The Janson Directive - By Robert Ludlum Page 0,246

refugees, a former Irish politician who combined a vigorous style with a fair amount of loquacity; she was currently feuding with the under secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, who had been conducting turf battles with unyielding and unhumanitarian fervor. "Madame MacCabe, I'm terribly sorry, but this is a call I must take. I think I've understood your concerns about the strictures coming from the Department of Political Affairs, and I believe that we can address them if we all reason together. Ask Helga to arrange a meeting among the principals." He rose and bowed his head in a courtly gesture of dismissal.

Then he picked up the phone. "Please hold for Mr. Novak," a woman's voice said. A few clicks and electronic burps, and Peter Novak's voice came on: "Mon cher Mathieu," he began.

"Mon cher Peter," Zinsou replied. "Your munificence in even considering what we discussed must be honored. Not since the Rockefellers donated the land on which the U.N. complex sits has a private individual offered to - "

"Yes, yes," Novak interrupted. "I'm afraid, though, that I'm going to decline your invitation to dinner."

"Oh?"

"I have something more ceremonial in mind. I hope you'll agree with my thinking. We have no secrets, have we? Transparency has always been a paramount U.N. value, no?"

"Well, up to a point, Peter."

"I shall tell you what I propose, and you tell me if you think I'm being unreasonable."

"Please."

"I understand that there will be a meeting of the General Assembly this Friday. It has always been my fantasy to address that august body. Foolish vanity?"

"Of course not," Zinsou said quickly. "To be sure, few private citizens have ever addressed it ... "

"But nobody would begrudge me the right and privilege - I think I can say that without fear of contradiction."

"Bien sûr."

"Given that a great many heads of state will be present, the level of security will be high. Call me paranoid, but I find that reassuring. If the U.S. president is present, as seems possible, there will be a Secret Service detail on the case as well. All very reassuring. And I shall probably be accompanied by the mayor of New York, who has always been so friendly toward me."

"An extremely public and high-profile appearance, then," Zinsou said. "That is not like you, I must say. Remote from your reclusive reputation."

"Which is exactly why I suggest it," the voice said. "You know my policy: always keep them guessing."

"But our ... dialogue?" Confusion and anxiety roiled within him; he struggled not to let it show.

"Not to worry. I think you'll find that one never has more privacy than when one is in the public eye."

"Goddamn it!" Janson yelled. He was reviewing the tape recording of Demarest's last phone call.

"What could I have done differently?" Zinsou asked, and his voice held both fear and self-reproach.

"Nothing. If you'd been too insistent, it would only have aroused his suspicions. This is a deeply paranoid man."

"What do you make of this request? Bewildering, no?"

"It's ingenious," Janson said bluntly. "This guy has more moves than Bobby Fischer."

"But if you wanted to flush him out ... "

"He's thought of that and has taken precautions. He knows the forces against him are ultracompartmentalized. There's no way the Secret Service could ever be let in on the truth. He's using our own people as a shield. That's not all. He'll be walking up the ramp to the General Assembly Building with the mayor of New York by his side. Any attempt on his life would endanger a well-known politician. He's entering into an arena of incredibly tight security, with eagle-eyed security details attached to national leaders from around the world. There'll be the equivalent of a force field around him at all times. If an American operative tried to take a shot, the resulting inquiry would probably blow everything sky-high. As long as he's in the General Assembly, we can't touch him. Can't. Imagine it - he'll be thronged. Given all his generosity around the world, it'll be considered an honor for the international community - "

"To welcome a man who seems to be a light unto the nations," Zinsou said, grimacing.

"It's very Demarest. 'Hidden in plain view' was one of his favorite descriptions. He used to say that sometimes the best hiding place was in the public eye."

"Essentially what he told me," Zinsou mused. He looked at the pen in his hand, trying to transform it into a cigarette by the power of thought. "Now what?"

Janson took a swallow of lukewarm coffee. "Either I'll