• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 922 0

quality of character. His senator was in Europe on a 'fact-finding' tour, mainly having to do with NATO, though they would stop in on the peace talks at Paris just to get some TV tape that might be shown on Connecticut TV stations in the fall. In fact, the 'tour' was mainly a shopping trip punctuated by a brief every other day. Henderson, enjoying his first such trip as the Senator's expert on national-security issues, had to be there for the briefs, but the rest of the time was his, and he had made his own arrangements. At the moment he was touring the White Tower, the famous centerpiece of Her Majesty's Tower of London, now approaching its nine hundredth year of guardianship on the River Thames.

'Warm day for London,' another tourist said.

'I wonder if they get thunderstorms here,' the American replied casually, examining Henry VIII's immense suit of armor.

'They do,' the man replied, 'but not as severe as those in Washington.'

Henderson looked for an exit and headed towards it. A moment later he was strolling around Tower Green with his new companion.

'Your English is excellent.'

'Thank you, Peter. I am George.'

'Hi, George.' Henderson smiled without looking at his new friend. It really was like James Bond, and doing it here - not just in London, but in the historical seat of Britain's royal family - well, that was just delicious.

George was his real name - actually Georgiy, which was the Russian equivalent - and he rarely went into the field anymore. Though he'd been a highly effective field officer for KGB, his analytical ability was such that he'd been called back to Moscow five years earlier, promoted to lieutenant colonel and placed in charge of a whole section. Now a full colonel, George looked forward to general's stars. The reason he'd come to London, via Helsinki and Brussels, was that he'd wanted to eyeball cassius himself - and get a little shopping done for his own family. Only three men of his age in KGB shared his rank, and his young and pretty wife liked to wear Western clothes. Where else to shop for them but London? George didn't speak French or Italian.

'This is the only time we will meet, Peter.'

'Should I be honored?'

'If you wish.' George was unusually good-natured for a Russian, though that was part of his cover. He smiled at the American. 'Your senator has access to many things.'

'Yes, he does,' Henderson agreed, enjoying the courtship ritual. He didn't have to add, and so do I.

'Such information is useful to us. Your government, especially with your new president - honestly, he frightens us.'

'He frightens me,' Henderson admitted.

'But at the same time there is hope,' George went on, speaking in a reasonable and judicious voice. 'He is also a realist. His proposal for detente is seen by my government as a sign that we can reach a broad international understanding. Because of that we wish to examine the possibility that his proposal for discussions is genuine. Unfortunately we have problems of our own.'

'Such as?'

'Your president, perhaps he means well. I say that sincerely, Peter,' George added. 'But he is highly ... competitive. If he knows too much about us, he will press us too hard in some areas, and that might prevent us from reaching the accommodation that we all desire. You have adverse political elements in your government. So do we - leftovers from the Stalin era. The key to negotiations such as those which may soon begin is that both sides must be reasonable. We need your help to control the unreasonable elements on our side.'

Henderson was surprised by that. The Russians could be so open, like Americans. 'How can I do that?'

'Some things we cannot allow to be leaked. If they are, it will poison our chances for detente. If we know too much about you, or you know too much about us, well, the game becomes skewed. One side or the other seeks too much advantage, and then there can be no understanding, only domination, which neither side will accept. Do you see?'

'Yes, that makes sense.'

'What I am asking, Peter, is that you let us know from time to time certain special