"But there's something much moreworrying to consider. There were several passengers bundled on board the Sovietflight just before takeoff, one of them on a stretcher and accompanied by adoctor. According to the French, the Soviets claimed he was a member of theirParis embassy staff being taken to Moscow for urgent medical treatment.However, from talking with the French authorities who checked the Sovietpassenger manifest and getting their descriptions of the people who went onboard, we suspect now the man on the stretcher may have been Lebel."

"Jesus.

"Which leads me to believe Moscowhas figured out Lebel's connection to Massey and they want to interrogatehim."

Eisenhower put a hand to his face andrubbed his eyes. "It gets worse by the hour."

"Mr. President, taking Lebel toMoscow would suggest he hasn't already cooperated. But in my opinion, no matterwhat we had ordered Stanski to do at this stage, I'm convinced he'd ignore ourcommand."

Eisenhower looked up. "Even a directcommand from me?"

"Even a direct command from you,Sir, if it were possible to relay one to him."

Eisenhower sighed again and turned in hischair. "Mr. Massey, do you want to say anything?"

Massey looked up. There were dark ringsunder his eyes and his face looked troubled. He had hardly slept for the lastforty-eight hours, the long flight from Helsinki to Washington swiftly followedby a grueling four-hour debriefing by Branigan, the Assistant Director, andAllen Dulles, every detail of the operation gone over. There was a gnawingfeeling of doom and a sickness in the pit of his stomach that hadn't left himin all that time. The news about Lebel only added to it, and there was anatmosphere of hopelessness in the room.

He looked over at Eisenhower, who wasstaring at him. "I don't know what to say, Mr. President."

Eisenhower flushed angrily."Considering you're partly responsible I think you had better contributesomething to this conversation. You've been sitting there for the past tenminutes like a man who's lost his way home. Don't you have anysuggestions?"

"if Lebel's been abducted and takento Moscow, then we've no way of stopping Stanski, short of sending someone inthere to reason with him. As for Lebel's abduction there's no answer, unlessyou consider shooting down the aircraft he's on,"

"Impossible, even if I consideredit," Eisenhower answered Sharply. "By now it'll be inside Sovietterritory. And in answer to your first suggestion you heard what Branigan said.Stanski would never listen. What's your opinion about this Lebel? Do you thinkhe'll break easily under interrogation?"

"Lebel was in a concentration campafter being caught: and tortured by the Gestapo, so he's been through theordeal before. He may refuse to talk and deny his involvement, depending onwhat evidence Moscow has to implicate him. But they must have some, and theymust be in a hurry, otherwise why abduct him, especially when he was to arrivethere in two days' time?

Or Lebel may just as easily tell Moscoweverything. I've no way of knowing."

"But you know the man, right? Giveme your honest opinion. Will he talk?"

Massey thought for a moment. "I'dsay Lebel will hold out as long as he can. He's no fool, and he'll probably tryto deny everything at first. But considering the way the KGB have refined theart of torture, I wouldn't expect that to be for more than a couple of days,maybe a little more."

Alfred Dulles was wiping his glasses whenhe looked up slowly. "It strikes me that if Lebel can be counted on tohold Out, that gives us time, and maybe a way out of this mess."

"How?" asked Eisenhower.

"We kill Stanski and Khorev. Callousas it sounds, it's about the only solution I can think of."

There was silence in the room. Masseylooked over at Dulles and said with feeling, "We're talking about twopeople risking their lives for us. Two people who had the guts to carry outthis operation, and you want to kill them?"

Dulles fixed Massey with a stare."This isn't a perfect world, Massey. But it's the only solution I canthink of.-and maybe the only shot we've got left." He looked back at thePresident' "Branigan and I have been doing a little homework, trying tofigure this thing out."

He plucked a file from the briefcasebeside him. "Right now we've got four agents in Moscow. To each we send abrief encoded message usually every four weeks to keep in touch and let themknow we haven't forgotten about them. The transmissions are made on regularradio programs on The Voice of America at prearranged times. To any ordinarylistener the transmission sounds harmless, but our agents, once they decode acertain passage transmitted at a certain time, have got a message fromus."

He leaned over and handed the file toEisenhower. "These are two agents of ours in Moscow we think couldhelp."

As the President picked it up, Dullesadded, "They're freebooters. Former Ukrainian SS. In fact, Massey himselfhad them parachuted into the Ukraine six weeks ago. They arrived in Moscow aweek later."

Eisenhower quickly read the file andreplaced it on the desk.

"So what are you proposing?"

"We're due to send a routine messageto these men on schedule tomorrow night. But instead we tell them about the manand woman we want located. Massey here has told us about Lebel's ladyffiendwhom Stanski is to meet in Moscow. She's got a dacha he's going to use as asafe house. If we can confirm that Stanski and the woman will show up there,wel then, I think you can guess the rest. But I figure we'll need someone inplace in Moscow to make sure the plan is carried out. There's no room forerror. And it's got to be done fast. Like Massey says, our friend Lebel iseventually going to be made to talk and then the KGB will know about thedacha."

"Is there Any chance Moscow coulddecode your radio message?"

Dulles shook his head. "Highlyunlikely, Mr. President. The message is decoded on one-time pads, andimpossible to break.

"There's something vital you'releaving out. How in the hell do we get someone to Moscow?" Dulles said,"We're working on it, Mr. President. Mossad seems the most likely bet.They've got contacts through their Jewish League in Russia and Eastern Europe,and we know they have a number of agents and highly placed informers in Moscow,in the KGB and the Soviet military. If you give us the clearance, we askMossad's assistance without divulging our reasons. I think they'll agree. Asyou know, we've got a formal agreement with them on mutual securitymatters."

"You really think it couldwork?" Dulles said, "It's going to be risky and difficult, sir. Andit needs to be done with great speed but also with great care. There's no roomfor error. Me, I think it's a chance we've got to take. But I believe Massey'sthe one to answer that question. He sent each of these people in."

All faces turned to Massey, and finallyEisenhower said, "Well, Mr. Massey, tell me if it's possible? Can it work?"Massey thought for a moment, then said flatly, "I don't know."

Eisenhower's face turned red."Answer the goddamned question."

Massey looked over at him, and thePresident heard the anger in his voice. "Me, I don't want any part ofthis." Eisenhower flared. "The question I asked was can it work?

And let's not forget why we're here,Massey. You're partly responsible for what's happened. Answer thequestion."

Massey went to get up angrily andEisenhower said, "Stay right where you are!"

He looked at Dulles and Branigan."Take a walk, gentlemen. Leave us."