tapping the paper with his finger. 'Once they know 'what's really in the vial it could push it even further (underground. Who knows what they might use it for in §the future?'
s 'I think we should hear what Major Paluzzi has to say 'before we start jumping to conclusions,' Kolchinsky said. Paluzzi waited until Giancarlo had deposited the four Icups of coffee on the table. 'I've already spoken to Nicola |Pisani, the leader of the Red Brigades. He's agreed to fco-operate fully with us.' I 'And you believe him?' Graham asked incredulously.
'How much do you know about the Red Brigades, Mr SGraham?'
' 'Enough to know that I wouldn't trust the bastards an jinch.'
'I know them inside out. I should do after eight years, was my idea in the first place to contact Pisani.' Paluzzi ;ld up his hand when Graham opened his mouth to speak. 'Give me a chance and I'll explain to you why I did it. We have a senior Brigatista on our payroll. A brigade chief, to be exact. He gets to attend all the executive Committee meetings. He told us that Pisani called an jfcmergency meeting yesterday. It turned out that the breakin hadn't been sanctioned by the committee. In fact, the first Pisani knew about it was when he turned on his dio yesterday morning and heard that the Red Brigades
53
had claimed responsibility for it. It was obvious thatj Zocchi was behind it - '
'Why?' Graham challenged.
'Two reasons. Firstly, because Riccardo Ubrino wasl involved. He's been Zocchi's right-hand man for the lastj six years. They were inseparable.'
'Couldn't Ubrino have pulled it off by himself?'} Kolchinsky asked.
Paluzzi shook his head. 'It was too well planned.! Ubrino's a hatchet man, he doesn't have the brains tof plan a raid like that. Zocchi did.'
'And the second reason?' Sabrina asked..
'It's a bit more complicated. Pisani found out at the be-1 ginning of the year that he had cancer. The doctors doubt] he'll see out the year. This has naturally sparked a bitter! power struggle amongst the brigade chiefs to appoint his I successor. It came down to two men: Zocchi and Tonino 1 Calvieri, Milan's brigade chief. Calvieri is a so-called "mod-j erate". He has the unanimous support of the other brigade j chiefs. He's been Pisani's blue-eyed boy for years. But Zoc-1 chi had the money behind him. The Rome cell is wealthier j than all the other cells put together. And that meant he had j the backing of many of the rich irregulars.'
'Irregulars?' Kolchinski asked.
'It's what the Brigatisti call sympathizers. They don'tl have a say at committee level but they can easily makej their presence felt by withholding donations if they don't I agree with committee policy. And if enough donations are j withheld, it would cripple the organization financially.'
'Was this happening?' Kolchinsky asked.
'It was being threatened. And that was something Pisani j had to take into consideration when choosing his sucj cessor. Then Zocchi was arrested for his part in the I attempted murder of a Rome judge. The other brigade j
54
liefs were only too pleased to see the prison gates close hind him. They certainly wouldn't have wanted to iring him. Which leaves Zocchi himself.'
'I still don't see why Pisani has agreed to cooperate ith us,' Sabrina said.
'Because the vial could end up being used against him, id the committee, forcing them to concede power to the ome cell/ Paluzzi held out his hand towards Graham. Is you said, who knows what use they might find for it
the future.'
"f
I 'But Zocchi's dead,' Sabrina said.
I 'But Ubrino isn't, and the Rome cell regard him as Zocchi's
jatural successor. That frightens Pisani and his brigade chiefs
bough for them to agree to help us get the vial back.'
f 'Surely they could negotiate with him themselves?
[hen, once they had the vial, they could kill him and
iistall this Calvieri.'
'Nice scenario, Mr Graham, but you're overlooking a buple of points. Firstly, they don't know where Ubrino i, that much we do know from our mole.
s 'I think we should hear what Major Paluzzi has to say 'before we start jumping to conclusions,' Kolchinsky said. Paluzzi waited until Giancarlo had deposited the four Icups of coffee on the table. 'I've already spoken to Nicola |Pisani, the leader of the Red Brigades. He's agreed to fco-operate fully with us.' I 'And you believe him?' Graham asked incredulously.
'How much do you know about the Red Brigades, Mr SGraham?'
' 'Enough to know that I wouldn't trust the bastards an jinch.'
'I know them inside out. I should do after eight years, was my idea in the first place to contact Pisani.' Paluzzi ;ld up his hand when Graham opened his mouth to speak. 'Give me a chance and I'll explain to you why I did it. We have a senior Brigatista on our payroll. A brigade chief, to be exact. He gets to attend all the executive Committee meetings. He told us that Pisani called an jfcmergency meeting yesterday. It turned out that the breakin hadn't been sanctioned by the committee. In fact, the first Pisani knew about it was when he turned on his dio yesterday morning and heard that the Red Brigades
53
had claimed responsibility for it. It was obvious thatj Zocchi was behind it - '
'Why?' Graham challenged.
'Two reasons. Firstly, because Riccardo Ubrino wasl involved. He's been Zocchi's right-hand man for the lastj six years. They were inseparable.'
'Couldn't Ubrino have pulled it off by himself?'} Kolchinsky asked.
Paluzzi shook his head. 'It was too well planned.! Ubrino's a hatchet man, he doesn't have the brains tof plan a raid like that. Zocchi did.'
'And the second reason?' Sabrina asked..
'It's a bit more complicated. Pisani found out at the be-1 ginning of the year that he had cancer. The doctors doubt] he'll see out the year. This has naturally sparked a bitter! power struggle amongst the brigade chiefs to appoint his I successor. It came down to two men: Zocchi and Tonino 1 Calvieri, Milan's brigade chief. Calvieri is a so-called "mod-j erate". He has the unanimous support of the other brigade j chiefs. He's been Pisani's blue-eyed boy for years. But Zoc-1 chi had the money behind him. The Rome cell is wealthier j than all the other cells put together. And that meant he had j the backing of many of the rich irregulars.'
'Irregulars?' Kolchinski asked.
'It's what the Brigatisti call sympathizers. They don'tl have a say at committee level but they can easily makej their presence felt by withholding donations if they don't I agree with committee policy. And if enough donations are j withheld, it would cripple the organization financially.'
'Was this happening?' Kolchinsky asked.
'It was being threatened. And that was something Pisani j had to take into consideration when choosing his sucj cessor. Then Zocchi was arrested for his part in the I attempted murder of a Rome judge. The other brigade j
54
liefs were only too pleased to see the prison gates close hind him. They certainly wouldn't have wanted to iring him. Which leaves Zocchi himself.'
'I still don't see why Pisani has agreed to cooperate ith us,' Sabrina said.
'Because the vial could end up being used against him, id the committee, forcing them to concede power to the ome cell/ Paluzzi held out his hand towards Graham. Is you said, who knows what use they might find for it
the future.'
"f
I 'But Zocchi's dead,' Sabrina said.
I 'But Ubrino isn't, and the Rome cell regard him as Zocchi's
jatural successor. That frightens Pisani and his brigade chiefs
bough for them to agree to help us get the vial back.'
f 'Surely they could negotiate with him themselves?
[hen, once they had the vial, they could kill him and
iistall this Calvieri.'
'Nice scenario, Mr Graham, but you're overlooking a buple of points. Firstly, they don't know where Ubrino i, that much we do know from our mole.
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