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w。 Already she must be landing in Tokyo； his weapon against the fall of night。
Abruptly； he looked up； aware that someone was standing in the open doorway to his office。 Few had clearance onto this level of the building； fewer still were allowed to roam unescorted through the set。
〃Yes； Tony；〃 he said； switching off his train of thought as he would a faucet； 〃do you have something for me？〃
A flicker in the Boy Wonder's manner alerted Minck and he beckoned with his hand。 〃e in； e in。〃 All his senses were questing now。
Theerson came across the bare wood floor and sat in a cane…backed chair in front of Minck's desk。 〃I just cracked the latest Alpha…three。〃 The paper in his hand wafted back and forth； lifting and falling in his grasp。
〃Are you going to show it to me or just use it as a fan？〃 Minck saw the Boy Wonder wince and his heart beat fast。 What was wrong？ 〃You'd better let me see that；〃 he said； holding out his hand。
Almost reluctantly； Theerson passed it over。 He sat staring at his hands in his lap。 He felt useless and impotent。
Minck's gaze went from him down to the sheet of paper。 This is what he read：
NEWEST PENETRATION VIA LINNEAR； NICHOLAS。 AMATEUR STATUS。 WARNING： HIGHLY LETHAL。 OBJECTIVE： TENCHI； YOUR DEATH。 SANCTIONED BY THIS OFFICE。 ACCESSED FILE ON LINNEAR FOLLOWS。 AM LINNEAR'S BACKUP。 WILL ADVISE ON ARRIVAL TOKYO。
VOLK。
Volk； Minck thought。 A wolf in the fold。 His mind had gone numb with the thought that Tanya Vladimova； his Tanya； was a Dig Dug。 A Soviet plant。 But how？ Oh； Christ！
He slammed his fist down on the desk with such force that Tony Theerson jumped as if struck with a needle。 〃Get out of here；〃 Minck growled。 〃Get out of my sight！〃
The Boy Wonder jumped up and retreated across the room。 He had seen Minck in a fury twice before and had no desire to get in the way of it now。
At the door； Minck stopped him。 〃Hold it！〃
Reluctantly； Theerson turned to face his master。 〃There's something I don't understand。 Tanya knew that you were working on the Alpha…three codes； she knew you were the best at breaking them。 Why in Christ's name would she use them？〃
The Boy Wonder shrugged。 〃For one thing； I don't think she had a choice。 The Alpha…threes are still by far the most secure ciphers the Soviets have。〃 He shuddered when he said the word Soviets； he still could not believe the truth。 〃She knew that my success was spotty。 In fact； not too long ago we spoke about it。 Now that I think about it； she even asked me how I was ing on the latest one。〃 He nodded。 〃That would have been this one here。 I told her it was the worst yet。 I didn't think I'd crack it。 Maybe twelve hours after that I got the first breakthrough； it came like a bolt of lightning。 After that it was just a matter of a lot of donkey work； much of which the puters did。〃
Minck contemplated the Boy Wonder。 He had not even bothered to say something as fatuous as 〃There must be some mistake！〃 He knew Theerson too well； the man just did not make mistakes。 He might not be able to break every Alpha…three but when he did he knew whereof he spoke。
〃You did a fine job； Tony。〃 His voice was as bleak as a winter's day。
Theerson nodded sadly。 〃I'm sorry。 Really I am。〃
Minck waved him mutely away。 When he was again alone； he rose and； taking the hideous message with him； went into the now windowless room next door。 Dhzerzinsky Square greeted him； as ugly as all Russian architecture was to him。 Above； the dark； crepuscular sky。 Across the square； Children's World； where gift wrapped presents were presented。 Back across the square； the
black Zil entered the rat's hole of Lubyanka。 He had returned； running for his life through the snyeg； all sound muffled； all life stifled。
How much information had he unwittingly provided the Russians？ How many steps ahead of him was Viktor Protorov？ For the message was clear enough： Volk reported to him。 Tanya and Protorov。 How had he done it？ How？
Minck ground his teeth together。 He was having trouble breathing。 How the Wolf must have laughed at his idea to send her in to back up Linnear； and how she must have panicked on learning that he had sent Linnear in against her master。
He could see her face clearly at the moment she had learned what he had done； how he had so cleverly improvised。 How he had misread her concern！ What perspectives the truth lent reality。
He paced the room； Moscow all around him cloaked in winter's dank and frosty grip。 He did not want to see the changing of the seasons there； like his burning hatred； he wished only to see the city's immutability。
What to do now？ he wondered。 How in God's name could he salvage the operation？ He had not heard from Linnear。 Certainly he could send no other agent in after her； she would be instantly alerted； a call from him； an order home would have the same effect。 She knew there was nothing on the boards…there could not be…as important as Tenchi and Protorov。
Like a parent at the moment of parting with his child； he felt utterly betrayed。 Yet he could not bring himself to hate her。 Nothing she could do to him could destroy his love。
There must be an answer； he thought furiously。 I have pulled victory from the edge of defeat many times before。 Why should this be any different。 But he knew the answer to that。 Never had he been faced with a disaster of this magnitude。
To have a Dig Dug within his own Red Sector was； for him； intolerable。 It was to him other agencies came to ferret out just such dangers within their own hierarchies。
No answer came to him。 Tanya； by her very position within Red Section； knew all of its personnel。 Individuals from agencies allied with the Family would never get to her。 And besides alerting her； there was another danger in going outside his own organization。 He'd never live the infiltration down。 No one must know of Tanya Vladimova's heinous betrayal。
He was being frantic； his mind racing from one possibility to another； discarding each one almost as soon as he had thought of it。 Why hadn't Linnear used the access number？
His inter buzzed。 He ignored it but the sound would not go away。 He wanted no interruptions now and reached out for the disconnect button。 He hit the on switch instead and the floor receptionist's voice rang in the room。
〃Someone here to see you； sir。〃
〃I want to see no one； is that clear？〃
〃Yes； sir。 But the gentleman will not leave。 He insists on…〃
Oh； for Christ's sake！ Minck thought。 〃Does this 'gentleman' have a name？〃
〃Yes； sir。 He says you know him。 His name is Detective Lieutenant Lewis Croaker。〃
His body was a mass of bruises where Protorov and Koten had beaten him。 The first three fingers of his right hand were broken and badly swollen。 The pain； however； was no problem； he knew how to control that。
He walked gingerly over to Protorov's desk； turned on the paper shredder； and fed the coded sheets into it。 Now the information existed only in his head。
He crawled back to where Protorov lay and continued his deep breathing。 He stared down at his bloated fingers and knew there was no help for it； he could not leave them in this condition。
At the Tenshin Shoden Katori he had learned koppo； the sub…specialization