The Rocket Man (29 page)

‘Come and talk to me over here,' said the Russian, pointing to the area by the coffee machines. Katie shook her head. ‘I am calling my husband. I don't know what you want. It's all over between me and Dmitry, if that's what you want to talk to me about. I am never going to see him again.' She picked up the receiver and dialled again; the Russian stood and watched her. She dialled Bob's direct line. His secretary answered. She said, ‘Sue, is Bob there? It's Katie.'

He was in a meeting. She put the phone down. ‘I am going home,' she told the Russian. ‘If you try to stop me I shall scream.' He stepped towards her and she hit him very suddenly in the face with her bag. He put up his hand to protect himself but the bag still gave him a glancing blow and the buckle grazed his cheek. He looked at her in astonishment as Katie turned and rushed outside.

It was pouring with rain as she ran down the steps; the rain felt hard on her skin and it was bitterly cold. Her hand shook as she fished for her keys in her bag; she was soaked by the time she got into her car. She pulled out of the parking space; as she reached the traffic lights she saw another, blue car do the same.

Katie's hands were shaking on the steering wheel. She thought, this isn't happening. They are going to try to kill me too. She thought of turning back to the hospital; but she was afraid of the Russian. She tried to think where the nearest police station was; she didn't know. She thought she would go to the UN, it was just a five-minute drive, and she would be safe there.

She drove quickly. The heavy rain made her even more nervous and when she reached the motorway she steered into the outer lane and stayed there. At the turn-off to Wagramerstrasse she saw the blue car not too far behind. She would have to stop at the traffic lights. They seemed red for a long time; the blue car was just behind; through the rain- spattered back window she saw a door open.

She pushed down the button that locked the doors and heard the locks turn. They couldn't open the doors; but they could shoot through the window. She couldn't believe she was thinking such things. She had to drive away. A gap opened up in the oncoming traffic; Katie thought she could make it and drove forward. Several cars hooted at her; an oncoming car had to brake and swerve; she had to halt in the centre of the crossing. Cars were hooting at her from all sides. She saw the lights change and shot forwards. She drove the short distance to the international centre at breakneck speed, piloted the car onto the side of the road, got out and ran. She didn't even bother to shut the door behind her; she was too frightened to look back. She ran up the steps to the entrance lobby and flung herself through the doors, dishevelled and panting for breath.

The security men stared at her as she paused, breathless, and sank to the floor. One of them came up to her, but she pushed him away, getting to her feet and heading for the receptionist. She said, ‘I have to see my husband urgently. He's in the IAEA – Bob Haynes. Will you ring up to him please?'

He was still in a meeting. They wouldn't let her in without checking first; she was not on the list of expected visitors. Katie asked to speak to his secretary. Eventually they said she would come down. Katie was still shaking. Sue didn't understand what it was all about but said Katie was definitely Haynes's wife. Katie was issued with a visitor's pass; Sue took her through across the courtyard.

Sue said, ‘Whatever is it? You look dreadful.'

‘I have to go and see Kaisler. I'll explain another time; I'm sorry. I just had to get into the building.'

She left Sue and hurried to the DG's office. His secretary looked up from the typewriter and stared at her; she must have looked wild, still breathless and her hair all wet from the rain; she said, ‘I have to see Dr Kaisler at once.'

‘What is it about?'

‘It's about Dmitry Gavrilov.'

The secretary knew who she was; she went through to Kaisler's room. She came back and said, ‘He will see you in a few minutes. Can I get you a cup of coffee?'

Katie nodded. She sat down on a chair and tried to compose herself. Kaisler came out of his office and asked her to come in. He invited her to sit down.

He looked at her anxiously, as if he feared a hysterical scene. ‘You are Bob's wife, aren't you? I think we've met. I have an important meeting shortly; perhaps you could be brief.'

‘I've just come from the hospital. Dmitry Gavrilov wants to talk to you urgently.'

‘We sent someone down there this morning, but apparently he wasn't allowed in to see him. You spoke to him, did you? How is he?'

‘He said it was urgent that he spoke to you.'

Kaisler frowned. ‘It's almost impossible today, but I will try – or I could ask Lascalles. Do you know why he has asked to see me?'

‘No; of course not.' An awkward silence followed. She didn't know what to say, and she imagined neither did he; she supposed by now her affair with Dmitry would be an open secret, and she knew that Kaisler would disapprove; he hated anything irregular.

Kaisler stood up. ‘This is all very regrettable… Don't worry, I will arrange something. And now, if you'll excuse me… ‘

Katie ran along the corridor to Bob's office. He looked surprised as she stepped in, but only for a moment. He came over to her, and sat her down on a chair. She felt absolutely drained, exhausted; she felt as if she couldn't do another thing.

It was a relief to find Bob looking his usual calm self. Often in the past this had infuriated her, but now she found it reassuring. He put his hand on her shoulder, ‘Honey, tell me what's happened. You look terrible.' Katie started to cry. ‘I don't know what's going on. I am so frightened. Please, please take me home and let's talk about this.'

Bob put his arms awkwardly around her. He said, ‘Okay, okay, honey – I'll cancel my appointments. Don't cry, I'll take you home. Don't worry, everything is going to be just fine.'

D
mitry was transferred to a private hospital in the afternoon at the request of the Russian Ambassador. Immediately he felt better. From the window of the large, white room he could see the top of a tree; the pale afternoon sunlight shone down on it, gilding the branches. He lay very still, watching the light change. By late afternoon a thin ray of sunshine entered the room; he watched it shift slowly along the bed and eventually touch his arm. He was surprised by how warm its touch was on his skin.

It was very quiet. From time to time a nurse came to check he was all right or to do something to him. Dmitry's fear had given way now to a mild euphoria. They hadn't managed to kill him. He was going to be all right.

