'The Secretary of State wants you to know that when the time comes you will
be summoned and made his chief executive officer, all controls in your
hands. But because of your superb reputation in the field of nuclear
tactics, there can!t be even a hint of any association between you. If
anyone ever asks you if you know the Secretary of State, you must say you
do not. That's also part of the rules.'" Jenna put the note pad down on her
lap. "That's it Decker's ego was thoroughly flattered, and by his lights
his place in history was assured."
"Nothing else was needed," said Havelock, straightening himself up in the
chair. "Did you write that out so I can read it?"
"I write more clearly in English than I do in Czech. Why?-
"Because I want to study it-over and over and over again. The man who spoke
those words is Parsifal, and somewhere in the past I've beard that man
speak before."
"Go back over the years, Mikhail," said jenna, sitting forward, raising the
note pad and flipping the pages. "I'll go back with you. Nowl It's not
impossible. A Russian who speaks English rapidly, clipping his words. It's
there. That's what Decker said. 'Clipped and rushed,' those were his words.
How many such men can you have known?"
"Lees do it." Havelock got up from the desk as jenna tore off the two pages
that contained her notes on the call to Thomas Decker. Michael came around
and took them from her. "Men I know who've met Matthias. We'll start with
this year and work backwards. Write down every name I come up with."
"Why not do it geographically? City by city. You can elimm inate some
quickly, concentrate on the others."
"Association," he added. "We scratch Barcelona and Madrid; we never touched
the Soviets.... Belgrade-a river warehouse on the Sava, the attach6 from
the Russian consulate, Vasili Yankovitch. He was with Anton in Paris."
"Yankovitch," said jenna, writing.
"And Ilitch Borin, visiting professor at the University of
TnE PARsiFAL MosAxc623
Belgrade; we had drinks, dinner. He knew Matthias from the cultural exchange
conferences."
"Borin."
"No one else in Belgrade.... P6gue. There must be at least a dozen men in
Prague. The Soviets are crawling in Prague."
"Their names? Start alphabetically."
The names came, some rapidly, others slowly, some strikhig chords of
possibility, others completely improbable. Nevertheless, Jerma wrote them
all down, prodding Michael, forcing him to jolt his memory, one name
leading to another.
Krakow. Vienna. Paris. London. New York. Washington.
The months became a year, then two, and finally three. The list grew as
Havelock probed, pushing his conscious, permitting the free association of
his subconscious, digging, straining, forcing his mind to function as if it
were a finely tuned instrument. And again the sweat broke out on his fore-
bead, his pulse oddly quickening as he reached the end of his energies.
"God, rm tired," said Michael quietly, staring at the beveled windowpane
where over an hour ago two faces bad appedred, one replacing the other,
both killers, both from the Costa Brava. Or were they?
"You have thirty-nine names," said Jerma, coming to him, touching the back
of his neck, massaging it gently. "Sit down and study them, study the
telephone conversation. Find Parsifal, Mikhail."
"Do any match the names on your list? I thought of that when I mentioned
Ilitch Borin; he's a doctor of philosophy. Is there anyone?"
No."
"I'm sorry."
"So am V
"He hasn't called. Rostov hasn't called."
I know."
"I said an hour, the deadline was an hour." Havelock looked at his watch.
nes thirty-four minutes past the deadline."
"There could be mechanical troubles in Moscow. It would be nothing new."
"Not for him. He's pulled in the white contact, he doesn't want to
acknowledge."
624 RoBEnT LuDLum
"How often have you stretched a deadline? Waiting until the one who
expected your call was filled with anxiety, his defenses eroded."
"He knows my dossier too well for that." Michael tamed to her. "I have to
make a decision. If I'm right, Pierce can7t be allowed off that island. If
I'm wrong they'll think I've crashed, gone over the edge. Berquist won't
have any choice, hell have to remove me."-
"Not necessarily."
"Of course necessarily. I'm seeing monsters In dark closets, wasting
valuable hours on delusions. That's not a man you want giving orders. My
God, Arthur Piercel The most valuable asset we bave-if we have him."
"Only you know what you did see."
"It was night, a night that was racking me. Look through that chnic file.
Is that a rational man talking or thinking? What was he seeing? . . . I
need one word, one -sentence from Rostov."
"Wait, Mikhail," said jenna, touching his arm and urging him back to the
armchair. "You still have time. Study the list of names, the words spoken
to Decker. It may happen for you. A name, a voice, a phrase. It could
happen."
Scholars. Soldiers. Lawyers. Doctors. Attacb6s. Diplomats.... Defectors.
