“Is that why I was called back?”
Lensky shook his head. “No, or I’d have warned you not to come. They’ve got a list, a very short list I might say, of what they call acceptable Jews. The official title is ‘hidden Jews.’ ”
“Are you on the list?”
“Yes. So are you.”
“And what happens to the Jews?”
“Some are sent to labour camps,” he shrugged and said quietly, “and some are killed.”
“You mean murdered not killed.”
“Whatever word you use it’s the same result.”
“And I’m supposed to help these people or I too end in a Gulag camp?”
Lensky shrugged. “In the States you’ve got McCarthy.”
“McCarthy is not the government. What he does is not government policy. His time’s coming to an end very soon.”
“What makes you think that?
Aarons shrugged. “He’s begun attacking the army. They will finish him.”
“Are you getting disillusioned?”
Aarons shook his head slowly. “I don’t know why, because I don’t remember much from when I lived here as a boy, but I’ll always love Russia and Russians. It’s just an instinct, I must have inherited it from my father.”
“If they wanted you to come back to Moscow—would you come?”
“No. Tania wouldn’t leave the States.”
“Is a woman more important than your country, your people, Andrei?”
“I don’t answer questions like that anymore. I don’t even ask myself those questions.” He looked at Lensky. “So why am I here?”
“This new signals place in Maryland. It’s a top priority as you know, even before your reports came through. They want to talk to you about it. You said you wanted a meeting with some experts. Now they’ve seen your reports they can’t wait to talk to you. Right now you’re well in favour.” Lensky smiled. “You always have been of course. No fireworks, no complaints, no arguing—just hard work and doing what you’re asked to do.”
“Sounds like a reference for a not very bright servant.”
Lensky didn’t answer. “How’s Tania?”
“She’s fine.”
“Does she know you’re here?”
“Yes.”
“Did you notify Moscow that you were married again?”
“No. My wife is none of their business.”
“They may not agree. What makes you think that?”
“Because when I begged for the loan of money to nurse Chantal they didn’t even reply. That’s enough for me.”
“I shouldn’t share those thoughts with other people here.”
“I’m tired, I’d better go to bed. What time’s the meeting tomorrow?”
“Ten, there’s a car coming for you. I won’t be there at the meeting.” Lensky paused. “Who’s going to be the next President in the States?”
“Who do you think?”
“Stevenson.”
“It’ll be Eisenhower.”
Lensky looked surprised. “What makes you think that?”
Aarons gave Lensky his reasons and wondered what Lensky would say if he told him that his careful analysis had come direct from the President of the United States.
They talked a little longer and in a more friendly vein and then Aarons went to bed, setting the small travelling alarm-clock in a red leather case that Tania had given him.
The meeting had been in a room on the tenth floor of the Comecon building and there were only three people apart from Aarons. They introduced themselves as Beletsky, Denikin and Glazkova. The first two were scientists and Glazkova, a young woman, didn’t identify her rôle and Aarons assumed that she was probably a commissar, sent as an observer from the Party Committee, which was more or less independent of the intelligence chain of command.
Beletsky seemed an amiable man, used to running meetings and getting cooperation from people who were disinclined to talk freely until they had tested the temperature of the water.
Beletsky smiled at Aarons. “The material you sent us was fine but we thought that perhaps you had made more notes that we could talk about.”
“It’s part of the deal that I’ve made with my informant that I don’t ask him for documents and that all his reports to me are verbal. I have to make up my notes from memory.”
Denikin asked. “According to your file, comrade, you’re not experienced in this area—electronics and signals stuff.”
“No. No experience at all.”
“It would help us a lot if you could get your contact to provide documents or his own written reports.”
“If I asked he wouldn’t agree and if I pressed he’d break off the contact. We have to do the best we can on the present basis. Maybe you can brief me with specific questions.”
“Is your contact a Party member?”
“No. I think his father was, but he died some years ago.”
Denikin said, “If we supplied you with a small tape-recorder that you could conceal would that help you?”
“Comrade, I’ve been doing this work for many years and I’ve built up quite a large network of informants. They trust me because I make sure that if they were interrogated the FBI would have no documentary proof of their committing any offence. When I get documents they are very useful for us but they are not top secret.” He smiled. “They trust me because I don’t play games. I take every precaution to protect them. And to protect myself of course. So no hidden tape-recorders.”
Beletsky took over again. “You’re quite sure that your contact said that this place was called the National Security Agency?”
“Yes.”
“And it’s not controlled by the FBI or the CIA.”
“It’s entirely independent but it has connections with the CIA.”
“And it is intended to intercept, monitor and record all radio and telephonic communications, not just in the USA but all over the world.”
“That’s what the staff are told.” He paused. “They are also told that it is the most important of all the US intelligence organisations and will grow and expand very quickly.”
“He also mentioned code-breaking.”
“There is a big section being built up that covers codes, cryptology, high mathematics. Continuous recruiting from industry, commerce and the universities.”
“And the Soviet Union is top target?”
“Not only us but all Communist countries especially those in eastern Europe.”
Beletsky nodded. “We’ll give you a list of questions that we’d like you to put to your contact. Two things are urgent as far as we are concerned. We’d
