Free The Prometheus Deception by Robert Ludlum

Western intelligence units grew dependent upon the information—entirely fraudulent, of course—it provided. Not only was the hoax brilliantly designed to mislead those governments around the world who sought the Soviet Union’s demise, it was, further, a superbly effective way for Moscow to penetrate the networks of its chief enemies abroad. And it worked phenomenally well—so well, in fact, that the Trust became a case study of the perfect deception operation, taught within intelligence agencies the world over.
    By the time the nature of the subterfuge was exposed, in the late twenties, it was too late. Exiled leaders had been kidnapped and murdered, networks of collaborators destroyed, would-be defectors within Russia executed. The in situ forces of opposition to Soviet rule never recovered. It was, in the words of one eminent American intelligence analyst, “the deception operation upon which the Soviet state was built.”
    â€œNow you’re the one talking ancient history,” Bryson said in disgust, shifting in his seat impatiently.
    â€œNever discount the power of inspiration,” Dunne said. “In the early sixties, you had a small circle of brainiacs at the GRU—Soviet military intelligence, if you don’t consider that a contradiction in terms.” He chuckled. “These guys concluded that their intelligence agencies were all neutered, ineffectual, feeding out of the same trough of disinformation each one had created—or, to put it another way, a whole lot of ink and not much squid. The way these guys figured it—and they were geniuses, understand, IQs off the charts, the real deal—the intelligence agencies were spending most of their time chasing their own tails. These guys, they called themselves the Shakhmatisti, the chess players, chess club. They despised their own clumsy Russky operatives, and they had utter contempt for the sort of Americans who cooperated with them: sad sacks and losers, in their book. So they took another look at the Trust and tried to see if there was a lesson to be learned. They wanted to recruit the best and the brightest within their enemy’s camp, same as us, and they figured out a way to get them. Same as us. Recruit them for a life of adventure.”
    â€œI’m not following.”
    â€œNeither were we, until very recently. It was only in the last few years that the CIA learned of the Directorate’s existence. And, far more crucial, what the Directorate meant.”
    â€œTry talking sense.”
    â€œWe’re talking about the greatest espionage gambit in the entire twentieth century. The whole thing was an elaborate ruse, do you see? Like the Trust. These GRU geniuses, their masterstroke was to establish a penetration operation right on enemy soil—our soil. A super-secret spy agency staffed by a lot of gifted people who had no idea as to the identities of their real bosses, known only as the consortium, and who were instructed to conceal their work from any and all U.S. government officials. Now, that’s the beauty part. You can’t tell anybody else, especially not the government you’re ostensibly working for! I’m talking about good, red-blooded Americans who got up in the morning and drank their Maxwell House coffee and toasted their Wonder Bread and drove to work in their Buicks and Chevys, and went out into the world and risked their lives—yet never knew who their real employers were. It went like clockwork—like a classic ‘big store’ con of old.”
    Bryson couldn’t endure this litany any longer. “Goddamn you, Dunne! Enough! This is all lies, a goddamn pack of lies. If you really think I’d fall for this crap, you’re out of your goddamn mind.” He stood up abruptly. “Get me the hell out of here. I’m tired of your little low-rent theatrical production.”
    â€œI hardly expected you to believe me—not at