"Lee Edgar - Princess 04 - Checkmate for a Princess" - читать интересную книгу автора (Edgar Lee)

type so she can only be wearing a dress like that for one reason and one
reason only, to make it absolutely clear to us all that there is nothing
whatsoever hidden beneath it. That, in my book, makes her an extremely
dangerous person indeed.'
'What do you want me to do?'
'Nothing, unless she attempts to convey anything to the Russians. If she does,
then shoot her.'
'Shoot her?'
'Certainly. And, Lieutenant.'
The younger man waited in expectation.
'Shoot to kill!'
~~~~~
WEDNESDAY 11th AUGUST - 2030 hrs.
Water cascaded from the glistening hull of Malinov One as it rose majestically
from the sea just two hundred metres from SS Columbia. Unlike earlier
submarines of the World War Two variety, there were no guns, no visible
aerials nor periscopes, just a dome on the foredeck where the reactor was
located, and a squat conning tower with a small rotating radar dish rising
from the top. Its death-dealing power was located deep inside its almost
quarter-mile length and massive girth. Columbia launched a boat which narrowed
the gap between the huge warships of very different kinds and, ten minutes
later, two officers were shown into the boardroom of the UN flagship.
'Good Evening, Admiral,' greeted the Russian Leader with a bow. 'I am Colonel
Andrei Narovic of the Russian Navy and this is my colleague, Major Gobonev.'
The Admiral returned his bow. 'Welcome aboard Columbia, Colonel. You, too,
Major. May I introduce Captain Henry Whittaker, United States Navy, and
Commander John Jakes, head of the United Nations Air and Ground personnel.'
The Russian Colonel shook hands all round and paused at the sight of Suzette.
'And the lady in white?'
'Miss Suzette Blackman, a civilian from England.'
Lieutenant Benson eased the .45 automatic from his belt and held it, at the
ready, behind his back while the Russian took her hand and kissed it briefly.
'I am deeply honoured, Miss Blackman. This is indeed a pleasure for which I
was quite unprepared.'
'Zdravstvuyet, Comrade,' said Suzette with a quick nod and the Russian
hesitated and then smiled as he let go of her hand and stood back. The
Lieutenant breathed again.
'It seems,' announced Colonel Narovic to all present. 'That we are all in,
(how you say it?) the same ship.'
'Boat.'
'Boat?'
'In the same boat,' clarified the Admiral with a smile.
'As you say, Admiral Davison.' He paused. 'What does your government say you
must do now?'
'I have to clarify that I am not here as a representative of the United States
government but of the United Nations of which your great country is also a
member. We have come only in the capacity of peace bringers. I am led to
understand that the nuclear exchange which has taken place was the fault of
neither of our nations.'
'How do you know this is true?'