Deep Six (Dirk Pitt 7)

"My men are dead," Lee Tong said without a trace of emotion.

"I hold you'responsible."

"I didn't know it would happen." Lugovoy spoke in a quiet but steady voice.

"How could you not know?"

"You assured me this facility was escape-proof. I didn't think he would actually make an attempt."

"Who is he?"

"Paul Suvorov, a KGB agent, who your men picked off the Staten Island ferry by mistake."

"But you knew."

"He didn't make his presence known until after we arrived."

"And yet you said nothing."

"That's true," Lugovoy admitted. "I was afraid. When this experiment is finished I must return to Russia. Believe me, it doesn't pay to antagonize our state security people."

The built-in fear of the man behind you. Bougainville could see it in the eyes of every Russian he met. They feared foreigners, their neighbors, any man in uniform. They'd lived with it for so long it became an emotion as common as anger or happiness. He did not find it in himself to pity Lugovoy. Instead, he despised him for willingly living under such a depressing system.

"did this Suvorov cause any damage to the experiment?"

"No," Lugovoy answered. "The Vice President has a slight concussion, but he is back under sedation. The President was untouched."

"Nothing delayed?"

"

Everything is proceeding on schedule."

"And you expect to finish in three more days?"

Lugovoy nodded.

"I'm moving your deadline up."

Lugovoy acted as though he hadn't heard correctly. Then the truth broke through to him. "Oh, God, no!" he gasped. "I need every minute. As it is, my staff and I are cramming into ten days what should take thirty. You're eliminating all our safeguards. We must have more time for the President's brain to stabilize."

"That is President Antonov's concern, not mine or my grandmother's. We fulfilled our part of the bargain. By allowing a KGB man in here, you jeopardized the entire project."

"I swear I had nothing to do with Suvorov's breakout."

"Your story," Bougainville said coldly. "I choose to believe his presence was planned, likely on President Antonov's orders. Certainly by now Suvorov has informed his superiors and every Soviet agent in the States is converging on us. We will have to move the facility."

That was the final shattering blow. Lugovoy looked as if he was about to gag. "Impossible!" he howled like an injured dog.

"Absolutely no way can we move the President and all this equipment to another site and still meet your ridiculous deadline."

Bougainville glared at Lugovoy through narrow slits of eyes.

When he spoke again, his voice was rock calm. "Not to worry, Doctor. No upheaval is necessary."

WHEN PITT WALKED INTO His NUMA OFFICE, he found Hiram Yaeger asleep on the couch. With his sloppy clothes, long knotted hair and heard, the computer expert looked like a derelict wino. Pitt reached down and gently shook him by the shoulder. An eyelin slowly raised, then Yaeger stirred, grunted and pushed himself to a sitting position.

"Hard night?" Pitt inquired.