Panic Switch полностью

“I’ll brief my troops,” Anna said, thinking that now the meeting might end, although she wondered why the head of the foreign intelligence service was here for this somewhat unusual but otherwise straightforward mission.

“There’s more,” Chairman Lilya said. “President Vostov’s intention to hide hydrogen bombs in American territorial waters is no different than if he were to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles at American targets. It’s an act of war. More subtle than ICBMs, certainly, but no less an attack. The senior ranks of the military and intelligence agencies oppose this mission. We have all gone through channels and the chain of command. Our arguments have met President Vostov’s brick wall. So it is our intent to sabotage this mission. And this submarine. And you’re the one who has been chosen to do it.”

Anna sat back in her chair, exhaling as the wind seemed knocked out of her. Her own Navy, intent on sabotaging their own ship?

“I know,” Lilya continued. “This seems incredibly desperate and irresponsible. But we have a multi-pronged set of missions designed to stop this Status-6 deployment from happening. For obvious reasons, I can’t tell you what they are. Well, I can disclose one of them, I suppose. At the highest levels of our intelligence agencies, we’ve reached out to our opposite numbers at the American CIA and Defense Intelligence Agency — we’ve informed them about this mission and the possible date of Belgorod’s departure, and that Belgorod will be transiting under the polar icecap. And that we will place a human ‘asset’ aboard to sabotage the plan from within. That would be you, Svetlana. What the Americans do with that information is up to them, but I imagine they will send an American submarine to follow the Belgorod, quietly, to see what it is doing. In the worst case, the Americans may decide to attack it.”

Lilya filled a teacup and spooned sugar into it and drank a sip, then looked up at Anna.

“As I said, there are other plans in place that will make that eventuality unnecessary. We believe that with our other scenarios, Belgorod will be ordered to abandon the mission and return home. But, as a deep contingency, you will be aboard to stop the deployment of these Status-6 weapons.”

“Svetlana,” Admiral Zhabin said, “are you able to accept this mission? For the good of Mother Russia? And, in fact, for the fate of the world?”

“Admiral, I am an officer in the Russian Republic Navy,” Anna said. “I will follow my orders, no matter how unpleasant or dangerous.”

“Well, Svetlana,” Zhabin said, “we deeply hope that if it comes for you to do your work, it will be something that you will survive — along with the rest of the crew of Belgorod. It may come to it that the situation will degrade, and the only way to accomplish your — and our — aim is to execute progressively more radical means. In the ultimate case, you will have to cause damage so severe to the submarine that it will sink.” Zhabin paused to stare into Anna’s eyes.

“Sir, I’m not eager to die,” Anna said haltingly. “But if that is the only way to fulfil the orders, well, there is always the next life, yes?”

Zhabin smiled, with his eyes also, this time. “Excellent, Svetlana. I will be recommending you for advancement to Captain Second Rank when this is over, and a decoration for bravery in service to the republic.”

Assuming she lived, she thought.

“What are the specifics?” Anna asked.

Lilya leaned forward, putting her elbows on her knees, drilling her blue eyes into Anna’s eyes. “There will be a contact waiting for you in Severomorsk at Northern Fleet Headquarters. Over the coming weeks, you’ll meet with her. She will educate you as to each task. The specifics are sensitive, so you will be required to memorize all technical information. You’ll be given various tools to accomplish the work, all disguised as normal items — toiletries — or tools of your trade — sex toys, yes?”

Anna nodded. “What if my baggage is searched?”

“All the items will pass a normal security inspection. No one could find them unless he knew exactly what he was seeking.”

Anna exhaled, blowing out her cheeks. “I understand.”

“Again, Svetlana, we can’t emphasize enough the importance of your mission,” Lilya said. “The placement of these so-called Poseidon torpedoes must be stopped. By any means at our disposal.”

“There’s a driver waiting for you now,” Zhabin said, standing and extending his hand to Anna. She stood up and shook the admiral’s hand. “He’ll take you to the airport. Your plane is waiting for you.”

“Thank you, Admiral,” Anna said to Zhabin. She turned to shake Lilya’s hand. “Madam Chairwoman. I’ll not disappoint you.”

“I know you’ll do fine,” Zhabin said, shutting the office door behind her.