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alive 。 。 。
。 。 。 and soon enough forgot those who did not。
But it was the substance of history to remember those who did； and the substance of Fang's society to remind them of those who didn't。 Such a strange dichotomy。 What societies； he wondered； encourage people to seek out the unknown？ How did they do？ Did they thrive； or did they blunder about in the darkness and lose their substance in aimless； undirected wanderings？ In China； everyone followed the words and thoughts of Marx； as modified by Mao； because he had boldly walked into the darkness and returned with revolution； and changed the path of his nation。 But there things had stopped； because no one was willing to proceed beyond the regions Mao had explored and illuminated…and proclaimed to be all that China and the world in general needed to know about。 Mao was like some sort of religious prophet； wasn't he？ Fang reflected。
。 。 。 Hadn't China just killed a couple of those？
〃Thank you； Ming；〃 he told her； waiting there for his next order。 He didn't see her close the door as she went to her desk to transcribe the notes of this Politburo meeting。
〃Dear God；〃 Dr。 Sears whispered at his desk。 As usual； the SORGE document had been printed up on the DDO's laser jet and handed over to him； and he'd walked back to his office to do the translation。 Sometimes the documents were short enough to translate standing in front of her desk； but this one was pretty long。 It was； in fact； going to take eight line…and…a…half…spaced pages off his laser printer。 He took his time on this because of its content。 He rechecked his translation。 Suddenly he had doubts about his understanding of the Chinese language。 He couldn't afford to mistranslate or misrepresent this sort of thing。 It was just too hot。 All in all； he took two and a half hours； more than double what Mrs。 Foley probably expected； before he walked back。
〃What took so long？〃 MP asked when he returned。
〃Mrs。 Foley； this is hot。〃
〃How hot？〃
〃Magma；〃 Sears said； as he handed the folder across。
〃Oh？〃 She took the pages and leaned back in her fortable chair to read it over。 SORGE； source SONGBIRD。 Her eyes cataloged the heading； yesterday's meeting of the Chinese Politburo。 Then Sears saw it。 Saw her eyes narrow as her hand reached for a butterscotch。 Then her eyes shifted to him。 〃You weren't kidding。 Evaluation？〃
〃Ma'am； I can't evaluate the accuracy of the source； but if this is for real； well； then we're looking in on a process I've never seen before outside history books； and hearing words that nobody has ever heard in this building…not that I've ever heard about； anyway。 I mean； every minister in their government is quoted there； and most of them are saying the same thing…〃
〃And it's not something we want them to say；〃 Mary Patricia Foley concluded his statement。 〃Assuming this is all accurately reported； does it feel real？〃
Sears nodded。 〃Yes； ma'am。 It sounds to me like real conversation by real people； and the content tracks with the personalities as I know them。 Could it be fabricated？ Yes； it could。 If so； the source has been promised in some way or other。 However； I don't see that this could be faked without their wanting to produce a specific effect； and that would be an effect which would not be overly attractive to them。〃
〃Any remendations？〃
〃It might be a good idea to get George Weaver down from Providence；〃 Sears replied。 〃He's good at reading their minds。 He's met a lot of them face…to…face； and he'll be a good backup for my evaluation。〃
〃Which is？〃 Mary Pat asked； not turning to the last page； where it would be printed up。
〃They're considering war。〃
The Deputy Director （Operations） of the Central Intelligence Agency stood and walked out her door； with Dr。 Joshua Sears right behind her。 She took the short walk to her husband's office and went through the door without even looking at Ed's private secretary。
Ed Foley was having a meeting with the Deputy Director （Science and Technology） and two of his senior people when MP walked in。 He looked up in surprise； then saw the blue folder in her hand。 〃Yeah； honey？〃
〃Excuse me； but this can't wait even one minute。〃 Her tone of voice told as much as her words did。
〃Frank； can we get together after lunch？〃
〃Sure； Ed。〃 DDS&T gathered his documents and his people and headed out。
When they were gone and the door closed； the DCI asked；
〃SORGE？〃
Mary Pat just nodded and handed the folder across； taking a seat on the couch。 Sears remained standing。 It was only then that he realized his hands were a little moist。 That hadn't happened to him before。 Sears； as head of the DI's Office of China Assessments； worked mainly on political evaluations： who was who in the PRC's political hierarchy； what economic policies were being pursued…the Society Page for the People's Republic； as he and his people thought of it； and joked about it over lunch in the cafeteria。 He'd never seen anything like this； nothing hotter than handling internal dissent； and while their methods for handling such things tended to be a little on the rough side； as he often put it…mainly it meant summary execution； which was more than a little on the rough side for those affected…the distances involved helped him to take a more detached perspective。 But not on this。
〃Is this for real？〃 the DC asked。
〃Dr。 Sears thinks so。 He also thinks we need to get Weaver down from Brown University。〃
Ed Foley looked over at Sears。 〃Call him。 Right now。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 Sears left the room to make the call。
〃Jack has to see this。 What's he doing now？〃
〃He's leaving for Warsaw in eight hours； remember？ The NATO meeting； the photo opportunity at Auschwirz。； stopping off at London on the way home for dinner at Buckingham Palace。 Shopping on Bond Street；〃 Ed added。 There were already a dozen Secret Service people in London working with the Metropolitan Police and MI…5； properly known as the Security Service。 Twenty more were in Warsaw； where security concerns were not all that much of an issue。 The Poles were very happy with America right now； and the leftover police agencies from the munist era still kept files on everyone who might be a problem。 Each would have a personal baby…sitter for the entire time Ryan was in country。 The NATO meeting was supposed to be almost entirely ceremonial； a basic feel…good exercise to make a lot of European politicians look pretty for their polyglot constituents。
〃Jesus； they're talking about making a move on Grushavoy！〃 Ed Foley gasped； getting to page three。 〃Are they totally off their fuckin' rockers？〃
〃Looks like they found themselves in a corner unexpectedly；〃 his wife observed。 〃We may have overestimated their political stability。〃
Foley nodded and looked up at his wife。 〃Right now？〃
〃Right now；〃 she agreed。
Her husband lifted his phone and punched speed…dial #1。
〃Yeah； Ed； what is it？〃 Jack Ryan asked。
〃Mary and I are ing over。〃
〃When？〃
〃Now。〃
〃That important？〃 the President asked。
〃This is CRITIC stuff； Jack。 You'll want Scott； Ben； and Arnie there； too。 Maybe George Winston。 The foundation of the issue is his area of expertise。〃
〃China？〃
〃Yep。〃
〃Okay； e on over。〃 Ryan