As he studied the map he muttered to himself. "I doubt if he'll want to press the attack by night, since he's in a defensive position. I'll leave a set of orders for the contingency, but otherwise I'll shift around in the morning. My replacement credit is adequate; I can afford to cover my losses and even bring in some fresh troops…" He glanced at another part of the printout sheet. "Did the computer decide whether the equipment that was sabotaged would require extensive repairs before re-use?"

"No problem. Basically, a vehicular attrition factor will be balanced against your distance allotment for the first two moves tomorrow."

"I'll need those moves to prepare for him to press his advantage."

"Well, more than likely," said Alderson noncommittally. Waverly leaned back and began to study the map. His situation was, in somebody's words, hopeless, but not serious. The Game wasn't going well, and only the most daring, cautious, innovative play could see him through. In other words, he was home.

Illya had to admit they'd given him no warning. They must have suspected some time in the past, but not a word of any value to him had passed between the two Thrush assassins in his hearing for several days. Yet their behavior otherwise had been perfectly normal. Professionally he recognized and saluted their competency; personally there was the blow that always comes with having been outdone; and in one corner of his mind was the relief that said he would have one less tape to scan each night now.

He knew after he transmitted the keying signal three times that his bug in the Thrush Suite would never be heard from again. Like the dog in the nighttime, its silence told him much. The murderously talented pair were now aware of the real reason for the failure of their earlier impromptu attempts on Waverly's life, and were faced with two choices. They could continue their cover occupations with the Grounds Staff, watching to see who was likely to be watching them, or they could go underground, leave their jobs and room and be free to strike when and where they pleased.

It would be easy enough to find out whether they were at work tomorrow. Greta, the head maid for this wing of Staff Quarters, would know if their room had been vacant. And Curley Burke would know if any worker in the Park hadn't shown up and probably why. Friends, Illya reflected as he folded the slender ear phones and set them lightly in their grooves in the case, were handy things to have. Why, I've got friends I haven't even used yet, he quoted mentally, and added, But I'll need every one of them if the Deadly Duo should ever suspect who I am.

"This is Greaves, speaking for Central. Project Waterloo is proceeding according to schedule, Dr. Pike. You must prepare a target date no later than November Thirtieth for the climactic operation of Phase Two. Waverly has been located and the length of his stay has been determined. If you are to crack Solo you must act by this deadline. Waverly will be resuming control of the United Network Command on Monday December Eleventh, and Central desires at least ten days in which to take full advantage of the confusion that will accompany Solo's collapse."

1511672039 Z DE: WATERLOO TO: CENTRAL PHASE TWO TARGET DATE 26 NOVEMBER.

1511672312 Z DE: WATERLOO TO; TADPOLE PRIORITY BLUE Q: HAVE YOUR SUBS BEEN SIGHTED BY UNCLE YET. IF NOT WHY NOT. END.

1711671507 Z DE: WATERLOO TO; NEW YORK PRIORITY BLUE HEY HARV REMEMBER THAT IDEA WE WORKED OUT FOR GETTING SOLO OFF HIS SWIVEL CHAIR WITHOUT RISKING A DIME :Q. THE FRUITS ARE RIPE FOR PICKING NEXT WEEKEND THE 25-26. LOVE TO ALL ROGER. END.

1811670148 Z DE: WATERLOO TO: HONG KONG PRIORITY BLUE YOU ARE DIRECTED TO ORGANIZE AND SUSTAIN A MAJOR RIOT AROUND UNCLE HQ HONG KONG FROM 1930 LOCAL 22 NOVEMBER UNTIL COUNTERMANDED OR UNTIL YOUR FORCE SUFFERS 50 PER CENT CASUALTIES. FURTHER ORDERS FOLLOW. END.

1811671523 Z DE: WATERLOO TO: BOGEY PRI ORITY BLUE REQUE INTERCEPT INTERCEPT INTERCEPT UCR PROJECT BOGEY IS PRIORITY WHITE AND IS NOT ON YOUR CLEARANCE. Q: WHAT IS YOUR SOURCE OF DATA ON SAME.

