Loose Cannon: The Tom Kelly Novels

Loose Cannon: The Tom Kelly Novels Read Free Page A

Book: Loose Cannon: The Tom Kelly Novels Read Free
Author: David Drake
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Action & Adventure, Espionage
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allowance for error, of course. 95% of anything we launched, say. And we guess a bolt that can do that”—he thumbed toward the twisted warhead in the test chamber—“would pretty well scramble a B-52, too. Or the White House, if somebody wanted to get cute.”
    “All right,” the civilian repeated. “Since I don’t suppose you brought me here to propose we surrender now to the Sovs, what do you have in mind?”
    “We would like,” said General Follett, staring at his wedding band rather than the Secretary of State, “your support for a plan to secure Professor Vlasov’s defection to the United States.”
    “Oh,” said the Secretary. “Oh . . .” and he settled back in his chair, relaxing now that he had enough information at last to guess why he was being manipulated. A smile quirked the corners of his mouth. “Does the JCS know you’ve got something in mind?” he asked in amusement. “You people at the DIA, that is.”
    Follett’s tongue touched his lips, but he managed to control his reflexive glance toward the Secretary’s aide. He knew that Lieutenant Commander Platt was secretly reporting to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on all of the Secretary of State’s activities. The DIA further suspected that Platt was also leaking information to the Office of Naval Intelligence. By charter, the ONI was supposed to be under the control of the Defense Intelligence Agency. In practice, it—and the other service intelligence staffs—were as parochial as the KGB and very nearly as hostile to one another. The presence of a known double agent at the secret meeting had complicated Follett’s task enormously, but there had been no alternative. If the DIA had burned Platt, exposing him to the Secretary, his replacement might very well have been controlled by the CIA.
    “I have briefed the Chairman, yes,” Follett said, “on our intention to approach you, sir, and the necessity for it.” With an appearance of steely candor, he added. “The Defense Intelligence Agency is only the information collection and assessment arm of the Department of Defense. My colleagues and I are as much controlled by the Joint Chiefs as are the lowliest recruits in training.”
    “Go on,” said the Secretary in irritation. “I’m waiting for a concrete proposal.” He could not know, of course, that Follett’s bit of fluff was meant not for him but for his aide.
    “Yes sir,” said the general, nodding quickly and continuing to meet the civilian’s eyes. “Well. One of our agents made contact with Professor Vlasov. This was fortuitous, rather than a major priority of the Agency”—perhaps he shouldn’t have admitted that—“because the Professor appeared from all the information we had available to us to be at least as politically reliable as a member of the Politburo.” Follett cleared his throat. “The Professor not only had all the perquisites available to a scientist of genius—which he is—within the Soviet Union, his love for his motherland is of exceptional and tested quality. He has only one arm, you see. He lost the other in 1943 during the Siege of Leningrad when the satchel charge he had been throwing into a German blockhouse exploded prematurely. He had refused several offers of evacuation previous to that occurrence, since it was evident even then to the Party leadership that Vlasov’s endeavors would be more valuable to the State in the laboratory than on the front line.”
    “How did you get an agent into the Soviet Union, Follett?” demanded the Secretary as if he had not been listening to the remainder of the general’s discourse.
    Admiral Wayne coughed behind his hand. Follett warned him with a quick gesture. “Ah, Mr. Secretary,” he said. “I’m afraid we can’t go into sources and methods at this time. . . .”
    “Look, General,” the civilian went on, “either your agent is playing you for a fool—or the KGB is.” He paused. “Or maybe everything you’ve just told me about Vlasov is

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