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Caplinger looked away。
Toad pressed。 〃You just chopped her like she was nothing。 Is that what we are to you？ Pawns？ Rita…you have the right to stuff my wife through the meat grinder for the greater good？ You asshole！〃
After a while Caplinger said； 〃We took big risks； but the reward was worth it。〃 He set his jaw。 〃It was worth it；〃 he insisted。
Neither officer replied。
Caplinger examined both their faces。 〃e； gentlemen。 Let's have another cup of coffee。〃 Toad didn't get out of his chair。 He had the corncob pipe in his hands as the other two men left the room。
In the kitchen Jake said； 〃Somebody's liable to shoot Gorbachev； you know。 He's threatening to break a lot of rice bowls。 Revolutions from the top rarely work。〃
〃Even if Gorbachev dies； the Soviet Union will never be the same。 If the old guard tries to clamp down； sooner or later there'll be another Russian Revolution； from the bottom next time。 There's going to be another revolution in China； sooner or later。 The munists can't go backwards； though they can sure try。〃
〃Why were they so concerned about the Minotaur's identity？〃
〃'They' is a very broad term。 The GRU wanted evidence that the Minotaur's revelations were false； to discredit them。 When Camacho gave them the name of the Secretary of Defense； they were left with an empty bag。 The men in the Politburo realized that it was entirely possible the United States government was providing the information as a matter of policy。 That possibility had to be weighed。
〃The implications are difficult；〃 he added； searching for words。 〃Perhaps the best way to say it is this： Some of the Soviet decision makers saw America； maybe for the first time； as we see ourselves…strong and confident； with excellent reasons for being confident。 Frightened men start wars； and we aren't frightened。〃
Back in the den； Jake asked； 〃So we still don't know the identity of the three deep moles； the sleepers？〃
〃Let's say we're resigned to the fact that； if the agents exist； they will probably not be revealed。 But we achieved so much！ The changes in the Soviet Union the last three years have been profound。〃
〃You play your fucking games；〃 Toad murmured； 〃and the little guys get left holding the bag。 Like Camacho。〃
〃Ah； I hear the voice of the eternal private plaining because the generals are willing to sacrifice him to achieve a military objective。〃
〃Sorry； I didn't read about your little war in the papers。 And I didn't volunteer to fight it。〃
〃America was Luis Camacho's adopted home。 He loved this country and he loved its people。 He knew exactly what he was doing every step of the way。 Like you and your wife when you fly； he knew the risks。 You think his job was easy？ Having Albright right next door？ Camacho had a wife and kid。 You think he had no nerves？〃
Toad sat silently with his arms folded across his chest； staring out the window。 Jake and Caplinger talked a while longer。 It was almost 4 P。M。 when Caplinger said； 〃By the way； Captain； you did an excellent job presenting the TRX plane and Athena to Congress。 I'm looking forward to getting a ride in an A…12 someday。〃
〃That makes two of us。〃
Toad picked up the corncob pipe from the pipe stand again and examined it idly。 〃Why did Camacho admit his past？〃
Caplinger smiled。 〃Who knows the human heart？ His explanation； which I read very carefully after Albright approached him a year or so ago； was that America is a country that cares about people。 You see； he was a cop。 A cop in J。 Edgar Hoover's FBI。 But in spite of Hoover's paranoid insanities； Luis saw that the vast majority of the agents there were trying their best to enforce the laws in an even； fair manner； with due regard to the rights of their fellow citizens。 Camacho came from a country where the police have no such mission。 The police there are not honest； honorable men。〃 He shrugged。 〃Luis Camacho instinctively understood Hoover。 He had grown up in a nation ruled by such men。 But Camacho came to see himself as a public servant He became an American。〃
