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ary confrontation。 A raid on a Soviet laboratory would be considered an overt act of war that could not be ignored。〃
〃That's correct。 It would be no different from the Russians destroying a lab in New Mexico。 It could have provoked a shooting war。〃
Sandecker was not exactly innocent when it came to making end runs around politically dicey situations。 〃A raid might be feasible； but it would have to be an ironclad secret with no way to trace it。〃
LeGrand nodded。 〃That was precisely what the president said when the situation was presented to him。〃
〃A tall order indeed；〃 Sandecker noted。
〃Granted； but these were not ordinary men。 They had created the greatest military industrial machine in history virtually from scratch and ruthlessly used it to squash two formidable foes on several continents and seas。 But even all their determination and resourcefulness wasn't up to this challenge。 Fortunately for them； two unconnected developments intersected and showed them the way。 The first was the development of the air craft that came to be known as the flying wing。 The design had its problems； but there was one unplanned characteristic that made it very attractive。 Stealth technology。 The plane's slim silhouette and clean surface meant that under the right circum stances it could slip undetected past radar。〃
〃My guess is that you're talking about Russian radar；〃 Sandecker said。
LeGrand smiled mysteriously。 〃Supposedly all flying wings； including those still in production； were destroyed by the Air Force。 But the president gave the go…ahead for a modified version to be built in secret。 It had even greater range and speed than any of the original models。 In short； here was a delivery system that could get in and out of Siberia without being detected。〃
〃In my experience the Russians are not a dull people；〃 Sandecker said。 〃If their lab went up in smoke they would surmise the U。S。 was behind it。〃
〃Undoubtedly； which is why the second part of the equation was crucial；〃 LeGrand said。 〃That was the discovery of anasazium。 It was a by…product of the work at Los Alamos。 The scientist who discovered the substance was an amateur anthropologist。 He was fascinated by the old Pueblo culture that once lived in the Southwest。 He named his discovery after the Anasazi。 The material has a number of interesting properties。 The one that attracted the most interest was its ability to change the hydrogen atom in subtle ways。 If anasazium could be secretly introduced into a Soviet weapons lab； it might mess up the fusion research。 Estimates were that it would hamstring their bomb project by several years。 The U。S。 would gain time to build an intercontinental bomber and missile fleet so advanced that the Soviets would never catch up。 The plan was to float bombs down on parachutes。 They would explode； and re lease the substance in liquid form； which would get into the lab's ventilation systems。 By itself the substance is not any more harmful than water to humans。 Those under attack would think they heard a very strange thunderstorm of extremely short duration。〃
〃It doesn't sound exactly like pinpoint bombing。〃
〃It wasn't。 As they say； desperate times call for desperate measures。〃
〃What if the plane crashed for some mechanical reason？〃
〃That possibility was taken into account。 There was no poi son pill like the one Francis Gary Powers didn't take after his U…2 crash。 They wanted no talkative survivors。 No parachutes were packed for the crew。 In fact； it would have been impossible to parachute from the plane。 Ejection seats had not yet been developed； and the pilot's canopy could not be jettisoned。 If wreckage were found it could always be said that this was an experimental plane tragically gone off…course。〃 〃The crew knew this？〃
〃They were highly motivated volunteers with no sense of failure。〃
〃Too bad the plan failed；〃 Sandecker said。
〃To the contrary；〃 LeGrand said。 〃The mission was an un qualified success。〃
〃How so？ The Soviets built a hydrogen bomb close on our heels； as I recall。〃
〃Quite true。 They exploded their first thermonuclear device in 1953； two years after the U。S。 Remember what I said about hubris。 Our people couldn't imagine that an ignorant peasant like Stalin could outsmart them。 He was extremely suspicious of everyone。 He ordered Igor Kurchatov； the Soviet equivalent of our man Oppenheimer； to set up a duplicate hydrogen research lab in the Ural Mountains。 Their research was successful。 Stalin thought the Siberian lab had failed on purpose and ordered its technicians liquidated。〃
〃I'm surprised a strike wasn't ordered into the Ural operation。〃
〃A raid was contemplated； but the mission was canceled。 Maybe it was considered too dangerous； or perhaps the flying wing had insurmountable technical problems。〃
〃What happened to the plane？〃
〃It was sealed in its hangar with the cargo。 The Alaskan base it flew from was abandoned。 The men at the base were scattered all over the globe。 None of them had a plete picture of the operation。 That was almost the end of it。〃
〃Almost。 You mean the protocol and the killing of the pilot？〃
LeGrand stirred unfortably in his chair。 〃That and more。 Actually the entire flight crew was killed；〃 he said quietly。 〃The~ were the only nonpolitical types who knew the mission and the target intimately。 Four men died。 Their families were told they were in an accident。 They were buried with full military honors at Arlington。〃 〃A lovely gesture。〃
LeGrand nervously cleared his throat。 〃You all know that I've done my best to clean things up at the Agency。 Sometimes I'll scrape off one layer of dirt to reveal another even more filthy。 Unfortunately much of the good work we've done has gone un heralded for obvious reasons。 But the intelligence munity did some things that are nothing to be proud of。 This sad episode was one of them。〃
〃Austin filled me in on his findings。 The pilot was at Arlington attending his own funeral。 I understand his son saw him。〃
