“Robert Bellamy.”
“My secretary tells me you want to do an article about me.”
“Well, not entirely about you,” Robert said. “But you’ll certainly be prominent in it. My newspaper …”
“Which newspaper is that?”
“The Wall Street Journal.”
Ah, yes. This was going to be excellent.
“The Journal feels that most bankers are too isolated from what’s going on in the rest of the world. They seldom travel, they don’t go to other countries. You, on the other hand, Mr Mann, have the reputation of being very well travelled.”
“I suppose I am,” Mann said modestly. “As a matter of fact, I came back from a trip to Switzerland just last week.”
“Really? Did you enjoy it?”
“Yes. I met with several other bankers there. We discussed world economics.”
Robert had pulled out a notebook and was making notes. “Did you have any time for pleasure?”
“Not really. Oh, I took a little tour on one of those buses. I had never seen the Alps before.”
Robert made another note. “A tour. Now that’s exactly the kind of thing we’re looking for,” Robert said, encouragingly. “I imagine you met a lot of interesting people on the bus.”
“Interesting?” He thought about the Texan who had tried to borrow money. “Not really.”
“Oh?”
Mann looked at him. The reporter obviously expected him to say more. You’ll certainly be prominent in the article. “There was this Russian girl.”
Robert made a note. “Really? Tell me about her.”
“Well, we got to talking, and I explained to her how backward Russia was and what terrible trouble they were heading for unless they changed.”
“She must have been very impressed,” Robert said.
“Oh, she was. Seemed like a bright girl. For a Russian, that is. They’re all pretty insulated, you know.”
“Did she mention her name?”
“No. Wait. It was Olga something.”
“Did she happen to say where she was from?”
“Yes. She works as a librarian at the main branch in Kiev. It was her first trip abroad, I guess because of glasnost. If you want my opinion …” he stopped to make sure Robert was writing it down, “Gorbachev sent Russia to hell in a hand basket. East Germany was handed to Bonn on a plate. On the political front Gorbachev moved too fast, and on the economic front he moved too slowly.”
“That’s fascinating,” Robert murmured. He spent another half hour with the banker, listening to his opinionated comments on everything from the Common Market to arms control. He was able to get no further information about other passengers.
When Robert returned to his hotel, he telephoned General Hilliard’s office.
“Just a moment, Commander Bellamy.”
He heard a series of clicks, and then General Hilliard was on the line.
“Yes, Commander?”
“I’ve traced another passenger, General.”
“The name?”
“William Mann. He owns a bank in Fort Smith, Canada.”
“Thank you. I’ll have the Canadian authorities speak to him right away.”
“By the way, he gave me another lead. I’ll be flying to Russia this evening. I’ll need a visa from Intourist.”
“Where are you calling from?”
“Fort Smith.”
“Stop at the Visigoth Hotel in Stockholm. There will be an envelope for you at the desk.”
“Thank you.”
FLASH MESSAGE
TOP SECRET ULTRA
NSA TO DEPUTY DIRECTOR CGHQ
EYES ONLY
COPY ONE OF (ONE) COPIES
SUBJECT: OPERATION DOOMSDAY
7. WILLIAM MANN – FORT SMITH
END OF MESSAGE
At eleven o’clock that evening William Mann’s doorbell rang. He was not expecting anyone, and he disliked unannounced callers. His housekeeper had retired, and his wife was in her room upstairs, asleep. Annoyed, Mann opened the front door. Two men dressed in black suits stood in the doorway.
“William Mann?”
“Yes.”