〃Thanks for your time today； Mr。 Secretary。〃
〃I'll walk you to your car。〃
He led them through the kitchen to the door that led to the parking area。 As he walked； he asked Jake； 〃How'd you learn I was the Minotaur？〃
〃I didn't。 I guessed。 Your seeing us today was the proof。〃
〃You guessed？〃
〃Yes； sir。 My wife suggested that perhaps the Minotaur was a role played by an actor； an intuitive insight which seemed to me to explain a great deal。 Then I remembered that ment you made one evening at dinner in China Lake this past summer； something to the effect that the perception of reality is more important than the facts。 Camacho had said that the people who had to know about this operation did know。 By implication that ment included you。 So I decided you were probably the Minotaur。〃
〃I thought your notes meant blackmail； until I saw you this afternoon。〃
〃I thought you might。〃
Jake stepped to the car ten feet away and opened the door。
〃All our scheming；〃 Caplinger mused。 〃So transparent。 No wonder Camacho thought Albright saw through it。 Albright was no fool。〃
Royce Caplinger stopped at the end of the walk to look at the clouds building above the mountains to the west He started as something hard dug into his back。
In his ear Toad said； 〃You miscalculated once too often； Caplinger。〃
Catching the tone but not the words； Jake Grafton turned with a puzzled look on his face。
The lieutenant had his arm on Caplinger's shoulder。 He jerked the older man sideways until he was between him and Grafton。 〃Don't move； Captain！ I swear I'll shoot him if I have to。〃
〃What…？〃
〃That's right； Caplinger；〃 Toad hissed in the secretary's ear。 〃I'll pull this trigger and blow your spine clean in half。 This time it isn't Matilda Jackson or Rita Moravia or Luis Camacho。 It's you！ You thought you had everything figured； didn't you？ Minotaur！ You were wrong！ The decision has been made。 It's time for you to die。〃
The secretary tried to turn。 〃Now listen…〃
〃Tarkington！〃 Jake Grafton roared。
Toad twisted the man's arm； squeezing as hard as he could。 〃The decision has been made！ They decided。 It's over for you。〃
〃Please listen…〃 Caplinger began as Jake strode toward the two men； his face a mask of livid fury。
〃Tarkington！〃
〃So long； asshole！〃 Toad stepped to one side； raised his arm and pointed right into Caplinger's face。 〃Bang；〃 he said； and let the corncob pipe fall from his hand。
Caplinger stood staring at it。
〃Tarkington；〃 Jake said softly； his voice as ominous as a gathering storm。
Toad walked away down the drive。 He stumbled once； caught himself and kept walking。 He didn't look back。
Caplinger lowered himself into the gravel。 He put his head on his knees。 After a bit he whispered； 〃I really。。。 I really thought。。。〃
〃His wife。。。〃
〃He's right； you know。〃
Jake turned and looked down the long； straight driveway。 Tarkington was still going； marching for the road； his head up and shoulders back。 〃Yeah。〃
〃Go。 Take him with you。 Go。〃
〃You going to be okay？〃
〃Yes。 Just go。〃
Jake started the car； turned it around and went down the driveway。 He slowed to a crawl alongside Toad； who kept walking。 〃Get in。〃
Tarkington ignored him。 He was chewing on his lower lip。
〃Get in the car； Lieutenant； or I will court…martial you； so help me God。〃
Tarkington stopped and looked at Grafton behind the wheel。 He hesitated； then opened the passenger door and climbed in。
As Jake started the car rolling again he glanced in the rearview mirror。 In front of the huge mansion covered with ivy； Caplinger was still sitting in the gravel with his head down。
Three mites down the road Toad spoke。 〃Why did you stay in the navy？〃
〃Some things are worth fighting for。〃
Toad sat silently； his eyes on the road； for a long time。 Finally he said； 〃I'm sorry。〃
〃Everyone's sorry。〃 We're born sorry； we spend our life apologizing； and we die sorry。 Sorry for all the guys with their names on the Wall。 Sorry for the silly bastards who sent them there and stayed home and aren't sorry themselves。 Sorry for the 230 grunts killed in Lebanon by a truck bomb。 Sorry for the simple sonuvabitch who wouldn't let the sentry load his rifle。 We're sorry for them all。
