking？ 〃What？〃 Mars repeated the word without looking up。 〃It's a high…tech metal used to make control rods for certain types of nuclear reactors； especially those installed in submarines。〃 He turned over a page； as if he were reading directly from the file。 〃We need hafnium。 We never have enough。 But the Western alliance； CO〃…Irina knew he meant the Coordinating mittee for Multilateral Export Controls…〃forbids its member nations to sell us any because it's classified a strategic metal； suitable for military purposes。''
Mars lit another Turkish cigarette from the butt of the one he had finished。 ''It has taken us years； but we have found a reliable source in the West for hafnium。 That is； until CO found out about it and cut off the supply at its source： Japan。 At least； that's what we believed； since the hafnium supply line ceased to function shortly after the source was shut down。〃
He rose； poured himself more coffee and vodka。 Back at his desk； he sat sipping and smoking for so long that Irina became convinced that he had forgotten his train of thought。
At last she said； 〃What happened to the hafnium meant for delivery here？〃
〃Ah。〃 Mars put his cup down。 〃At first we assumed that it had been confiscated by the Tokyo police and handed over to the Tokuso； the Tokyo District Special Prosecutor's Office。 That's standard operating procedure there。 A week later； however； we received a reliable report… which we were later able to verify from an independent source…that the last shipment of hafnium had gone out before the raid； and we were discreetly asked for payment。 The trouble was； we had never received the hafnium。''
Irina sat up。 〃You said the supply line had ceased to function。〃
Mars threw the file to one side； got up； came over to the bed。 〃In a sense； that's true。〃 He looked down at her。 〃When we sent people back down the pipeline to trace the whereabouts of that last shipment； they found only death。 Each link had had his tongue neatly cut off； jammed down his throat。 To asphyxiate is far from pleasant； but to die in that way is monstrous。〃
Irina