"Who?" - читать интересную книгу автора (Budrys Algis)

CHAPTER THREE

1

It was a week after the man had come across the line. Deptford’s voice was tired and empty over the phone. Rogers, whose ears had been buzzing faintly but constantly during the past two days, had to jam the headpiece hard against his ear in order to make out what he was saying.

“I showed Karl Schwenn all your reports, Shawn, and I added a summary of my own. He agrees that nothing more could have been done.”

“Yes, sir.”

“He was a sector chief himself once, you know. He’s aware of these things.”

“Yes, sir.”

“In a sense, this sort of thing happens to us every day. If anything, it happens to the Soviets even more often. I like to think we take longer to reach these decisions than they do.”

“I suppose so.”

Deptford’s voice was oddly inconclusive in tone, now, as though he were searching his mind for something to say that would round things off. But it was a conversation born to trail away rather than end, and Deptford gave up after only a short pause.

“That’s it, then. Tomorrow you can disperse the team, and you’re to stand by until you’re notified what policy we’re going to pursue with regard to Mar — to the man.”

“All right, sir.”

“Good-bye, Shawn.”

“Good night, Mr. Deptford.” He put the receiver down and rubbed his ear.