mind.”
“And Jeffrey Smale?”
“He’s resigned, with immediate effect. His last official duty was to order Paula-Jane Venables’s recall from Moscow. We won’t bother with any Official Secrets Act nonsense with her: it wouldn’t suit any practical purpose. Just the wrong person in the wrong job; should never have been employed in the first place, with her father’s background and with a serving CIA officer as a godfather to boot. She was a Smale protegee, by the way. As were Fish and Robertson. They’ll both be leaving the service, of course.”
“I’ve never been involved in such an operation before but it all seems to have concluded successfully?” Charlie suggested.
“No, it hasn’t,” denied Smith. “You won’t have heard yet, of course. It’s not yet reached any of the wire services.”
“What?’
“Svetlana Modin’s car was shot up from three other vehicles on her way in from Sheremetyevo Airport this morning. She, a cameraman, and their driver all died instantly. Stepan Lvov’s limousine blew up when its ignition was turned outside his hotel in Odessa, about the same time. His wife, campaign manager, and secretary were in the car with him.”
“I gave Svetlana back the embarrassing film of her exposing herself, to thank her,” said Charlie, reflectively.
“You realize the implications?”
“I think I do.”
“Every resource is available to you. Safe house wherever you choose. Everything paid for, of course. And plastic surgery: that will be very necessary, after so much exposure.”
“I’ve never fancied a protection program. I think I’d go mad, trying to be someone else. And whatever precautions there were, I’d still be recognizable from the way I walk with these awkward bloody feet of mine.”
The other man didn’t smile. “You need to think about it. Think hard. You certainly need to go directly to a safe house from here: totally abandon your apartment. We’ll have anything you particularly want brought to you.”
“For a few days,” agreed Charlie.
“For the rest of your life,” insisted the Director-General.
Charlie didn’t expect Natalia to be at her Moscow apartment but she was, her voice lifting the moment she recognized Charlie’s voice. “I’ve already taken leave and told Sasha. She’s very excited; already colored you another picture. I’m going to buy the tickets whenever you tell me.”
“No,” said Charlie. “You can’t come, not now.”
“What’s happened?”
“You’ll realize why, when you hear the news.”
“How long, before we can come?”
Charlie couldn’t immediately reply.
“Charlie?”
“Never,” Charlie finally managed.
