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Charlie.
    â€˜I protested to the controller. Said there must have been a circulation error, in giving me such inferior communication.’
    â€˜Wasn’t that putting yourself at risk?’
    â€˜When I made the protest I thought it was a mistake: it was not until I was told it was intended for me that I realized the suspicion.’
    â€˜So from 19th August on, everything was low level?’
    â€˜The lowest.’
    â€˜Tell me now about the assassination cables.’
    â€˜There were three.’
    â€˜What was the first: the exact words?’
    â€˜The need is understood that a political, public example has to be set, for the maximum impact,’ quoted Novikov.
    â€˜Just that?’
    â€˜Just that.’
    â€˜Despatched or received?’
    â€˜Despatched.’
    â€˜To whom?’
    â€˜The Politburo: that’s how I came to encode. I was cleared that high.’
    â€˜And that was the first?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜The word assassination is not there: so how did you know it involved killing?’
    â€˜The message came from Department 8 of Directorate S.’
    â€˜Which is also responsible for sabotage and abduction.’
    â€˜You’re very knowledgeable.’
    â€˜It’s not my knowledge we’re questioning.’
    â€˜There was a marker designation, on the cable.’
    â€˜What’s a marker designation?’
    â€˜It’s like a subject reference.’
    â€˜What was it?’
    â€˜ Mokrie ,’ said the Russian.
    â€˜ Mokrie dela ,’ completed Charlie. ‘Do they still refer to assassinations as “wet affairs”?’
    â€˜It’s a bureaucratic institution, with long time rules,’ said the Russian.
    â€˜Aren’t they all?’ said Charlie. ‘Were there any other types of reference?’
    â€˜The word “purple”,’ said Novikov.
    â€˜What does that identify?’ asked Charlie, who knew.
    â€˜The Politburo,’ replied the Russian.
    â€˜I would have expected something else,’ said Charlie.
    Novikov smiled. ‘Run Around,’ he said.
    â€˜Numbered?’
    Now a nod of admiration accompanied the smile. ‘Four,’ the Russian agreed.
    â€˜Who handled the first three?’
    â€˜I don’t know,’ apologized Novikov. ‘There were five others in the department with clearance that matched mine.’
    â€˜And you could not have asked them,’ said Charlie, a comment more than a question.
    â€˜Any discussion of messages sent or received is absolutely forbidden,’ confirmed Novikov. ‘Suspension and investigation would be automatic.’
    Charlie nodded and said: ‘Tell me about the second.’
    â€˜It said, “You will despatch the catalogue,”’ quoted Novikov, again.’
    â€˜The same references?’
    â€˜One addition. The number seventeen.’
    â€˜What did that signify?’
    â€˜The destination of the cable: the rezidentura in London.’
    â€˜What about the other number?’
    â€˜Five.’
    â€˜So you were handling the messages in sequence now,’ said Charlie, excited at the disclosure but not showing it.
    â€˜And I transmitted the cable numbered six, the last one,’ confirmed Novikov once more.
    Excellent, thought Charlie. ‘To where?’
    â€˜London again.’
    â€˜What did it say?’
    â€˜â€œYou will wrap the November catalogue”.’
    Charlie decided there had been sufficient intensity and that Novikov needed a respite if he were not to become exhausted. He smiled and said: ‘Wonder if we can get a drink around here?’
    â€˜I enjoy very much your Scotch whisky,’ said Novikov.
    â€˜So do I,’ said Charlie.
    The man who answered the bell summons was stiffly upright, giving away the previous army service from which all the support staff at safe houses were recruited. He was someone Charlie had not encountered before but immediately