The Red Colonel and Our General Staff School
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Martynov's eagerness was overpowering . He reached down to grab the briefcase . Peck pulled it away. "Not yet," he said . "Let's talk about the money." Peck was bidding for time . In a few minutes, the time was right . By then several patrons had entered the bar and seated themselves at tables near the two men . The Russian eyed the patrons with a probing eye and he seemed to acquire a measure of uneasiness over their presence . "Look," he finally said, "let's get out right now . I don't like this place." Peck reached for the briefcase and placed it in the center of the table . "Mr. Schultz," he said to Martynov, "this is for you . Take it ." Martynov seemed surprised . He put out his hands to take it . As he did, two conservatively dressed patrons at separate tables rose in unison and glided quickly across the floor to the table . Peck's motion with the briefcase had been their signal . Now peering down in the bar's dim amber light, they each flicked open a leather case and displayed their identifications as agents of the FBI . Martynov's eyes darted at the men and past them to the doorway beyond, but he saw instantly there was no chance to escape . Instead, he summoned a scowling indignation and cried, "What are you doing? I am a diplomat. I have immunity . You cannot touch me ." He plunged his hand into his suit's breast pocket and fumblingly spread out his diplomatic credentials . There was nothing the FBI men could do . "All right," said one of them . "We can't hold you . Get out . But you know what this means . You'll be out of America in a week ." The agents cleared a path for him as Martynov got up from his chair and stormed out the door . Reluctantly the three FBI men watched him board a bus heading downtown in the direction of the Soviet Mission to the UN . The FBI sent its report on the case to the Attorney General and the State Department. On February 21, 1955, the United States Government declared Martynov persona non grata and five days later the Soviet spy left for home . Once again the FBI had effectively thwarted an incipient Soviet espionage operation stemming out of the UN . But just as surely as