Now it was getting dark. Dmitry felt each minute pass as if it were twenty; he wondered if anyone would come. He had asked the nurse to ring Katie's number; the nurse had come back and said she had spoken to Katie's husband, who said she was resting and didn't want to speak to anyone. Dmitry, for the first time, felt acute jealousy; he had always tried not to picture her with Bob before, but now he could imagine her all too clearly with her husband, seeking refuge in his arms, asking him to protect her. And why hadn't Kaisler come?

When they came and told him that Lascalles was there to see him instead, he was bitterly disappointed. He had never liked Lascalles; he was one of the old school, wedded to the theology of safeguards. As he anticipated, Lascalles did not like what Dmitry had to say. He sat, embarrassed, awkward, by the bed, and listened to him with obvious distaste. When Dmitry had finished he sat in silence for a while, tapping his fingers on his knees nervously.

‘This is a very delicate matter, as you know. We can't do anything unless we are officially informed by a government – you know the score. I am not doubting what you say, it is possible, of course, but unless we have proof…'

The full implications of what Dmitry was saying seemed to slowly sink in. He got to his feet and walked to the window, moved a vase of flowers a little to the left to centre it, and then came back again. ‘But what you are suggesting is terrible. This could have appalling repercussions. You are suggesting a maze of corruption, in Brazil, over here… There will be a loss of confidence in the entire safeguards programme. It could adversely affect the whole nuclear industry.'

‘Fuck the nuclear industry.'

Lascalles almost jumped, startled. He looked at Dmitry as if he were not sure that he had heard him correctly. Dmitry went on, very quietly, ‘The report recommends inspection only in another six months. We can't let it go on. The reports have not yet gone back to the Brazilians. We can query it. We can say there were problems – samples were lost, the report was inadequate. Surely we can invent some rubbish that will justify a repeat inspection.'

‘I think that would be difficult. The Brazilian Government would say that was our fault, they would not have to co-operate.'

‘Not if they had something to hide. But I don't believe that is the case. I am sure they will want to get at the truth as much as we do.'

Lascalles was thinking aloud. ‘It is a different matter if we had proof. There is this facility for special inspections… I will relay what you say to the DG, of course…'

But in the end this was not necessary. Kaisler came in person that evening. He said that Panini had looked at the faulty tapes and pulled off a file which Müller had altered two days before his death, in which he claimed to write the truth about Valadares. It seemed that they had been operating a second gas centrifuge cascade, undeclared to the IAEA. The cascade which had been inspected was producing highly enriched uranium; Müller claimed to give the correct readings. Müller himself, or someone else with access to his password, must have deleted this information a day or so later.

Kaisler said that he was acting at once. He had summoned the Brazilian Ambassador to the UN and was going to request a special inspection.

He sat and looked at Dmitry. ‘I am so deeply sorry you have had to go through all this. Lascalles had mentioned to me before that you had had your concerns. He said he had given you a thorough hearing. I hope you don't feel let down by us; under the circumstances there was nothing we could do.'

‘No,' said Dmitry, ‘No, there was no proof. But I want to ask you – who will organise the special inspection?'

‘Well, I don't know. I imagine Bob Haynes will, he handles the Brazilian inspections.'

‘Because I am not sure… but I think he too may be suspect.'

Kaisler seemed stunned. ‘Why?'

‘I can't explain. It's just an instinct. He chose the inspectors – you remember there was some trouble about that? Then you remember he was opposed to my going, said it would create problems, which of course it did. And isn't it unlikely that Müller would have changed the file back himself? Someone must have done it, someone inside the IAEA.'

‘Yes, you're right – that must be considered.' Kaisler hesitated. ‘Of course it is an open secret now that you have been involved with his wife.'

‘What has that to do with this?'

‘I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned it.' Kaisler frowned. ‘Of course we will have to carry out an internal investigation… Don't worry, we will get to the bottom of this. And you, try to forget it for the present. You must concentrate on getting well.'

Katie was woken by the phone. She picked it up, disorientated, and glanced at the clock; it was nine o'clock. She could hear Bob's electric razor buzzing in the bathroom.

‘Hello?'

‘This is Georges Lascalles from the IAEA. is Bob there?'

‘Yes, hold on…' She cupped her hand over the phone and called out to Bob.

He came in, took the phone from her, and sat down on the bed. ‘Haynes here.'

There was a long pause before Bob spoke. ‘I see. I was going to take this morning off, my wife is not well… Yes, I understand, but can't you tell me what it's about? Yes, of course I'll come… Ten o'clock is fine… See you then.'

He hung up. He sat very still on the edge of the bed. Then he said, ‘Shit.'

‘What is it?'

‘The DDG and the Head of Administration want to see me. I'm sorry, I'll have to go.'

‘That's all right. What's it about?'

‘I haven't the slightest idea. I'll get you a coffee.' He came back in a few minutes with the coffee; Anna was following him. He put on his jacket and adjusted his clothes in the mirror. She thought he looked preoccupied, distracted. He kissed her cheek almost casually and went out.

Katie lifted Anna onto her knee and cuddled her for a few moments, rocking her to and fro. When Anna became fidgety Katie told her to go and fetch the snakes and ladders board. She was afraid to go out and she didn't want to take Anna to kindergarten. She thought, there is no reason to be afraid any more, it's all over now, but it was hard to be rational about such things. She wanted Bob to come back quickly; she didn't like to be alone. She remembered with a start that she hadn't rung Dmitry's sister in Moscow; she supposed it was too late now. She felt guilty, desolate, as if she had somehow managed to fail him in everything. She thought she had at least gone to tell Kaisler.