"Trevor, Elleston as Hall, Adam - Quiller 12 - Quiller's Run 1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hall Adam)

I didn't say anything.

Calthrop took over smoothly, 'Including your presence at mission planning, with Chief of Control. And of course, -he tried to soften the crudeness of the next tit-bit with an apologetic smile - 'a more appropriate retainer.'

The rain dripped on the windowsill.

'How appropriate?'

Calthrop glanced at Loman, who said quickly, 'Double.'

'What makes me so valuable, suddenly, considering you tried to get my guts blown into Christendom out there in Russia?'

Loman looked trapped, but got out fast. 'I'm sure the Directorate would feel - as indeed we do - that some measure of compensation would be in order. After all, they -'

'Bullshit. You think they'd try and buy me back?'

'I wouldn't put it quite -'

'If you left the Bureau,' Calthrop cut in quickly, 'what would you do? Have you thought of that?'

'There's a life outside this bloody place, don't worry.'

'For someone like you?'

'Yes.'

'You won't find it easy,' Loman took over. 'And once you've gone, we can never ask you back.'

'That's a bloody shame.' I took a step towards him, and I suppose there was something in my eyes now that made him inch back before he could stop himself. 'You could never send me into another mission with any guarantee that you wouldn't do the same thing again, if you had to. So I'd always be looking behind me for some bastard with a knife - or a bomb. And it wouldn't work. I've got to know where my friends are, and I've none here. They're outside, and that's where I'm going.' I went to the door, and heard the creak of leather as Calthrop got out of his chair.

'Quitter?' I turned to look at him, and he brushed the air with his hand. 'Sorry.'

I pulled the door open and it swung wide and hit the rubber stop with a little thump as I went into the hall.

On my way through the building to the rear exit I tried to avoid people, but Charlie saw me through the doorway of the Caff.

'I thought you'd chucked it in.'

I went over to him in case he tried to get up: his last mission had left him with a smashed thigh and a few other things.

'Just covering traces.'

'You'd never be sure, would you?' Charlie said, a burned hand hooked round the teacup.

'Of what?'

'Never be sure they wouldn't try it again.'

'That's it exactly." I touched his shoulder and went out to the corridor again. Michalina was going into Signals with a file, but she didn't see me. A door came open near the staircase and Holmes came out, passing me absently and then stopping, looking back.