Гарри Гаррисон - The QE2 Is Missing

“There was a phone call while you were out, Major,” the Sergeant said. “I answered because Mr. Chvosta was very weak at the time. Will you tell him about it? The caller only spoke English, but I think it was the Dutchman.”

“Yes, I’ll tell him.”

There was an air of cold hatred permeating the suite when Chvosta finally arrived. He felt it as he came through the door. Though he was weak he was no longer ill, and emotionally he was ready to take on the world. Doctor Llusera’s injection of morphine was doing him a great deal of good. It was Wielgus and the Admiral who were the angriest; they were not used to being kept waiting. Stroessner wasn’t bothered at all since he was also enjoying the beneficial effects of the good doctor’s needle. Aurelia was grimly quiet, seated in one corner.

“Well, I hope that we are ready to begin at last,” Chvosta said as he entered, quickly, before anyone else could speak. Seeking some small revenge for the humilities he had suffered. Admiral Marquez’s face grew red and he began to splutter, but Wielgus cut him off with a gesture of his hand.

“Yes, we will begin,” Wielgus said. This business was too important to permit himself to be irritated. “You have received a report on the diamonds?”

“Yes. The total value of the stones is in excess of the agreed price. I assume you have no intention of being generous to that degree?”

“You are correct. Removal of two of the bags will correct the total.”

“I will agree only after De Groot has verified their value against the list in your possession, then has done a random check of five of the other bags. Is this satisfactory?”

“Yes, of course. Bring him up here.”

“Go get him,” Chvosta ordered Aurelia. She left the room.

“We will get on with the business,” Wielgus said, taking the notebook and gold pencil from his pocket and laying them out on the desk before him. “You stated that the munitions ship would be in the harbor of Valparaiso today?”

Chvosta nodded, then dropped heavily into an armchair. “Either tied up at a dock or in the roadstead.”

“We have a complete crew standing by ready to board as soon as we have finalized arrangements here. What is the name of the ship?”

Chvosta stared silently at the German, unmoving and unspeaking, his ashen face cold and expressionless. The seconds stretched on and Wielgus barely restrained his impatience.

“Come now, Mr. Chvosta, we have lost a great deal of time today because of your little bout of mal de mer. It will be safe enough to tell me the name of this ship, you can trust me…. “

“I trust no one, Dr. Wielgus. Without exceptions everyone tries to cheat, sooner or later, in the arms business. It is always simpler to steal arms than to pay money for them. I owe my present position with Global Traders to the fact that I have never been taken advantage of. Never. When the diamonds are here the exchange will take place.”

“Are you accusing me of attempting to cheat you, Czech?” Wielgus’s voice was frigid with suppressed rage. “I could have you killed, like that, in an instant.”

Chvosta’s voice was equally cold. “Yes, Doctor, I know your record for killing Czechs and Jews and others of the non-Aryan races. Nevertheless, we will wait for the diamonds. I think you would prefer the arms to the death of one fat Czech.”

The impasse was broken by the return of Aurelia with the Dutch expert. Wielgus waved him towards the bags of diamonds.

“Put that on the desk,” he said. “Here is your original list. I have removed these two bags, this one and this one. You will check the contents of five other bags at random. Begin.”

De Groot did as he was ordered. This time he needed no equipment and worked much faster. Under the watchful eye of all present he took the bags of diamonds out, one by one, and laid them on the desk. He then counted the bags and swiftly checked the numbers of the remaining bags against the master list. Then he put five of the chamois bags aside and replaced the others. One at a time he opened the bags and let their contents spill out onto the blotter. He did not appear to count or examine them but simply stirred them back into the bag. The job was swiftly done. He straightened up and brushed dust from his fingertips, then handed the list back to Wielgus.

“All correct,” he said. “The contents of the examined bags is the same.”

Chvosta nodded. “Get the key to the case. Lock it. Bring me the key. Then leave.”

Wielgus passed over the key and De Groot did as he had been ordered. They all waited in silence until the door closed and he was gone. Chvosta held the key in the palm of one large hand and looked at it speculatively.

“I am very thirsty,” he said, “and would like a beer.”

The silence continued as de Laiglesia hurried to open and pour the beer. Chvosta drank it in a single swallow, belched and sighed. “Now begins the difficult part,” he said, looking around at the others. “I wish to keep these diamonds and stay alive. You want the ship in exchange for the diamonds. Here is what we will do. The name of the vessel is the Lyngby Kro, formerly a Danish freighter now sailing under the Liberian flag. She is riding at anchor in Valparaiso harbor, having arrived there during the night. The Captain has instructions that two men — and two men only — will be permitted aboard to examine the manifests and the cargo. When you are satisfied that the shipment is as agreed we will proceed to the next step. Your men are already in Valparaiso as we agreed?”

“Yes.”

“Then call the operator and have a cable sent at once.”

On the other side of the wall that separated the two suites, not twenty feet away from the speakers, Josep stood up and looked around at the others who had listened as intently as he had to the payoff arrangements.

“That’s all we needed to know,” he said. “We can get the diamonds — and the munitions as well! While they play their stupid little games, afraid of each other, we will be getting ready to sweep the board of them!”

“No,” Uzi said, speaking firmly and slowly so there would be no possibility of a misunderstanding. “We cannot do that. Any attempt to capture the arms ship would be grand larceny in port, or piracy if on the high seas. I cannot be part of it.”

“You cannot betray us now,” Josep said. His gun was in his hand and pointing unswervingly at the Israeli’s midriff. “If you are not with us you are against us and you are betraying the revolution. There is only one penalty for that.”

The other Tupamaros moved slightly as they listened, so that, with scarcely any effort, all of the weapons in the room were pointed in Uzi’s direction. Diaz and Hank were also being faced by the muzzles of these same guns. It was a time for taking sides.

“Don’t appear so surprised,” Uzi said. “I made my attitudes quite clear when we first talked about this. I have only one aim in this matter — to apprehend the Nazi war criminals and see that they are brought to trial. I believe in justice, not in the rule of the gun. But I also understand your position and will do nothing to stand in your way. I will do nothing to interfere with any actions you may take and I will not inform on you now or ever. I reserve the right to express my opinion, however, to attempt to prevent a tragedy happening. But I will not try to stop you. So you see, Josep, you are wrong. It is possible to be neutral in this matter and neither for yov nor against you.

Uzi was calm, his voice firm and steady as though the ready guns did not exist. Hank could appreciate it but not understand how he could do it. His own palms were damp and he had the feeling that his voice would crack if he tried to talk.