All Soviets who at one time or another had direct contact with Anthony
Matthias. Havelock pictured each man, each face, his inner ear hearing
dozens of voices speaking in English, matching the voices with the faces,
hstening for phrases that were spoken rapidly, words that were clipped,
consonants harsh. It was maddening, faces and voices intermingling, lips
moving, suddenly no sound followed by shouts. You will be mentioned
prominently and frequently. Did he say that, would he say that? You will be
summoned ... bow many times had that phrase been used? So many. But who
used it? WhoP
An hour passed, then most of another and a second pack of cigarettes with
it. The expired deadline for Moscow was approaching the final deadline for
Poole's Island. A decision-the decision-would have to be made. Nothing was
forgotten, only submerged, eyes straying to watches as the inner search for
Parsifal reached a frightening level of intensity.
"I can't find himl" cried Michael, pounding his hand on
THE PARsiFAL MosAic625
the coffee table. "Hes here, the words are here, but I can't find himl"
The telephone rang. Rostov? Havelock shot up from the chair, staring at it,
motionless. He was drained, and the thought of finding the resources to
fence verbally with the Soviet intelligence officer eight thousand miles
away drained him further. The abrasive bell sounded again. He went to the
phone and picked it up as Jenna watched him.
"Yes?" he said quietly, marshaling his thoughts for the opening moves on
both sides.
"It is your friend from Kennedy Airport who no longer has his weapon-2'
"Where's Rostov? I gave you a deadline."
"It was met. Listen to me carefully. I'm calling from a phone booth on
Eighth Avenue and must keep my eyes on the street. The call came through a
half hour ago. Fortunately, I took it, as my superior had an engagement for
the evening. He will expect to find me
when he returns."
"What are you driving at?"
"Rostov is dead. He was found at nine-thirty in the moming, Moscow time,
after repeated calls failed to rouse him."
"How did he die?"
"Four bullets in the bead."
"Oh, Christl Have they any idea who killed him?"
"The rumor is Voermaya Kontra Razvedka, and I, for one, believe it. There
have been many such rumors lately, and if a man like Rostov can be taken
out, then I am too old, and must call from a phone booth. You are fools
here, but it's better to live with fools than lie among jackals who will
rip your throat open if they don't care for the way you laugh or drink."
At the meeting this afternoon ... something I didn't understand . . . An
intelligence officer from the KGB made contact . . . speculated on the
identity . . . Arthur Pierce, while awkwardly smoking a cigarette on a
deserted runway.
I Rostov didn't speculate. He knew. A collection of fanatics in a branch
called the VKR, the Voennaya ... He'll break it open ... A fellow killer
from the Costa Brava.
Had Pierce's call encompassed more than the death of a paminyatchik? Had he
demanded the execution of a man in Moscow? Four bullets in the head. It had
cost Rostov's life,
626 ROBERT LUDLUM
but it could be the proof be needed. Was It conclusive? Could anything be
conclusive?
"Code name Hammer-zero-two," said Michael, thinking, reaching. "Does it
mean anything to you?"
"A part of it possibly, not all of it."
"What part?"
"The 'hammer.' It was used years ago, and was restricted. Then it was
abandoned, I believe. Hammarskj6ld, Dag Hammarskjbld. The United Nations."
"Je&=1... Zero, zero ... two. A zero is a circle a circle. A councill Two
. . . double, twice, second. The second voice in the delegationl That's
itl"
"As you gather," interrupted the Russian, "I must cross over."
"Call the New York office of the FBI. Go there. III get word to them."
"That is one place I will not go. It is one of the things I can tell you."
"Then keep moving and call me back in thirty minutes. I have to move
quickly."
"Fools or jackals. Where is the choice?"
Havelock nressed the adiacent button on the phone, disconnecting the line.
He looked up at Tenna. "It's Pierce. Hammer-zero-two. I told him -we all
told 'him-about Rostov closing in on the Voennaya. He bad Rostov killed.
It's him."
"He's trapped," said Jenna. "Yo&ve got him." "
"I've got him. Ive got Ambiguity, the man who called us dead at Col des
Moulinets. . . . And when I get him to a clinic III shoot him into space.
Whatever be knows III know." Michael dialed quickly. "The President,
please. Mr Cross calling."
"You must be very quiet, Mikhail," said Jenna, approaching the desk. "Very
quiet and precise. Remember, it will be an extraordinary shock to him and,
above all, he must believe you."
Havelock nodded. "Tbaes the hardest part. Thanks. I was about to plunge in
with conclusions first. You~re right. Take him up slowly.... Mr.
President?"
"Vi7hat is it?" asked Berquist anxiously. "What's happened?'
"I have something to tell you, sir. It will take a few
TaE PAiRsrFAL Mosmc627
minutes, and I want you to listen very closely to what I've got to say."
"All right. Let me get on another phone; there are people in the next
room.... By the way, did Pierce reach you?"
"What?"
"Arthur Pierce. Did he call you?"
"What about Pierce?"
"He telephoned about an hour ago; he needed a second clearance. I told him
about your call to me, that you both wanted to know if I'd brought up the
Randolph Medical Center business-lousy goddamned mess-and I said I had,
that we all knew about it."
