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them。〃
〃How do we do that； Tony？〃 Adler asked。
〃Some animals…the puffer fish； for example。 When threatened； it swallows a gallon of water and expands its size…makes it look too big to eat。〃
Ryan was surprised to hear that。 He'd no idea that Bretano knew anything about animals。 He was a physics and science guy。 Well； maybe he watched the Discovery Channel like everyone else。
〃Scare them； you mean？〃
〃Impress them； better way of putting it。〃
〃Jack； we're going to Warsaw…we can let Grushavoy know about this 。 。 。 how about we invite him into NATO？ The Poles are there already。 It would mit all of Europe to e to Russia's defense in the event of an invasion。 I mean； that's what alliances and mutual…defense treaties are all about。 'You're not just messing with me； Charlie。 You're messing with all my friends； too。' It's worked for a long time。〃
Ryan considered that one； and looked around the room。 〃Thoughts？〃
〃It's something；〃 Winston thought。
〃But what about the other NATO counties？ Will they buy into this？ The whole purpose of NATO；〃 Goodley reminded them； 〃was to protect them from the Russians。〃
〃The Soviets；〃 Adler corrected。 〃Not the same thing anymore； remember？〃
〃The same people； the same language； sir；〃 Goodley persisted。 He felt pretty secure on this one。 〃What you propose is an elegant possible solution to the present problem； but to make it happen we'd have to share SORGE with other countries； wouldn't we？〃 The suggestion made the Foleys both wince。 There were few things on the planet as talkative as a chief of government。
〃What the hell； we've been watching their military with overheads for a long time。 We can say that we're catching stuff there that makes us nervous。 Good enough for the unwashed；〃 the DCI offered。
〃Next； how do we persuade the Russians？〃 Jack wondered aloud。 〃This could be seen in Moscow as a huge loss of face。〃
〃We have to explain the problem to them。 The danger is to their country； after all；〃 Adler pronounced。
〃But they're not unwashed。 They'll want to know CHAPTER and verse； and it is their national security we're talking about here；〃 Goodley added。
〃You know who's in Moscow now？〃 Foley asked POTUS。
〃John？〃
〃RAINBOW SIX。 John and Ding both know Golovko； and he's Grushavoy's number…one boy。 It's a nice； convenient back channel。 Note that this also confirms that the Moscow rocket was aimed at him。 Might not make Sergey Nikolay'ch feel better； but he'd rather know than guess。〃
〃Why can't those stupid fucking people just say they're sorry they shot those two people？〃 Ryan wondered crossly。
〃Why do you think pride is one of the Seven Deadly Sins？〃 the DCI asked in reply。
Clark's portable phone was a satellite type with a built…in encryption system； really just a quarter…inch…thick plastic pad that actually made the phone easier to cradle against his shoulder。 Like most such phones； it took time to synchronize with its panion on the other end； the task made harder by the delay inherent in the use of satellites。
〃Line is secure；〃 the synthetic female voice said finally。
〃Who's this？〃
〃Ed Foley； John。 How's Moscow？〃
〃Pleasant。 What gives； Ed？〃 John asked。 The DCI didn't call from D。C。 on a secure line to exchange pleasantries。
〃Get over to the embassy。 We have a message we want you to deliver。〃
〃What sort？〃
〃Get to the embassy。 It'll be waiting。 Okay？〃
〃Roger。 Out。〃 John killed the phone and walked back inside。
〃Anything important？〃 Chavez asked。
〃We have to go to the embassy to see somebody；〃 Clark replied； simulating anger at the interruption of his quiet time of the day。
〃See you tomorrow then； Ivan and Domingo；〃 Kirillin saluted them with his glass。
〃What gives？〃 Chavez asked from thirty feet away。
〃Not sure； but it was Ed Foley who paged me。〃
〃Something important？〃
〃I guess we'll just have to wait and see。〃
〃Who drives？〃
〃Me。〃 John knew Moscow fairly well； having learned it first on missions in the 1970s that he was just as happy to forget about； when his daughters had been the age of his new grandson。
The drive took twenty minutes； and the hard part turned out to be persuading the Marine guard that they really were entitled to e inside after normal business hours。 To this end； the man waiting for them； Tom Barlow； proved useful。 The Marines knew him； and he knew them； and that made everything okay； sort of。
〃What's the big deal？〃 Jack asked； when they got to Barlow's office。
〃This。〃 He handed the fax across； a copy to each。 〃Might want to take a seat； guys。〃
〃Madre de Dios〃 Chavez gasped thirty seconds later。
〃Roger that； Domingo；〃 his boss agreed。 They were reading a hastily laundered copy of the latest SORGE dispatch。
〃We got us a source in Beijing； 'mano。〃
〃Hang a big roger on that one； Domingo。 And we're supposed to share the take with Sergey Nikolay'ch。 Somebody back home is feeling real ecumenical。〃
〃Fuck！〃 Chavez observed。 Then he read on a little。 〃Oh； yeah； I see。 This does make some sense。〃
〃Barlow； we have a phone number for our friend？〃
〃Right here。〃 The CIA officer handed over a Post…it note and pointed to a phone。 〃He'll be out at his dacha； out in the Lenin Hills。 They haven't changed the name yet。 Since he found out he was the target； he's gotten a little more security…conscious。〃
〃Yeah； we've met his baby…sitter； Shelepin；〃 Chavez told Barlow。 〃Looks pretty serious。〃
〃He'd better be。 If I read this right； he might be called up to bat again； or maybe Grushavoy's detail。〃
〃Is this for real？〃 Chavez had to wonder。 〃I mean； this is cams belli stuff。〃
〃Well； Ding； you keep saying that international relations is two countries fucking each other。〃 Then he dialed the phone。 〃Tovarisch Golovko；〃 he told the voice that answered it； adding in Russian； 〃It's Klerk； Ivan Sergeyevich。 That'll get his attention；〃 John told the other two。
〃Greetings； Vanya；〃 a familiar voice said in English。 〃I will not ask how you got this number。 What can I do for you？〃
〃Sergey； we need to see you at once on an important matter。〃
〃What sort of matter？〃
〃I am the mailman； Sergey。 I have a message to deliver to you。 It is worthy of your attention。 Can Domingo and I see you this evening？〃
〃Do you know how to get here？〃
Clark figured he'd find his way out to the woods。 〃Just tell the people at the gate to expect two capitalist friends of Russia。 Say about an hour from now？〃
〃I will be waiting。〃
〃Thank you； Sergey。〃 Clark replaced the phone。 〃Where's the piss…parlor； Barlow？〃
〃Down the hall on the right。〃
The senior field intelligence officer folded the fax and tucked it into his coat pocket。 Before having a talk about something like this； he needed a bathroom。
CHAPTER 42
Birch Trees
They drove into the sunset； west from the Russian capital。 Traffic had picked up in Moscow since his last real adventure here； and you could use the center lane in the wide avenues。 Ding handled navigation with a map； and soon they were beyond the ring roads around the Russian capital and entering the hills that surrounded the city。 They passed a memorial which neither had ever seen before； three huge…
〃What the hell is that？〃 Di