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

and stepped back onto his left foot, his right arm scything upwards. The knife
would enter her body just above the navel, plunging to the hilt and then,
curving upwards, the blade would sever the right ventricle of her heart as the
first of the Lieutenant's bullets hit him. Together, they would fall in an
embrace of death, as their bodies twitched their last in front of this
prestigious audience. He would be dead but would be posthumously hailed as a
great hero at home.
He opened his mouth to speak.
'Where is Malinov Two?' asked Suzette quietly.
It would have taken a chain saw to cut the atmosphere at that moment as the
pretty, twenty-three-year-old computer data analyst from Cambridge faced the
veteran naval officer from Moskva; she relaxed, he poised ready to slice her
wide open. The quiet snick of the automatic broke the silence and Colonel
Narovic glanced sideways, the hole at the end of the Lieutenant's barrel
looking like the mouth of a cannon at such close range. He did not answer as
he fought with himself over what he should now do. If he didn't act, the
Russian Major would kill them both. She would be ripped apart by the
soft-nosed bullets loaded into the pistol inside the Major's jacket, he
following her to the floor in deep shame and disgrace. As he remained poised,
his body beginning to shake as sweat broke out on his brow, Suzette began to
speak quietly but confidently.
'At oh-three-hundred hours European Time on Wednesday 28th July, Malinovs One
and Two left the Black Sea beneath a Petrovic supertanker. By noon, both
vessels had passed through the Dardanelles, Malinov One following the coast of
Turkey, Malinov Two heading for the Agean. Malinov One launched her missiles
from position eight-degrees east, forty-two north, while Malinov Two stayed at
six-degrees east, forty-three north.' She paused. 'I ask you again, Colonel
Narovic. Where is Malinov Two?'
The silence was overbearing. Admiral Davison's mind reeled. What was the girl
talking about? There is no Malinov Two, surely. And if there was, why was she
so interested in it?
Lieutenant Benson's hand began to sweat as it held the automatic pointed at
the Russian's face. He had seen the knife and was ready to fire. He hoped he
would be quick enough to save Miss Blackman's life.
So she knew, thought Colonel Narovic. But how could she? Even all the
Presidium did not know of the second Malinov series super-sub.
'Shall I tell you?' she offered.
No, he thought, not that. If she revealed the position of Malinov Two, their
plan will have failed. The Americans would launch their aircraft and attack.
The submarine would likely escape but at what cost? The girl would tell and
the secret would be out.
Instead, Suzette spoke the last words he wanted to hear and, in doing so,
signed her own death warrant. 'Queen to King's Bishop Six.'
He looked into her eyes for what would be the last time as she stood,
seemingly holding out herself towards him to receive the notched sliver of
honed steel that would tear the life from her body.
Suzette confirmed the finality. 'Checkmate!'
~~~~~