[Magazine 1966-­08] - The Cat and Mouse Affair - Davis Robert Hart - Страница 22

"I should think it a shoo-in for Zamyatta and Steng," Solo said thoughtfully.

Waverly puffed on his pipe. "No election is a shoo-in, Mr. Solo. The people can never be predicted. That is the truth of a free system. So be it."

Waverly frowned and sighed. His pipe had gone out. He looked sadly at it. "Our problem is a bit less pleasant. O'Hara, of course, proved quite loyal, and his knowledge of that secret river entrance into the palace certainly saved the day, eh, Mr. Solo?"

"It did, sir," Solo said.

Waverly nodded moodily. "Yes. However, as you reported, Mr. Solo, O'Hara told Ramirez who you were, and his organization is lax. No, there is no way out of it. O'Hara and his entire unit must go. I have sent the de-training team down. O'Hara and all his people will be de-trained and let go."

"Is that necessary, sir?" Illya said. "He's a good man."

"Not necessary, Mr. Kuryakin. Mandatory," Waverly said. "O'Hara and his people were guilty of a security breach. I have taken steps to replace them already. Unfortunate. You know, I recruited Martin O'Hara personally many years ago. I knew his father quite well."

For a long minute the two agents watched their chief look sad and old—much older than they could have guessed. Then Waverly took a deep breath, and began to look again for a match.

"Well, enough of our little cat and mouse affair," Waverly said crisply. "You gentlemen are ready, I trust? It seems that our friends of THRUSH are up to their tricks again!"

Illya Kuryakin and Napoleon Solo smiled to each other and sat back to listen in the sunny office.

THE END

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posted 6.8.2002, transcribed by ?