“How they did what?” Campbell said.
“Turn you. So was it family? It’d be easy to check, I guess, now that I know where to look. But maybe something else. Lots of ways to do it. Look at my friend Markus. Anything he can use. But I’d guess family. I don’t see you as the believer type.”
“Turn me. What the fuck—?”
“It was you,” Alex said simply. “Only two people knew I was taking Erich to RIAS. You and Dieter. But I changed things around. And when we got to the airport, what did I find? Howley’s office hadn’t called to clear us. All right, maybe a fuckup. Except everything there’s like clockwork. No fuckups or the planes don’t turn around. And Howley’s office gives us the go-ahead like that.” He snapped his fingers. “Like they would have if you had called. But you didn’t. Why should you? You knew we were never going to get to the airport. We’d be dead. Or in a holding cell somewhere. Why waste the call?”
“You’re out of your mind.”
“Am I? Then there’s the little comedy with Saratov. Our friend going to Moscow. Not your idea, I think. He just couldn’t resist. Two can play at that game. But how did he know Markovsky wasn’t in Wiesbaden? That we couldn’t just pull him out of our hat and make the Moscow story go away? Only two people knew that. You and Dieter. So we’re back where we started. It was you.”
“And not Dieter.”
“No. You.”
“And why is that?”
“Because Dieter knows Markovsky’s dead and you don’t. You never would have gone on this little joyride if you didn’t think he was alive.”
“Dead?”
“But you didn’t know that. So neither do the Russians. Or they’d have been all over it.”
“Then what are we doing?”
“I want my life back. And you’re going to get it for me. They won’t say no to the Agency.”
“Because I sent one cable? Wait’ll you see the next one. What do you think you’re worth now? To the Agency. You think anybody gives a rat’s ass about you? Because you gave a speech? You’re not useful anymore, that’s all that matters.”
“I thought you might feel that way. That’s why the cable went first. And the speech is just what State will want to hear. So, now one more piece. A little insurance. To show the Agency how valuable I am.”
“What? By telling stories about me? Who the fuck’s going to believe you?”
“No one maybe.” He turned to glance at him. “I don’t care if you get away with it. I don’t care about you at all. I just wanted you to know I know. Maybe Willy knew too, or suspected. Is that why? Tell me something. How long were you going to keep running me before I was just another Willy? Once Markovsky disappeared, I wasn’t good for much. Gossip. Why were the Russians so interested in him, by the way? One of their own. Let me guess.”
“More guessing.”
“They wanted to get something on him. So Saratov could be the broom. Clean house. Man with a German mistress. This is the West to them. And he’d been here a long time. So a few personal details, for the files, just to make the case look real. Before Saratov came in to save everything. Start putting all those corrupting influences on trial. Jesus, Campbell, how did you feel doing this?”
Campbell was quiet for a minute. “You need to stop now. Before someone starts taking any of this seriously.”
“It was you.”
“Then you’re taking a helluva chance.”
“With you? Only a little one. I think you like other people to do it for you. And I have a gun too.” He looked over. “When you corner a man, you’d better be ready for anything, right? And I wouldn’t think twice. Not now. The last time I was in Lützowplatz I killed a man for you. That was hard. But that was a while ago. This time it would be easy.”
“Corner a man. With what? Some wild story? You haven’t cornered me.”
“No. I’m going to let somebody else do that.”
“What?”
“It’s a pity your Russians don’t share things with the Germans. Who you are, for instance. You should learn to trust them more. Otherwise, you start working at cross purposes.”
“What are—?”
“Here we are.”
“Where?”
“Lützowplatz. You weren’t here last time. You sent me instead. Into a trap. You wouldn’t think it, though. All open like this. So I thought, why not Lützowplatz this time.”
“For what?”
“To pick up Markovsky.”
“Who’s dead.”
“Mm. How are you going to explain that?”
“Me?”
Alex started around the square, listening for a screech of tires, but they swept past the south side of the square in silence, then up the street where his house had been. Where was Markus?
“What are you doing?”
Now the north leg, toward the bridge, almost completing the square. Markus didn’t know they were coming from Dahlem, from the south. Maybe he was waiting on the bridge, with a view of the whole square. Or maybe something had gone wrong. Another turn.
“What the hell are you doing?” Alarmed now. “Get out of here!”
Back to the bottom, about to turn and circle again. Where was he?
Campbell grabbed at the wheel, pulling right, out of the turn, so that they were shooting south out of the square. “Drive.”
Alex yanked back, breaking Campbell’s awkward hold, stepping on the gas.
“Fuck,” Campbell said and lunged now, fighting over the wheel, so that when he pulled it back the car skidded across the street, scraping into a standing wall. Alex stopped.
“Back up. Get out of here.”
But now a car was swerving out of the canal embankment, where it had been waiting, racing toward them, a matter of seconds, the same screech, blocking the car, two men jumping out, guns drawn, yanking the car doors open. Markus looked in.
“Where is he?”
“He’s got him,” Alex said. “Careful. He pulled a gun on me. He’s American intelligence.”
“What the fuck—?” Campbell said.