Ken Follett - Code to Zero (2000)

Billie sat at her dressing-table, freshening her make-up. She thought her eyes were her best feature, and she always did them carefully, with black eyeliner, grey eye shadow, and a little mascara. She left the bedroom door open, and she could hear television gunfire downstairs: Larry and Becky-Ma were watching Wagon Tram.

She did not feel like a date tonight The events of the day had stirred up strong passions. She was angry about not getting the job she wanted, bewildered by what Anthony had done, and confused and threatened to find that the old chemistry between herself and Luke was as powerful and dangerous as ever. She found herself reviewing her relationships with Anthony, Luke, Bern and Harold, wondering whether she had made the right decisions in life. After all that had happened, the prospect of spending the evening watching the Kraft Theater on TV with Harold seemed insipid, fond of him though she was.

The phone rang.

She jumped up from her stool and crossed the room to the extension by the bed, but Larry had already picked up in the hallway. She heard Anthony's voice say: 'This is the CIA, Washington is about to be invaded by an army of bouncing cabbages.'

Larry giggled. 'Uncle Anthony, it's you!'

'If you are approached by a cabbage do riot, repeat, do not attempt to reason with it'

'A cabbage can't talk!'

'The only way to deal with them is to beat them to death with sliced bread.'

You're making this up!' Larry laughed.

Billie said: Anthony, I'm on the extension.'

Anthony said: 'Get your jammies on, Larry, okay?'

'Okay,' said Larry. He hung up.

Anthony's voice changed. 'Billie?'

'Here.'

You wanted me to call urgently. I gather you chewed out the duty officer.'

Yeah. Anthony, what the hell are you up to?'

You'll have to ask me a more specific question-'

'Don't screw around for Christ's sake. I could tell you were lying last time we spoke, but I didn't know what the truth was then. Now I do. I know what you did to Luke at my hospital last night'

There was a silence.

Billie said: 'I want an explanation.'

'I can't really talk about this on the phone. If we could meet some time in the next few days-'

'The hell with that.' She was not going to let him procrastinate. 'I want your story right now.'

You know I can't-'

'You can do anything you damn well please, so don't pretend otherwise.'

Anthony protested: You ought to trust me. We've been friends for two decades.'

Yeah, and you got me into trouble on our first date.'

There was a smile in Anthony's voice as he said: 'Are you still mad about that?'

Billie softened. 'Hell, no. I want to trust you. You're my son's godfather.'

I'll explain everything if you'll meet me tomorrow.'

She almost agreed, then she remembered what he had done. You didn't trust me, last night, -did you? You went behind my back, right in my own hospital.'

'I told you, I can explain-'

You should have explained before you deceived me. Tell me the truth or I'll go to the FBI the minute I hang up. You choose.'

It was dangerous to threaten men - it often made them obstinate. But she knew how the CIA hated and feared interference from the FBI, especially when the Agency was working on the borderline of legality, which was most of the time. The Feds, who jealously guarded their exclusive right to hunt spies within the USA, would relish the chance to investigate illegitimate acts by the CIA on American soil. If whatever Anthony was doing was strictly on the up-and-up, then Billie's threat was empty. But if he were overstepping the limits of the law, he would be scared.

He sighed. 'Well, I'm on a pay phone, and I guess it's unlikely your line is tapped.' He paused. You may find this hard to believe.'

Try me.'

'Well, here goes. Luke is a spy, Billie.'

For a moment she was dumbstruck; then she said: 'Don't be absurd.'

'He's a communist, an agent for Moscow.'

'For Christ's sake! If you think I'm going to fall for that-'

'I'm past caring whether you believe it or not' Anthony's tone was suddenly harsh. 'He's been passing rocket secret to the Soviets for years. How do you think they managed to put their Sputnik into orbit while our satellite was still on the laboratory bench? They're not ahead of us scientifically, for God's sake! They have the benefit of all our research as well as their own. And Luke is responsible.'

'Anthony, we've both known Luke for twenty goddamn years. He's never been interested in politics!

'That's the best cover of all.'

Billie hesitated. Could it be true? No doubt a serious spy would pretend to have no interest in politics, or even to be a Republican. 'But Luke wouldn't betray his country.'

'People do. Remember, when he was with the French Resistance he was working with the communists. Of course, they were on our side then, but obviously he continued after the war. Personally, I think the reason he didn't many you was that it would conflict with his work for the Reds 'He married Elspeth.'

Yeah, but they never had children.'

Billie sat down on the stairs, feeling stunned. 'Do you have evidence?'

'I have proof - top-secret blueprints he gave to a known KGB officer.'

She was bewildered now, not knowing what to believe. 'But even if all this is true - why did you wipe out his memory?'

'To save his life.'

Now she was totally baffled. 'I don't understand.'

'Billie, we were going to kill him.'

'Who was going to kill him?'

'Us, the CIA. You know the army is about to launch our first satellite. If this rocket fails, the Russians will dominate outer space for the foreseeable future, the way the British dominated America for two hundred years. You have to understand that Luke was the worst threat to American power and prestige since the war. The decision to terminate him was made within an hour of our finding out about him.'

'Why not just put him on trial as a spy?'

'And have the whole world know that our security is so lousy the Soviets have been getting all our rocket secrets for years? Think what that would do to American influence - especially in all these underdeveloped countries that are flirting with Moscow. That option wasn't even tabled.'

'So what happened?'

'I persuaded them to try this. I went right to the top. Nobody knows what I'm doing, except the Director of the CIA and the President And it would have worked, if Luke hadn't been such a resourceful fucking bastard. I could have saved Luke and kept the whole thing secret If only he had believed that he lost his memory after a night of heavy drinking; and lived the life of a bum for a while, I could have kept the lid on. Even he would never have known what secrets he gave away.'

Billie had a selfish moment. You didn't hesitate to blight my career.'

'To save Luke's life? I didn't think you'd want me to hesitate.'

'Don't be so goddamn blase, it always was your worst fault.'

'Anyway, Luke fouled up my plan - with your help. Is he with you now?'

'No.' Billie felt the hairs prickle on the back of her neck.

. 'I need to talk to him before he does himself any more damage. Where is he?'

Acting on instinct, Billie lied. 'I don't know.'

'You wouldn't hide anything from me, would you?'

'Sure I would. You've already said your organization wanted to kill Luke. It would be dumb of me to tell you where he is, if I knew. But I don't.'

'Billie, listen to me. I'm his only hope. Tell him to call me, if you want to save his life.'

'I'll think about it,' Billie said; but Anthony had already hung up.

.

8.30 P. M.

The instrument compartment has no doors or access 'hatches. To work on equipment inside, engineers at Cape Canaveral have to lift the entire cover. This is awkward but saves precious weight, a critical factor in the struggle to break free of Earth's gravity.