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"Comrade General."
"Can I offer you any refreshments?"
"This damnable humidity is a curse," replied Maisky, wiping a hand over his brow and studying the sweat on his fingers. "I could use a glass of iced vodka."
Velikov picked up a phone and issued a curt order. Then he gestured toward a chair. "Please, make yourself comfortable."
Maisky fell wearily into a soft leather chair and yawned from jet lag. "I'm sorry you weren't warned of my coming, General, but Comrade Polevoi thought it best not to risk interception and decoding of your new instructions by the U.S. National Security Agency's listening facilit
ies."
Velikov raised his eyebrow in a practiced motion and gave Maisky a wary stare. "New instructions?"
"Yes, a most complicated operation."
"I hope the chief of the KGB isn't ordering me to postpone the Castro assassination project."
"Not at all. In fact, I've been asked to tell you the ships with the required cargoes for the job will arrive in Havana Harbor half a day ahead of schedule."
Velikov nodded gratefully. "We can use the extra time."
"Have you encountered any problems?" asked Maisky.
"Everything is running smoothly."
"Everything?" Maisky repeated. "Comrade Polevoi was not happy about the escape of one of your prisoners."
"He need not worry. A fisherman found the missing man's body in his nets. The secret of this installation is still secure."
"And what of the others? You must know the State Department is demanding their release from Cuban officials."
"A crude bluff," Velikov replied. "The CIA hasn't a shred of proof the intruders are still alive. The fact that Washington is demanding their release from the Cubans instead of us proves they're shooting in the dark."
"The question is, What are they shooting at?" Maisky paused and removed a platinum cigarette holder from his breast pocket. He lit a long, unfiltered cigarette and exhaled the smoke toward the ceiling.
"Nothing must delay Rum and Cola."
"Castro will speak as promised."
"Can you be sure he won't suddenly change his mind?"
"If history repeats itself, we're on firm ground. El jefe maximo, the big boss, hasn't turned down a chance to make a speech yet."
"Barring accident, sickness, or hurricane."
"Some things are beyond human control, but I don't intend to fail."
A uniformed guard appeared with a chilled bottle of vodka and a glass resting in a bed of ice. "Only one glass, General? You're not joining me?"
"Perhaps a brandy later."
Velikov waited patiently until Maisky had consumed a third of the bottle. Then he took the leap.
"May I ask the deputy of the First Chief Directorate to enlighten me on this new operation?"
"Of course," Maisky said sociably. "You are to use whatever electronic capability under your command to force the United States space shuttle down in Cuban territory."
"Did I hear you correctly?" asked Velikov, stunned.
