gradually rising and growing shrill, he began a diatribe in Russian which would soon attract attention.
Krakovitch gripped his arm and shook him, and Gulharov's jabbering faded into silence. 'Now I ask him if we accepting your help,' Krakovitch informed. He spoke to the younger man again, and this time Gulharov nodded twice, rapidly, and his colour began to return to normal.
'Da, da!' he gasped emphatically. His throat made a dry rattle as he added something else, unintelligible to the two Englishmen.
Krakovitch smiled humourlessly. 'He says we should accept all the help we can get,' he translated. 'Because we have to kill these things - finish them! And I agreeing with him...' Then he told these strangest of allies all that had happened at the Château Bronnitsy after Harry Keogh's war.
When he'd finished there was a long silence, broken at last by Quint. 'We're in agreement, then? That we'll act together on this?'
Krakovitch nodded. He shrugged, said simply, 'No alternative. And no time to waste.'
Quint turned to Kyle. 'But how do we go about it?'
'As far as possible,' Kyle answered, 'we go the straightforward way. We get it all right up front, without any of the usual - , The airport tannoy broke in on him, echoing tinnily as some sleepy, unseen announcer requested in English that a Mr A. Kyle please take a telephone call at the reception desk.
Krakovitch's face froze. Who would know that Kyle was here?
Kyle stood up, shrugged apologetically. This was very embarrassing. It could only be 'Brown', and how to explain that to Krakovitch? Quint, on the other hand, was his usual ready-for-anything self. Calmly he said to Krakovitch, 'Well, you have your little bloodhound following you about. And now it would seem that we have one too.'
Krakovitch gave a curt, sour nod. And with an edge of 'sarcasm, echoing Kyle, he said, 'Without any of the usual, eh? Did you know about this?'
'it's none of our doing.' Quint wasn't exactly truthful. We're in the same boat as you.'
On Krakovitch's orders, Gulharov accompanied Kyle to the reception-cum-enquiries desk, leaving .Quint and Krakovitch alone together. 'Maybe this is all in our favour,' said Quint.
'Eh?' Krakovitch had turned sour again. 'We are followed, spied upon, overheard, bugged, and you say is favourable?'
'I meant you and Kyle both having shadows,' Quint explained. 'It evens things up. And maybe we can cancel out one with the other.'
Krakovitch was alarmed. 'I not being party to violence! Anything happen to that KGB dog, is possible I get the troubles.'
'But if we could arrange for him to be, er, detained for a day or two? I mean, unharmed, you understand - completely unharmed - just detained. .
'I not know. .
'To give you time to clear our route into Romania. You know, visas, etcetera? With a bit of luck we'll be finished there in just a day or two.'
Krakovitch slowly nodded. 'Maybe - but positive guarantee, no dirty work. He is KGB - you say - but if true, then he's Russian too. And I am Russian. If he vanish . .
Quint shook his head, grasped the other's thin elbow. 'They both vanish!' he said. 'But only for a few days. Then we'll be out of here and getting on with the job.'
Again Krakovitch gave his slow nod. 'Maybe - if it can be arranged safely.'
Kyle and Gulharov returned. Kyle was careful. 'That was somebody called Brown,' he said. 'He's been watching us, apparently.' He looked at Krakovitch. 'He says your KGB tail has traced us and is on his way here. By the way, this KGB fellow is well known - his name is Theo Dolgikh.'
Krakovitch shook his head, shrugged, looked mystified. 'I never heard of him.'
'Did you get Brown's number?' Quint was eager. 'I mean can we contact him again?'
Kyle raised his eyebrows. 'Actually, yes,' he nodded. He said that if things were getting sticky, he might be able to help. Why do you ask?'
Quint grinned tightly, said to Krakovitch, 'Comrade, it might be a good idea if you were to listen carefully. Since you're a little concerned about this, you can start working on an alibi. For from this point forward you're hand in hand with the enemy. Your only consolation is that you'll be working against a greater enemy.' The grin left his face, and deadly serious he said, 'OK, here's what I suggest. .
On Saturday morning at 8.30 Kyle phoned Krakovitch at his and Gulharov's hotel. The latter answered the call, grunted, fetched Krakovitch who came grumbling to the