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information he had sent her by the Vetsayeva girl. Yet there was already a crisis atmosphere in the White House. That was ominous. |
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Vincent Kellner came forward to greet her. |
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Charlotte said, "Thank you for seeing me so promptly, Vincent. I've received very important information. You will have to decide how important it is." |
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"First come look at this," Kellner said. He led her to where the analyst from NSA and the military officers were piecing together satellite images bearing the top secret Observer Office stamp. They showed a coastline and what appeared to be a wilderness of taiga in remarkable detail. |
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"Hudson Bay?" Conroy asked. |
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"Yes. The last clear weather images we have. Taken November 19," Kellner said. "The Canadian Ministry of Health is in a funk. Something has contaminated the waters around Eskimo Point with plutonium." He pointed out the location on a satellite image. ''There have been three deaths so far." |
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"Could the Neville woman have been right?" |
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"It depends what you mean by right, Charlotte. Obviously there is something in the water up there." Kellner regarded her soberly. "We have been askedunofficiallyfor help by Ottawa. No accusations. Just a friendly request. We're cooperating, doing a thorough investigation from our end. And we have queried Moscow. All right, then. What brought you down from New York so quickly?" |
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"Is there somewhere we can talk privately?" |
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"Follow me." Vincent Kellner led the way to a small interview room furnished with a table and two chairs. Charlotte glanced at the metal walls, which were insulated with soundproofing. "This is secure," Kellner said. "Now, what did you bring?" |
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Charlotte opened her slim briefcase and laid Nathan Abramov's documents on the table. "Nathan has been arrested," she said without preamble. "The minute he arrived in Moscow he was taken into custody by Intelligence Directorate agents. |
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