“I hear he’s been a model prisoner.”

“What’s going on with the centrifuges?”

“There are no centrifuges, Zoe, at least none where Martin is concerned. Martin never puts a foot wrong. He’s pure of heart and noble of intent. He’s a saint.”

“And to think I actually fell for that bilge.”

“From our point of view, we’re very glad you did.” Gabriel smiled and guided her toward the main building. “Have you heard from him?”

“Martin? Not a peep. But it galls me to no end that he’s actually going to get away with it. After what he and Müller did to Mikhail, I wish I could bring them down myself.”

“You’re still covered by the Official Secrets Act, Zoe. Even here in America.”

“The MI6 station in Washington reminds me of that on a regular basis.” Zoe smiled and asked about Mikhail.

“From what I hear, he’s like new.”

“Just like the Rembrandt?”

“I doubt Mikhail needed as much work as the Rembrandt.”

“Do send him my best. I’m afraid I still see his face in my dreams every night.”

“It won’t last forever.”

“Yes,” she said distantly, “that’s what the MI5 psychiatrists told me.”

They had reached the gallery’s front entrance. Chiara and Isherwood were waiting outside with Lena Herzfeld.

“Who’s the woman with your wife?”

“She’s the reason we recruited you,” Gabriel said.

“Lena?”

Gabriel nodded. “Would you like to meet her?”

“If it’s all right with you, I’ll just admire her from afar.” Zoe hailed a passing taxi. “If you ever need someone to do another dangerous job, you know where to find me.”

“Go back to your life.”

“I’m trying to,” she said, smiling. “But it’s just not as bloody interesting as yours.”

Zoe kissed his cheek and climbed into the taxi. As it pulled away from the curb, Gabriel felt his phone vibrating in the breast pocket of his jacket. It was an e-mail from King Saul Boulevard, just one word in length.

BOOM…

CHAPTER 80

80

THE LIZARD PENINSULA, CORNWALL

As with nearly every other aspect of Operation Masterpiece, deciding precisely what to do with Martin Landesmann’s centrifuges was the source of a contentious internal debate. Roughly speaking, there were three options—only fitting, since the political leadership and intelligence services of three nations were involved. Options one and two involved tampering and bugging while option three imagined a far more decisive course of action. Also known as the Hammer of Shamron, it called for concealing monitoring devices in the centrifuges along with enough high explosives to blow Iran’s entire secret enrichment chain to kingdom come if the opportunity presented itself. The benefits, said Shamron, were twofold. Not only would a major act of sabotage deal a severe setback to the program but it would forever make the Iranians think twice about doing their nuclear shopping in Europe.