〃Forget it；〃 Jake added。
〃I should've killed the bastard。〃
〃Wouldn't have done any good。〃
〃I suppose not。〃
31
Rita was released from the hospital on a Wednesday in November。 She wore a cervical collar and a blue uniform that Toad had had dry…cleaned。 He picked her up at noon。 〃Where to； beautiful？〃
〃Straight to the beauty shop； James。 I'm going to treat myself to a cut； shampoo and perm； then home to bed。〃
She was very tired when he got her home to their apartment； After a nap； that evening she walked around slowly； looking at this； touching that。 Harriet came over for a gabfest and left at nine when Rita visibly wilted。
On Friday； Rita insisted on going to the office with Toad。 The crowd paraded by the desk one at a time to wele her back。 She greeted each of them joyfully； with genuine enthusiasm。 Her delightful exhilaration was contagious。 She seemed the incarnation of the promise and hope of life。 Yet by noon she was tired； so Toad drove her home； then be returned to the office alone。
Saturday morning arrived crisp and clear。 〃How do you feel today？〃 Toad asked as he helped her into the collar。
〃Good。 I'll need a nap this afternoon； though。〃
〃Want to go on an expedition？ I promise a nap。〃
〃Where？〃
He wouldn't tell。 So； suitably dressed； they went down to the car； where Toad announced he had forgotten something upstairs。
He rode the elevator back up to the third floor and made several quick phone calls； then returned smiling。
He drove out to a small civilian airport in Reston； all the while refusing to answer questions； parked the car in front of the flying service's little building； and came around to help her out。
〃'Just as lovely a morning as ever was seen； for a nice tittle trip in a flying machine；'〃 quoted Toad。
〃What is this？ Toad！ I can't fly！〃
〃I can。 You can watch me。〃
〃You？ You've been taking lessons？〃
〃Got my license too。 Last weekend。 Now we're both pilots。〃 He grinned broadly and hugged her gently。
Toad took her inside and introduced her to the owner of the flying service； who visited with her while Toad preflighted the plane and taxied it to the front； where he killed the engine。 The machine was a Cessna 172； white with a red stripe extending horizontally along the fuselage； back from the prop spinner。 Toad thought it looked racy。
Rita was standing in the door； watching him。 He couldn't resist。 He bowed deeply from the waist。 〃e；〃 he said。 〃e fly with me。〃
He helped her strap into the right seat； then walked around the machine and strapped himself into the left。
〃This feels funny；〃 she giggled。
〃e fly with me； darling Rita。 We'll fly the halls of heaven； watch the angel choir。 We'll soar with the eagles and see where the storms are born。 Fly with me； Rita； all your life。〃
〃Start the engine； Toad…man。〃
With a half inch of throttle； the engine spluttered to life again。 He pulled the throttle back to idle and the Lying ran smoothly； the propeller a blurred disk。 Out they went down the narrow asphalt taxiway with Toad monitoring the Unicorn frequency and checking the sky。 He paused at the end of the taxiway； ran the engine up to 1；700 RPM and checked the mags； carb heat and mixture control； all the while acutely aware of Rita's scrutiny。
He was trying very hard to do everything right and not to laugh at the incongruity of the situation。 When he glanced at Rita； she quickly averted her gaze。 She was biting her lip； no doubt to keep from smiling。 She had that scrunched…up look around her eyes。 Trying hard to keep a straight face himself。 Toad got back to the business at hand。
He wiped the controls through a cycle and ran the flaps out and in with an eye on the voltage needle。 Satisfied； he announced his intentions on Unicorn and took the runway。
The engine snarled as he smoothly pushed the throttle knob in all the way。 With his feet dancing on the rudder pedals； the plane swerved only a little as it accelerated。 At fifty…five knots he pulled bock on the yoke and the pla