The Factory Read Online Free PDF

out, he just says it’ll work, in his favour, as if nothing can go wrong for him.’
    â€˜Sure you’re not letting yourself get upset by his demeanour?’
    â€˜No,’ said Jane positively. ‘I wouldn’t let that happen.’
    â€˜So you don’t think he’s genuine?’
    â€˜I need to be further convinced,’ qualified Jane.
    â€˜Let’s say he is a plant,’ offered Bell. ‘What’s he trying to achieve?’
    â€˜How about identification of some of our people?’ suggested Jane. ‘There would have to be two people, possibly more, in any approach to the woman, Olga Zarya. What if she’s prepared, expecting it? She could lead us along, while they identify as many of our approaching officers as they can, and then refuse to come over. And when Sharov – who, of course, would be part of the plan – is told his mistress won’t run with him then he changes his mind and goes back to Russia. The result? The Russians lose nothing and we have fed them our people to move against when and how they like.’
    â€˜It’s complicated but it’s a feasible assumption,’ agreed the Director General. He had waited long enough for Jane to offer the information he’d fervently hoped the Russian would provide, but it hadn’t come. ‘Did he say anything to prove how valuable he could be, if we accepted him?’
    The girl shook her head. ‘I’ve told you everything.’
    Damn! thought Bell, who was absolutely convinced that there was a traitor within the Factory. He’d regarded the defection of Anatoli Sharov as the best opportunity yet to uncover whoever it was. Sharov would know that the greatest terror of any intelligence agency is to have someone infiltrate from the other side: there would have been no more convincing way of showing his worth to the British than by passing on an identity. And if Sharov had been head of station, he would have had to know of such a mole. Bell wondered if he could be wrong about there being a traitor at all, as he’d already been disastrously wrong in trying personally to resolve the suspicion instead of calling in outside investigators. Or was Jane Snelgrove correct in doubting Sharov? Bell bitterly regretted that his position as Director General precluded his interrogating the Russian, but objectively accepted that the security risk was too great. Unthinkable in fact. He couldn’t, either, openly brief Jane on what to ask: it was becoming increasingly difficult to stop rumours erupting throughout the Factory. It would be impossible if he started openly talking about traitors. He said to the girl: ‘We’ll do nothing about the Russian woman at the moment. And tomorrow press him harder: let’s show Anatoli Vasilevich Sharov that things won’t automatically go his way; that he’s dependent upon us.’
    â€˜It’ll be a pleasure,’ said Jane.
    â€˜Set him a definite test,’ ordered Bell. ‘Ask him to tell you the one thing that will satisfy the controller here – me – that he’s a genuine defector.’
    â€˜What’s that?’ asked Jane.
    The Director General shook his head. ‘Just see what he says.’
    The Russian was sprawled in the fireside chair again. Once more he did not politely stand when Jane entered the room. Instead, with almost childlike expectation, Sharov said: ‘What’s happened? Have you approached Olga?’
    â€˜We’ve got other things to discuss,’ said Jane curtly.
    â€˜I want to know about Olga! Where is she?’
    â€˜You’re lying to me!’ accused Jane.
    â€˜What!’ Some of the bombast leaked from the man, however.
    â€˜I said you’re lying to me,’ repeated Jane. ‘What function at your embassy does Vladimir Panchenko fulfil?’
    Sharov wetted his lips with his tongue, discomfited. ‘He is an officer of the KGB,’ he