DE; PIKE TO: ULCOMP I HAVE PERSONAL CLEARANCE ON BOGEY AND WISH TO REQUEST DATA ON THE STATE OF THE PROJECT.

UCR NOT IN YOUR PROVINCE. ONLY COUNCIL MAY OVERRIDE DIRECTIVE.

Roger read the screen over Dr. Pike's shoulder and nudged Helena. "I told him he couldn't slip one past the Computer. That thing in Manitoba must be the biggest surprise package since Christmas, and Central doesn't want anybody fooling around with it."

Helena arched an eyebrow. "Maybe so, but if you've been following the tabloids you'll notice that it's in operation when we really need it. Central may seem overcautious, but they know what's going on. Don't you ever forget that."

A red copy of the message hit Solo's desk within ninety seconds after the intelligence report bad been deciphered. His suspicions had been correct—the leaders of every Thrush satrap in the northeastern United States were coming together in New York in 48 hours.

In the guise of a businessman's association meeting, this two-day conference would place dozens of key men in direct contact to arrange the countless interactions that made their operations practical. It would also place them in a spot where he could eavesdrop until he had learned enough to bring legal action against them, and then move in. There was every reason to believe they would put up a fight, and Napoleon had every intention of giving them one. For a week now, as other operations had slacked off, he'd been putting more and more field agents on standby as evidence of the planned meeting began to accumulate.

He tapped a code on the keyboard at his left elbow and a floor plan of the hotel faded up on a back-illuminated screen set in the desk top. He leaned forward and began to study it defensively. Where would he place plainclothes guards around a conference? What coverage would they have? What kind of attack would they be expecting? All he had to do was to be one step smarter than the sharpest planners Thrush had at their disposal—and probably the Ultimate Computer as well.

His earlier studies of the plans had left him only one choice—a frontal attack. Without looking, he keyed the intercom. "Miss Williamson, set up a briefing session here in twenty minutes. We're going to hit that Thrush conference Sunday night. You may tell them I will head the attack personally. And get Section Four up here first—I'm going to want a hotel suite bugged."

2711670502 Z DE: NEW YORK TO: WATERLOO

ROGER BABY IT WORKED LIKE A DREAM. OUR CASUALTIES TOTALLED SIXTEEN, NO PRISONERS, NOBODY LEFT BEHIND. IT WAS WORTH IT TO SEE SOLOS FACE THOUGH WHEN HE KICKED IN THE DOOR. THANK ME FOR HAVING THE PHOTOGRAPHER READY. YOU CAN SEE HIM TOO WHEN I SEND YOUR TEAM THREE EIGHT BY TEN GLOSSY PRINTS. WHEN WE TAKEOVER YOU CAN HAVE HIS OFFICE. MARV. END.

The hardest part was the long walk past the glass windows of the main communications room. It was soundproof, but he could feel the silence fall among the girls when he appeared. He walked steadily erect, eyes on the door at the far end, jaw set, not a flicker of expression hinting at the hard cold knot just under his stomach. The only sounds in the corridor were the whisper of the air conditioning and the rhythmic tap of his shoes, but he could almost hear murmurs. "He found what?" "You're kidding!" "And that's what he was doing when Manitoba blew up?" "Wow! He really blew it, didn't he?"

He didn't sag a millimeter until he heard the door slide closed behind him, but his knees started to shake just as he reached the desk and he had to lean against it for a moment before easing himself into his chair. Who would be taking over if he removed himself from command? He couldn't think of any field agent with the necessary understanding of the range of U.N.C.L.E.'s activities—he'd probably just better call on Carlo Amalfi or Jorge da Silva, request they coordinate operations for North America along with Europe or South America, whichever of them would take on his defaulted responsibility. All he had to do was admit he couldn't handle the job.