〃He insisted that he be allowed one more look at his wife and child；〃 the director said。 〃He was told he was going into protective custody for an indefinite time。 Of course it was only a ruse。 Shortly after he was placed under protection； he was killed by his protector。〃
〃The man who lived in upstate New York。〃
〃That's right。〃
Sandecker's blue eyes hardened。 〃Sorry I don't feel any sad ness for the assassin。 He was a cold…blooded killer at an age when we supposedly attain wisdom。 And he would have murdered Austin。 What was the reason for the protocol？ Wasn't murdering those crewmen enough？〃
〃The brass who decided this thing didn't want the faintest chance the secret would get out。 They thought it could start an other war。 Relations were bad enough as it was between us and the Soviets。 The protocol was set up to react blindly to any at tempt to unravel the secret。 They thought any spy snooping would e from abroad。 No one dreamed the threat would e from the U。S。 congress。 It was all totally unnecessary。 The speaker of the House was defeated for reelection； and his expose never got off the ground。 It was probably assumed that the little land mine they left to blow up in the face of anyone following their trail would deactivate itself。 They never thought it would still be dangerous fifty years later。〃
Sandecker leaned back in his chair and tented his fingers。 〃So this ancient scheme cooked up by a bunch of macho cow boys is what almost got my man killed。 I understand that the assassin had his bags packed ready to go with a sniper's rifle and explosives。 Apparently planning quite a retirement party for himself。 Too bad we can't let the American public know what tomfoolery their tax dollars were used for in the name of democracy。〃
LeGrand said； 〃That would be a mistake。 It is still extremely sensitive。 Reducing Russia's nuclear arsenal has been a struggle。 If this story got out it would strengthen the hand of the nationalists who say the U。S。 can't be trusted。〃
〃They would think that anyhow；〃 Sandecker said dryly。 〃In my experience there is one thing powerful people fear the most： embarrassment。〃 He smiled。 〃I trust there are no more protocols waiting out there to ambush the unwary？〃
It was a veiled warning。
〃I've already ordered a plete examination of our puter files to prevent exactly such a possibility；〃 LeGrand said。 〃No more surprises。〃
〃Let's hope so；〃 Sandecker said。
Chapter 28
Austin poured himself a hot mug of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee straight； took a sip of the high…octane brew； and picked the aluminum cylinder off his desk。 He hefted it in his big hand； staring at the battered convex surface as if it were a crystal ball。 The object yielded no secrets； only a distorted reflection of his bronzed features and pale hair。
Setting the cylinder aside； he returned to the map of Alaska spread out on his desk。 He had been to Alaska several times； and the sheer immensity of the fiftieth state never failed to boggle his mind。 Searching for the old flying wing base in some of the most rugged territory on earth would be like trying to find a single grain of sand on Malibu beach。 pounding the problem； the base would have been built in a way to keep it from prying eyes。 He ran his finger from Barrow deep inside the Arctic Circle south to the Kenai Peninsula。 The phone rang as the seed of an idea was beginning to sprout。
Eyes glued on the map； he grabbed the phone； stuck it in his ear； and snapped a perfunctory hello。 Sandecker's crisp voice came on the line。
〃Kurt； can you e up to my office？〃
〃Can this wait； Admiral？〃 Austin said； trying to hold on to his thought。
〃Of course； Kurt；〃 Sandecker said magnanimously。 〃Is five minutes sufficient？〃
The notion withered and died like a flower in the sun。 Sandecker must have been the original irresistible force。 The admiral's mind operated at warp speed； and consequently his sense of time tended to be pressed。
〃I'll be there in two minutes。〃
〃Splendid。 I think you'll find it worth your while。〃
When Austin walked into Sandecker's tenth…floor office he expected to see the director of NUMA behind the immense desk made from a hatch taken from a Confederate blockade runner。 Instead the admiral sat off to the side in one of the fortable dark leather chairs reserved for visitors。 He was chatting with a woman who sat with her back to Austin。 Sandecker； who was wearing a navy blazer with gold anchors embroidered over the breast pocket； rose to greet Austin。
〃Thank you for ing； Kurt。 There's someone here I'd like you to meet。〃
The woman stood； and Austin's preoccupation with his Alaskan puzzle evaporated in a single glance。
She was tall and slim； with Eurasian high cheekbones and almond…shaped eyes。 In contrast to her exotic looks she was dressed conservatively in a long burgundy skirt and matching jacket。 Her dark blond hair was tightly woven into a single braid down to her shoulder blades。 Something about her went beyond natural beauty。 She had the erect carriage of someone born to royalty； but at the same time she walked with the lithe easiness of a panther as she came over to shake hands。 The deep brown eyes with gold flecks seemed to radiate a tropical heat。 Maybe it was his imagination； but her musky scent made Austin think of the throb of distant drums。 It suddenly dawned on him who the woman was。
〃You're Dr。 Cabral？〃
Austin would not have been surprised if she had answered with a soft purr。 In a low； mellow voice she said； 〃Thank you for ing to see me； Mr。 Austin。 I hope I haven't interrupted any thing important。 I asked Admiral Sandecker if I might have the chance to thank you personally for your help。〃
〃You're very wele； but Gamay and Paul did all the hard work。 I simply answered the phone and pushed a couple of but tons。〃
〃You are far too modest； Mr。 Austin；〃 she said with a smile that could have melted ice cubes。 〃If not for your quick action I'm afraid my head and those of your colleagues would be deco rating a village thousands of miles from these fortable surroundings。〃
Sandecker stepp