‘Dead,’ and before Krakovitch could check his tongue, ‘thank God!’
‘Eh? You’re glad one of your comrades is dead?’ ‘I … yes, I’m glad.’ Krakovitch was too tired to answer in any way but truthfully, straight from the heart.
‘I think he was probably part of it; at least, I believe he brought it down on us. His body is still here. Also the bodies of our other dead – and that of Harry Keogh, a British agent, we think. And also – ‘
‘The Tartars?’ Brezhnev was quiet now.
Krakovitch sighed. The man wasn’t a slave to convention after all. ‘Yes, but no longer . . . animate,’ he answered.
Another pause. ‘Krakovitch – er, Felix, did you say? -I’ve read the statements of the other three. Are they true? No chance of an error, mass hypnotism or delusion or something? Was it really as bad as that?’
They are true – no chance of an error – it was as bad as that.’
‘Felix, listen. Take over there. I mean you, take over. I don’t want E-Branch shut down. It has been more than beneficial to our security. And Borowitz was more valuable to me personally than many of my generals would ever believe. So I want the branch rebuilt. And it looks like you’ve got the job.’
Krakovitch felt like a swatted fly: knocked off his feet, lost for words. ‘I … Comrade … I mean – ‘
‘Can you do it?’
Krakovitch wasn’t crazy. It was the chance of a lifetime. ‘It will take years – but yes, I’ll try to do it.’
‘Good! But if you take it on, you’ll have to do more than just try, Felix. Let me know what you need and I’ll see you get it. The first thing I want is answers. But I’m the only one who gets those answers, you understand? This one has to be screwed down. It mustn’t leak. And that reminds me – did you say there was someone from the KGB with you right now?’
‘He’s outside, in the grounds.’
‘Get him,’ Brezhnev’s voice was harsh again. ‘Bring him to the phone. Let me speak to him at once!’
Krakovitch started back across the floor, but at that moment the door opened to admit the man in question. He squared his shoulders, looked at Krakovitch in a surly, narrow-eyed manner, said, ‘We haven’t finished, Comrade.’
‘I’m afraid we have,’ Krakovitch felt shored up, buoyant as a cork. It must be his fatigue beginning to work on him. There’s someone on the phone for you.’
‘Eh? For me?’ The other pushed by him. ‘Who is it, someone from the office?’
‘Not sure,’ Krakovitch lied. ‘Head office, I think.’
The KGB man frowned at him, scowled, snatched up the phone from the table. ‘Yanov here. What is it? I’m busy down here, and – ‘
His face immediately underwent rapid changes of expression and colour. He jerked visibly and almost staggered. Only the phone seemed to be holding him up. ‘Yessir! Oh, yes, sir. Yes, sir! Yes, yessir! No, sir. I will, sir. Yes, sir. But I – no, sir. Yessir!’ He looked sick, held out the phone for Krakovitch, glad to be rid of it.
As Krakovitch took the instrument from him, the agent hissed viciously: ‘Fool! That’s the Party Leader!’
Krakovitch let his eyes go big and round, made an ‘O’ with his mouth. Then he said casually into the mouth-piece, ‘Krakovitch here,’ and at once held the phone towards the KGB man, let him hear Brezhnev’s voice:
‘Felix? Has that prick gone yet?’
It was the Special Policeman’s turn to make an ‘O’.
‘He’s going now,’ Krakovitch answered. He nodded sharply towards the door. ‘Out! And do try to remember what the Party Leader told you. For your own good.’
The KGB operative shook his head dazedly, licked his lips, headed for the door. He was still white-faced. At the door he turned, thrust his chin out. ‘I – ‘ he began.
‘Goodbye, comrade,’ Krakovitch dismissed him. ‘Now he’s gone,’ he finally confirmed, after the door had slammed shut.
‘Good! I don’t want them interfering. They didn’t fool about with Gregor, and I don’t want them fooling with you. Any problems from them and you get straight back to me!’