Page 101 of Edge of Eternity (The Century 3)

"They don't know."

Dimka thought immediately of Cuba. Most of his missiles were there now, and the nuclear warheads to go with them. Tons of ancillary equipment and thousands of troops had arrived. In a few days the weapons would be launch-ready. The mission was almost complete.

But two weeks remained before the American midterm elections. Dimka had been considering flying to Cuba--there was a scheduled air service from Prague to Havana--to make sure the lid was screwed on tight for a few more days. It was vital that the secret be kept just a little longer.

He prayed that Kennedy's surprise TV appearance would be about something else: Berlin, perhaps, or Vietnam.

"What time is the broadcast?" Dimka asked Natalya.

"Seven in the evening, Eastern time."

That would be two o'clock tomorrow morning in Moscow. "I'll phone him right away," he said. "Thank you." He broke the connection, then dialed Khrushchev's residence.

The phone was answered by Ivan Tepper, head of the household staff, the equivalent of a butler. "Hello, Ivan," said Dimka. "Is he there?"

"On his way to bed," said Ivan.

"Tell him to put his trousers back on. Kennedy is going to speak on television at two A.M. our time."

"Just a minute, he's right here."

Dimka heard a muttered conversation, then Khrushchev's voice. "They have found your missiles!"

Dimka's heart sank. Khrushchev's spontaneous intuition was usually right. The secret was out--and Dimka was going to take the blame. "Good evening, comrade First Secretary," he said, and the four people in the room with him went silent. "We don't yet know what Kennedy will be speaking about."

"It's the missiles, bound to be. Call an emergency meeting of the Presidium."

"What time?"

"In an hour."

"Very good."

Khrushchev hung up.

Dimka dialed the home of his secretary. "Hello, Vera," he said. "Emergency Presidium at ten tonight. He's on his way to the Kremlin."

"I'll start calling people," she said.

"You have the numbers at your home?"

"Yes."

"Of course you do. Thank you. I'll be at the office in a few minutes." He hung up.

They were all staring at him. They had heard him say "Good evening, comrade First Secretary." Grandfather looked proud, Grandmother and Mother were concerned, and Nina had a gleam of excitement in her eye. "I've got to go to work," Dimka said unnecessarily.

Grandfather said: "What's the emergency?"

"We don't know yet."

Grandfather patted him on the shoulder and looked sentimental. "With men such as you and my son, Volodya, in charge, I know the revolution is safe."

Dimka was tempted to say he wished he felt so confident. Instead he said: "Grandfather, will you get an army car to take Nina home?"

"Of course."

"Sorry to break up the party . . ."

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