FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   >>  
ela Kossuth laughed gently. "Ah, ha, but this led to one of the ironies of fate, my friend. Because as the Sov-world expanded its borders it assimilated peoples of far more, ah, sharpness, shall we say? than our somewhat dour Russkies. In time, bit by bit, inch by inch, intrigue by intrigue--" "I know," Joe said. "The capital of the Sov-world is now not Moscow, but Budapest." "Correct!" the Hungarian beamed. "At the very first, we Hungarians tried to fight them. When we found we couldn't prevail, we joined them--to their eventual sorrow. However, the central problem has not been erased. We have finally achieved, here in the Sov-world, to the point where we have the abundant life. The affluent society. But we have also reached stagnation. The Party, like a living organism, refuses to die. Cannot even admit that its death is desirable." He held his hands out, palms upward, as though at an impossible impasse. Joe said, suddenly, "What's all this got to do with me, Colonel Kossuth?" The Hungarian pretended surprise. "Why, nothing at all, Major Mauser. I was but making conversation. Small talk." Joe didn't get it. "Well, why come here at all? Max said you were rather insistent about seeing me, in spite of doctor's orders." "Ah, yes, of course." The Sov officer came to his feet again and clicked his heels. "My superiors have requested that I deliver this into your own hands, as well as copies to the West-world Ambassador, to General Armstrong and Dr. Haer." He handed a document to Joe. Joe turned it over in hand, blankly. It was in Hungarian. He looked up at the other. Lieutenant Colonel Bela Kossuth said formally, "The government of the Sov-world has found Major Joseph Mauser, Dr. Nadine Haer, and General George Armstrong, _persona non grata_. As soon as your health permits, Major, it is requested that you leave Budapest and all the lands of the Sov-world, never to return." He clicked his heels, bowed again, and started for the door. Just as he reached it, he turned and said one last thing to Joe Mauser. XXII In spite of Nadine Haer's protests, Joseph Mauser insisted that they abide by the Sov government's expulsion order on the following day. A special plane took them to London, and they there caught the regular shuttle to Greater Washington. At least, Joe, Nadine and Max did, General Armstrong remained on in London. The flight itself was largely uneventful, Joe having retreated into his tho
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   >>  



Top keywords:

Mauser

 

General

 

Armstrong

 
Nadine
 
Kossuth
 

Hungarian

 
requested
 

government

 

turned

 

Joseph


Budapest
 

reached

 

intrigue

 

clicked

 

Colonel

 
London
 

blankly

 

document

 

handed

 
Ambassador

insistent

 
doctor
 

deliver

 

officer

 

superiors

 

copies

 

orders

 
caught
 

regular

 

special


expulsion

 

shuttle

 

Greater

 

uneventful

 

largely

 

retreated

 

flight

 

Washington

 

remained

 

insisted


protests

 

health

 

persona

 

George

 

Lieutenant

 

formally

 
permits
 

started

 

return

 

looked