"Please, Mr. Presidentl Go back. What, exactly, did you say?"
"What's the matter with you?"
"What did be say to you?"
"About what?"
"Just tell mel First, what you said to biml"
"Now, just a minute, Havelock-"
"Tell mel You don't have time, none of us has timel What did you say?"
The urgency was telegraphed. Berquist paused, then answered calmly, a
leader aware of a subordinate's alarm, not understanding it but willing to
respect its source. "I said that you'd phoned me and specifically asked if
I bad brought up the Randolph Medical Center at the meeting this afternoon.
I said that I had, and that you seemed relieved that everyone knew about
it."
"What did he say?"
"He seemed confused, frankly. I think,he said 'I see,' then asked me if
you'd given any reason for wanting to know."
"Know what?"
"About the Medical- What is wrong with you?"
"What did you say?"
"That I understood you were both concerned, although I wasn't sure why."
"What was his reply?"
"I don't think he had one.... Oh, yes. He asked if you7d made any progress
with the man you've got at Bethesda."
"Which wasn't until tomorrow and he knew id"
"What?"
628 ROBERT LunLum
"Mr. President, I don' t have time to explain and you can't lose a moment.
Has Pierce gotten into that vault, that room?"
"I don't know."
"Stop biml He's the molel"
"You're insanel"
"Goddamn it, Berquist, you can have me shot, but right now I'm telling youl
He's got cameras you don't know aboutl In rings, watches, cuff finksl Stop
himl Take himl Strip him and check for capsules, cyanidel I can't give that
order but you cani You have tol Nowl"
"Stay by the phone," said the President of the United States. "I may have
you shot."
Havelock got out of the chair, if for no other reason than the need to
move, to keep in motion. The dark mists were closing in again; he had to
get out from under them. He looked at jenna, and her eyes told him she
understood.
"Pierce found me. I found him, and he found me."
"He's trapped."
"I could have killed him at Costa Brava. I wanted to kill him, but I
wouldn't listen. I wouldn't listen to myself."
"Don't go back. You've got him. You're within the time span..
Michael walked away from the desk, away from the dark mist that pursued
him. "I don't pray," he whispered. "I don't believe. I'm praying now, to
what I don't know."
The telephone rang and he lunged for it. "Yes?"
"He's gone. He ordered the patrol boat to take him back to Savannah."
"Did he get into that room?"
"No."
"Thank Christl"
"He's got something else," said the President in a voice that was barely
audible.
Vnat?"
"The complete psychiatric Me on Matthias. It says everything. 1.
37
The police swept through the streets of Savannah, patrol cars roaring out to
the airport and screeching into bus and train stations. Car-rental agencies
were checked throughout the city and roadblocks set up on the major highways
and backeountry routes-north to Augusta, south to Saint Marys, west to Macon
and Valdosta. The man's description was radioed to all units-municipal,
county, state-and the word spread down through the ranks from the highest
levels of authority: Find him, Find the nwn with the streak of white in his
hair. If seen, approach with extrenze caution, weapons drawn. If moventents
are unexpected, shoot. Shoot to kill.
Ile manhunt was unparalleled in numbers and intensity,
the federal government assuring the state, the cities and
townships that all costs would be home by Washington. Men
off duty were called in by precincts and station houses; ve
hicles in for minor repairs were put back on the streets, and
private cars belonging to police personnel were issued mag
netic, circling roof lamps and sent out to prowl the dark
country roads. Everywhere automobiles and pedestrains were
stopped; anyone even vaguely approaching the man's de
scription was politely requested to remove his hat if he was
wearing one, and flashlights roamed over faces and hairlines,
searching for a hastily, imperfectly dyed streak of white hair
rising above a forehead. Hotels, motels and rural inns were
629
630 RoBERT LuDLum
descended upon; registers were checked for late arrivals, desk clerks
questioned, the interrogators alert to the possibility of evasion or
deception. Farmhouses where lights remained on were entered-courteously, to
be sure-but the intruders were aware that the inhabitants could be hostages,
that an unseen child or wife might be held captive somewhere on the premises
by the man with the streak of white in his hair. Rooms and bams and silos
were searched, nothing left to speculation.
Morning came, and weary thousands reported back to points of dispatch,
angry, frustrated, bewildered by the goveminent's ineffectual methods. For
no photographs or sketches were issued; the only name given was "Mr.
Smith." The alarm was still out, but the blitzkrieg search was essentially
over, and the professionals knew it. The man with the streak of white in
his hair had slipped through the net. He could be blond or bald or gray by
now, limping with a cane or a crutch, and dressed in tattered clothes, or
in the uniform of the police or the military, without a vestige of his
former appearance.
The newspapers carrying early-moming stories of the strange, massive hunt
Robert Ludlum - The Parcifal Mosaic.txt Page 79