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Yu shrugged。 〃It depends on where you are； and the political climate； and the personality of the local party leadership。 Sometimes they leave us alone…especially when foreigners are here； with their TV cameras。 Sometimes they can bee very strict； and sometimes they can harass us directly。 I have been questioned many times； and been subjected to political counseling。〃 He looked up and smiled。 〃It's like having a dog bark at you； Eminence。 You need not answer back。 Of course； you will be spared any of that；〃 the Baptist pointed out； noting DiMilo's diplomatic status； and his resulting personal inviolability。
The cardinal caught that reference； somewhat to his disfort。 He didn't see his life as any more valuable than anyone else's。 Nor did he wish his faith to appear less sincere than this Chinese Protestant's； who'd been educated at some pretentious pseudo…university in the American prairie； whereas he had acquired his knowledge in some of the most ancient and honored institutions of higher learning on the planet； whose antecedents went back to the Roman empire； and beyond that； to the chambers of Aristotle himself。 If there was one vanity Renato Cardinal DiMilo possessed； it was in his education。 He'd been superbly educated； and he knew it。 He could discuss Plato's Republic in Attic Greek； or the law cases of Marcus Tullius Cicero in Imperial Latin。 He could debate a mitted Marxist on the attributes of that political philosophy in the same language the German Marx himself had spoken…and win； because Marx had left a lot of unfilled holes in the walls of his political theories。 He'd forgotten more about human nature than some psychologists knew。 He was in the Vatican's diplomatic service because he could read minds…better than that； he could read the minds of politicians and diplomats highly skilled in concealing their thoughts。 He could have been a gambler of talent and riches with these skills； but instead he applied them for the Greater Glory of God。
His only failing was that； like all men； he could not predict the future； and thus could not see the world war that this meeting would ultimately bring about。
〃So； does the government harass you？〃 the Cardinal asked his host。
A shrug。 〃Occasionally。 I propose to hold a prayer service in public to test their willingness to interfere with my human rights。 There is some danger involved； of course。〃
It was a challenge skillfully delivered； and the elderly Catholic cleric rose to it： 〃Keep Franz and me informed； if you would。〃
〃SONGBIRD？〃 Ryan asked。 〃What can you tell me about him？〃
〃Do you really want to know； Jack？〃 Ed Foley asked； somewhat pointedly。
〃You telling me I ought not to know？〃 Ryan responded。 Then he realized that Robby Jackson and Ben Goodley were here as well； and he could know things which they could not。 Even at this level； there were rules of classification。 The President nodded。 〃Okay； we'll let that one go for now。〃
〃The overall operation is called SORGE。 That'll change periodically；〃 Mary Pat told the assembled audience。 Unusually； the Secret Service had been hustled out of the Oval Office for this briefing…which told the USSS a lot more than CIA would have liked…and also a special jamming system had been switched on。 It would interfere with any electronic device in the room。 You could see that from the TV set to the left of the President's desk； tuned to CNN。 The screen was now full of snow； but with the sound turned all the way down； there was no annoying noise to disturb the meeting。 The possibility of a bug in this most secure of rooms was slight； but so great was the value of SORGE that this card was being played as well。 The briefing folders had already been passed out。 Robby looked up from his。
〃Notes from the Chinese Politburo？ Lordy；〃 Vice President Jackson breathed。 〃Okay； no sources and methods。 That's cool with me； guys。 Now； how reliable is it？〃
〃For the moment； reliability is graded 'B＋' 〃Mary Pat answered。 〃We expect to upgrade that later on。 The problem is that we don't grade 'A' or higher without outside confirmation； and this stuff is so deep inside that we have no other asset to verify what we have here。〃
〃Oops；〃 Jackson observed。 〃So it could all be a false flag。 Pretty one； I admit； but false even so。〃
〃Perhaps； but unlikely。 There's stuff here that is awfully sensitive to let out voluntarily； even for a major sting operation。〃
〃So I see；〃 Ryan partially agreed。 〃But I remember what Jim Greer used to say： Ain't nothing too crazy to be true。 Our fundamental problem with these guys is that their culture is so different in so many ways that they might as well be Klingons。〃
〃Well； they don't display much love for us in this；〃 Ben Goodley observed； flipping halfway through the briefing folder。 〃Jesus； this is interesting material。 We going to show it to Scott Adler？〃
〃That's our remendation；〃 the DCI agreed。 〃Adler is pretty good at figuring people out and his take on some of this…especially page five…will be very interesting。 Tony Bretano； too。〃
〃Okay； that's EAGLE and THUNDER。 Who else？〃 Ryan asked。
〃That's all for now；〃 Ed Foley said； with a nod from his wife。 〃Mr。 Pres…〃
Ryan's eyes flared a little。 〃My name is。。。
The DCI held up his hand。 〃Okay。 Jack； let's keep this one real close for a while。 We'll figure a way to launder the information so that some others can know what we've learned。 But not how。 Not ever that。 SONGBIRD'S too precious an asset to lose。〃
〃This is potentially right up there with CARDINAL； isn't it？〃
〃Maybe even better； Jack；〃 Mary Pat said。 〃This is like having a bug in the boardroom； and we've streamlined our methods on this one。 We're being very； very careful with this source。〃
〃Okay； what about analysts？〃 Ben Goodley asked。 〃Our best guy with the PRC is Professor Weaver up at Brown University。 You know him； Ed。〃
Foley nodded。 〃Yeah； I know him； but let's hold off for a while。 We have a pretty good guy in…house。 Let me see what he can develop for us before we start farming things out。 By the way； we're looking at something like a total of fifteen hundred printed pages from this source； plus daily information from now on。〃
Ryan looked up at that one。 Daily information。 How the hell had they arranged that？ Back to business； he told himself。 〃Okay； for one thing； I want an evaluation of the Zhang Han San character；〃 Ryan said。 〃I've seen this bastard's name before。 He started two wars we got pulled into。 What the hell is he all about？〃
〃We have a psychiatrist on staff to work on that；〃 Mary Foley replied。 After she didn't say； we scrub this information clean of source…related material。 〃He does our profiling。〃
〃Okay； yeah； I remember him。〃 Ryan nodded agreement on this point。 〃Anything else？〃
〃Just the usual；〃 Ed Foley said as he stood。 〃Don't leave these documents on your desk； okay？〃
They all nodded agreement。 They all had personal safes for that purpose； and every one was wired into the Secret Service mand center； and was on round…the…clock TV surveillance。 The White House was a good place to store documents； and besides； the secretaries were cleared higher than God。 Mary Pat left the office with a special spring i