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gered at the door as the secretary came in； allowing his eyes to linger on Chai。 Their eyes met and she winked； adding a tiny feminine smile。 Yes； he needed his sleep tonight； and she would help。
〃The Politburo meeting ran late this day；〃 Fang said； settling into his chair and doing his dictation。 It took twenty…five minutes； and he dismissed Ming to do her daily transcription。 Then he had Chai e in； gave her an order； and dismissed her。 In another hour； the working day ended。 Fang walked down to his official car； with Chai in trail。 Together they rode to his fortable apartment； and there they got down to business。
Ming met her lover at a new restaurant called the Jade Horse； where the food was better than average。 〃You look troubled；〃 Nomuri observed。
〃Busy time at the office；〃 she explained。 〃There is big trouble to e。〃
〃Oh？ What sort of trouble？〃
〃I cannot say；〃 she demurred。 〃It will probably not affect your pany。〃
And Nomuri saw that he'd taken his agent to the next…actually the last…step。 She no longer thought about the software on her office puter。 He never brought the subject up。 Better that it should happen below the visible horizon。 Better that she should forget what she was doing。 Your conscience doesn't worry about things you've forgotten。 After dinner； they walked back to Nomuri's place； and the CIA officer tried his best to relax her。 He was only partially successful； but she was properly appreciative and left him at quarter to eleven。 Nomuri had himself a nightcap； a double； and checked to make sure his puter had relayed her almost…daily report。 Next week he hoped to have software he could cross…load to hers over the 'Net； so that she'd be transmitting the reports directly out to the recipe network。 If Bad Things were happening in Beijing； NEC might call him back to Japan； and he didn't want SONGBIRD'S reports to stop going to Langley。
As it happened； this one was already there； and it had generated all manner of excitement。
It was enough to make Ed Foley wish he'd lent a STU to Sergey Golovko； but America didn't give away its munications secrets that readily； and so the report had been redrafted and sent by secure fax to the U。S。 Embassy in Moscow； then hand…carried to SVR headquarters by a consular officer not associated with the CIA。 Of course； now they'd assume that he was a spook； which would cause the Russians to shadow him everywhere he went； and use up trained personnel of the FSS。 Business was still business； even in this New World Order。
Golovko； predictably； bounced hard off his high office ceiling。
John Clark got the news over his secure satellite phone。 〃What the hell？〃 RAINBOW SIX asked； sitting still in his personal car not far from Red Square。
〃You heard me；〃 Ed Foley explained。
〃Okay； now what？〃
〃You're tight with their special…operations people； right？〃
〃Somewhat；〃 Clark allowed。 〃We're training them。〃
〃Well； they might e to you for advice of some sort。 You have to know what's happening。〃
〃Can I tell Ding？〃
〃Yes；〃 the DCI agreed。
〃Good。 You know； this proves the Chavez Premise。〃
〃What's that？〃 Foley asked。
〃He likes to say that international relations is largely posed of one nation fucking another。〃
It was enough to make Foley laugh； five thousand miles and eight time zones away。 〃Well； our Chinese friends are sure playing rough。〃
〃How good is the information？〃
〃It's Holy Writ； John。 Take it to the bank；〃 Ed assured his distant field officer。
We have some source in Beijing； Clark didn't observe aloud。 〃Okay； Ed。 If they e to me； I'll let you know。 We cooperate； I presume。〃
〃Fully；〃 the DCI assured him。 〃We're allies now。 Didn't you see CNN？〃
〃I thought it was the Sci…Fi Channel。〃
〃You ain't the only one。 Have a good one； John。〃
〃You； too； Ed。 Bye。〃 Clark thumbed the END button and went on just to himself： 〃Holy jumpin' Jesus。〃 Then he restarted the car and headed off to his rendezvous with Domingo Chavez。
Ding was at the bar that RAINBOW had adopted during its stay in the Moscow area。 The boys congregated in a large corner booth； where they plained about the local beer； but appreciated the clear alcohol preferred by the natives。
〃Hey； Mr。 C；〃 Chavez said in greeting。
〃Just got a call from Ed on my portable。〃
〃And？〃
〃And John Chinaman is planning to start a little war with our hosts； and that's the good news；〃 Clark added。
〃What the fuck is the bad news？〃 Chavez asked； with no small incredulity in his voice。
〃Their Ministry of State Security just put a contract out on Eduard Petrovich；〃 John went on。
〃Are they fuckin' crazy？〃 the other CIA officer asked the booth。
〃Well； starting a war in Siberia isn't exactly a rational act。 Ed let us in because he thinks the locals might want our help soon。 Supposedly they know the local contact for the Chims。 You have to figure a hot takedown's going to evolve from this； and we've been training their troopies。 I figure we might be invited in to watch； but they probably won't want us to assist。〃
〃Agreed。〃
That's when General Kirillin came in； with a sergeant at his side。 The sergeant stood by the door with his overcoat unbuttoned and his right hand close to the opening。 The senior officer spotted Clark and came directly over。
〃I don't have your cell…phone number。〃
〃What do you want us for today； General？〃 Clark asked。
〃I need for you to e with me。 We have to see Chairman Golovko。〃
〃Do you mind if Domingo es along？〃
〃That is fine；〃 Kirillin replied。
〃I've talked to Washington recently。 How much do you know？〃 Clark asked his Russian friend。
〃Much； but not all。 That's why we need to see Golovko。〃 Kirillin waved them to the door； where his sergeant was doing his best Doberman imitation。
〃Something happening？〃 Eddie Price asked。 No one was guarding his expression； and Price knew how to read faces。
〃Tell you when we get back；〃 Chavez told him。 The staff car waiting outside had a chase car with four men in it； and the sergeant/bodyguard acpanying the general was one of the few enlisted men who'd been let into the cross…training that RAINBOW had been running。 The Russians； they knew； were ing along very well。 It didn't hurt to draw people hand…selected from an already elite unit。
The cars moved through Moscow traffic with less than the usual regard for traffic and safety laws； then pulled into the main gate at #2 Dzerzhinskiy Square。 The elevator was held for them； and they made the top floor in a hurry。
〃Thank you for ing so quickly。 I assume you've spoken with Langley；〃 Golovko observed。
Clark held up his cell phone。
〃The encryption unit is so small？〃
〃Progress； Chairman；〃 Clark observed。 〃I'm told this intelligence information is to be taken seriously。〃
〃Foleyeva has a fine source in Beijing。 I've seen some of the 'take' from him。 It would appear； first； that a deliberate attempt was made on my life； and now another is planned for President Grushavoy。 I've already notified him。 His security people are fully alerted。 The Chinese lead agent in Moscow has been identified and is under surveillance。 When he receives his instructions； we will arrest him。 But we do not know who his contacts are。 We as