how to make all of this stuff work?" asked Drew, sweeping his hand around the room.
"What I don't know, my newly appointed secretary does, and what she doesn't, my associate Jacques does.
And if we really get In trouble, I'll simply call up my new friend, Madame de Vries."
"Mon Dieu," exclaimed Karin, "this is a technologist's dream!
Look over there, you're in instant contact with a dozen relaying satellites, and there, telecommunications to every remote section of the world that has receiving equipment, which you obviously have in place or it wouldn't be here."
"I have a little trouble with that one," said Moreau.
"Perhaps you could help." ,
"The frequencies revolve constantly, even mini-second by mini second said De Vries.
"The Americans are working on it."
"They were, but a computer scientist named Rudolph Metz gave them a little trouble when he fled the United States and disappeared into Germany. He spread an eliminating virus throughout the entire system; they're still trying to recover."
"Whoever perfects it will have the secrets of the globe," said Karin.
"Then let us hope the Briiderschaft require the equipment Metz left behind," added the chief of the Deuxieme Bureau.
"Yet this is futile speculation.. We have other things to show you, or more appropriately, for you to listen to. As promised, and with Witkowski's help at the embassy, we've invaded the ambassador's private telephone, a telephone that searches all channels and will operate only on one that is supposedly intercept-free. Le Pare de Joie was far simpler; we simply jammed their lines on a pretext of a fire at the phone company. It was widely reported and caused thousands of complaints, but the ruse was accepted.. .. Actually, we did start a fire, more smoke than flames, but it worked."
"Did we learn anything?" asked Latham.
"Listen for yourselves," replied Moreau, walking to a console on the left wall.
"This tape is from the ambassador's constantly swept telephone in his private office within the upstairs quarters. We've edited it so only the pertinent information is heard. Who cares to listen to innocuous courtesies?"
"Are you sure they're innocuous?"
"My dear Drew, you may listen to the master tape anytime you care to; it's digitally marked."
"Sorry, go ahead."
"Madame Courtland has just reached the Saddle and Bootery on the Champstlys6es." The tape began.
"I must talk to AndrE at Le Pare de Joie. It's urgent, an emergency!"
"And who speaks?"
"One who knows the code Andrii and was driven to the amusement park in your own vehicle yesterday. "
"I was told of this. Stay on the line, I'll be back to you in a few moments." Silence.
"You are to be at the Louvre at one o'clock this afternoon. In the Ancient Egypt exhibition gallery on the second floor. You will recognize each other and he will direct you to follow him. If by any chance you are interrupted, he is known as Louis, Count of Strasbourg. You are old acquaintances. Is this understood?"
"It is."
"Good-bye."
"This next tape is between the store manager and Andre at Le Pare de Jole," said Moreau.
"In fact, he is the Count of Strasbourg."
"A real count?" asked Latham.
"Since there are so many, let's say he more real than most. It's a rather ingenious cover and quite authentic. He's the surviving male of an old distinguished family in Alsace-Lorraine who came upon hard times after the war; the family broke apart, you sec."
"From a count to a carnival owner?" continued Drew.
"That's some drop. What broke up the family?"
"In German the Alsace region is known as Elsass-Lothringen.
One side fought for Germany, the other for France."
"So this Louis, the Count of Strasbourg's half, went with the Nazis," said Latham, nodding his head.
"No, not at all," disagreed Moreau, his eyes alive with surprise.
"That's what makes his cover ingenious. He was only a child, but his 'half," as you put it, fought valiantly for France. Unfortunately, the German contingent squirreled the fortune away into Swiss and North African banks, and left the nobler part nearly penniless."
"Yet he works for the ncos?" interrupted Karin.
"He is a Nazi."
"Obviously."
"I don't get it," said Drew.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
"Why would he do it?"
"He was reached," answered De Vries, looking at Moreau.
"He was corrupted by the side of the family that had the money."
"To run a fifth-rate and pretty damned filthy amusement park?"
"With promises of a great deal more," added the Deuxieme's chief.
"He is one man at Le Pare de joie, very much another in the salons of Paris."
"I'd think he'd be laughed at," said Latham, "not allowed anywhere near those salons."
"Because he runs a 'carnival'?"
"Well, yes."
"Quite wrong, mon ami. We French