"Дон Пендлтон. The Libya Connection ("Палач" #48) " - читать интересную книгу автора

"There most certainly has, Colonel! And it has been made by you. I fear
you forget the power I hold over your conniving head. One telephone call to
the office of Brother Colonel and that head will roll."
"We are coconspirators, General Pornov."
"Obviously I will deny any allegations you make against the Russian
Embassy, and do you know? Colonel Khaddafi could not afford to disbelieve
me!"
Shahkhia felt his throat go as dry as the desert sand on which they
stood.
"My General, I had planned to turn over the consignment to you, once it
was mine."
"Do not lie to me, Shahkhia."
"The man called Jericho would not deal with the Soviet Union," insisted
the Arab. "And I thought something so important should be obtained for our
cause."
"You thought only of your own ambition," snarled Pornov. "You thought
of the power that would be yours. You will keep your scheduled rendezvous
with Mr. Jericho. I will accompany you. And you may thank your beloved Allah
that your life has been spared. My people will contact you later today
regarding flight plans for tonight. That is all."
Pornov spun around and strode back toward his cluster of men and
vehicles with the stiff military bearing of the parade field.
The Libyan officer mounted his steed. He whipped the horse into a
gallop, retracing his approach already obliterated by the shifting sands.
Colonel Shahkhia did not look back.
As the rider in shepherd's clothing, and the gray charger beneath him,
topped the dune and put the scene of the confrontation behind, Colonel Ahmad
Shahkhia exerted all of his self-control at calming a mind still in turmoil
from the scene with the Russian.
Shahkhia understood that it might become necessary to kill Pornov. This
would be a most delicate matter, indeed. But Ahmad Shahkhia would not be
stopped. Not this close to attaining all of his lifelong dreams. When he
obtained what Jericho now had, the power would truly be his.
Nothing shall stop me, thought Shahkhia, except Death itself. It would
take a mighty executioner to get his head to roll.
There was another element to consider in addition to Pornov; an
occurrence, mentioned in Leonard Jericho's last communique to Shahkhia, that
Pornov seemed not to be aware of.
The coded communique had carried vague reference to an attack on a
yacht owned by Jericho in the Bahamas. It was the vessel aboard which the
American end of this operation had been initiated.
Jericho's representatives had finalized the arrangement with the
American general, Thatcher. The shipment had immediately left ground at
Houston International Airport in Texas, America, and was now in Libya,
according to Jericho. Along with the "gift" Jericho had promised.
The human gift.
A woman.
But what of the assault on Leonard Jericho's yacht? Was it related to
Shahkhia's business with Jericho?
Colonel Shahkhia felt a premonition.