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een her skulking around here lately have you？〃
Nicholas' mind was on fire。 There were too many things hitting him at once。 〃Tanya；〃 he said； 〃a Soviet spy？ But why didn't Minck contact me himself？〃
Croaker pointed to the phone。 〃Ever think to get your messages； buddy？〃
〃Actually； no。 I've had other things on my mind。 I only walked into the hotel a half an hour ago。 I ran right into Tanya。 She…〃
〃Yeah？ Where the hell's she got to？〃
Oh； my God； Nicholas thought。 Tenchi！ I've given her everything I fought so hard to keep from Protorov。 Perhaps he's won after all。 But that thought； the knowledge of an almost certain war sparked by the territorial incident； was too terrible to contemplate。
〃e on！〃 Nicholas cried。
〃Where we going？〃
〃To Hamamatsu…cho。〃
When Tanya left Nicholas' room； she took the fire stairs down the seven floors； not wanting to wait for the elevator or to be seen。 In the street she turned north； heading away from the hotel at a rapid pace。 She longed to take a taxi but was afraid to leave a trail。 In any case； within three blocks she knew that she had made the right choice。 Traffic choked the streets and she was far better off on foot； plowing with great power through the crowds like a salmon struggling upstream。
Up the Sakura…dori； she found the Toranomon station of the Ginza Line。 Down into the ground she went； paying her fare； riding one stop to Shimbashi； where she transferred to the J。N。R。 Line to Hamamatsu…cho。
There she emerged in the midst of hundreds of other people； mostly tourists； to wait for the monorail to Haneda Airport and a flight to Hokkaido。 Now she took time out to wait on line for a phone booth where； when it was her turn； she used a special code to alert Russilov that she was on the run。
〃Parachute；〃 she said when the line opened。
It was that time of day in Tokyo； after the noon lunch stampede and before the evening rush hour； when traffic is variable。 It can be good or bad according to the whim of the gods。
Nicholas decided to take a calculated risk and grab a cab to Hamamatsu…cho。 It was a mistake。 Sakura…dori was jammed； and none of the alternate routes were any better。 Near the Onarimon station； he had had enough and； dropping yen like flower petals onto the driver's lap； jumped out； Croaker just behind him。
Onarimon had been on their way along the city streets but now； underground； they found themselves having to change trains twice； once at Mita for the Toei Asakusa Line to Shimbashi； thence to the J。N。R。； following Tanya's route to Hamamatsu…cho。
When they came up into the pointillist sunshine they were faced with a massive crowd that flowed down the two staircases on the departing side of the monorail station。 A riot of color； voices； jostling bodies。 A sea of faces； the rhythm of the heat。
〃She could be anywhere here；〃 Croaker said。 〃Or she could be twenty miles away。〃
〃Stop being so optimistic；〃 Nicholas said dryly； 〃and go down to the far staircase。 In three minutes precisely； we'll both start up； me here； you there。 We'll get her someplace in between。〃
Croaker got serious。 〃You really are sure she's here； aren't you？〃
〃You don't know Tokyo； Lew；〃 he said。 〃She's got to get to Hokkaido as quickly as possible。 Haneda Airport's her only means of doing it。 This is her best shot for it。〃
〃But there're always a busload of ways out of any major city。 What makes you so sure it'll be this one？〃
Nicholas could not say really； because it was an intangible。 He conjured up Tanya's face at the moment he had told her that he had broken Tenchi。 That surprise now had added meaning for him。 He knew that she had not been prepared for flight。 Whatever her plan had been when she had run into him at the Okura； it changed immediately he told her about Tenchi。
〃Lew；〃 he said earnestly； 〃she's going home。 To Russia。 She's running on instinct； and instinct dictates taking the most direct route as well as the fastest。 It's a hunch； but an accurate one； I think。〃
〃Okay； buddy；〃 Croaker said with a brief grin。 〃I've had some experience with your hunches before。 See you in the middle up there。〃
It was hot and getting hotter。 So much so that Tanya had begun to sweat。 Something was wrong on the monorail line。 The unthinkable had occurred： a form of Japanese transportation had broken down。
Moments ago； as she glanced at her watch； she had begun to regret not shooting Nicholas Linnear where he stood in front of his bathroom mirror。 But she knew quite well why she had hesitated and then decided against it。 She was afraid of him； afraid that she would try it and he would somehow ferret out her intent； and stop her from bringing the secret of Tenchi to the summit。 She consoled herself with the fact that the meeting was paramount and could not be jeopardized for anything。
She had stayed her hand and was sorry that she had not taken the risk。 For she had bolted and was now vulnerable to pursuit。 The thought of Nicholas Linnear as hunter filled her with dread。
That was why at the precise instant she saw him moving up the stairs at the near end of the platform she turned away and
began to fight her way through the densely packed throng toward the platform's far end。
She had been scanning the bobbing crowd at fifteen…second intervals as she had been taught at Protorov's academy； using reflective surfaces when she could to do much of her work for her。
Her heart turned icy when she saw him rising onto the level of the platform itself。 He seemed to slip through the jostling； sweating mob with the greatest of ease。 Unlike her； who had to battle for every inch。 She felt as if she were in quicksand； her legs frantically pumping but not seeing much result from all that furious effort。 Quicksand or a dream。
But it was neither； Tanya knew quite well。 So discreetly she drew out her modified Beretta； a flat； powerful weapon for close range。
She was looking over her shoulder as she had seen Russilov do。 She had laughed silently at him for it but she found nothing amusing in the gesture now。
And so intent was she on fleeing from her personal hunter that she paid little attention to what was in front of her。 To her those people were a quagmire through which she must force herself。 They had ceased to be individuals but rather were a part of a maddeningly delaying whole。 She wanted to kill them all； spill them pellmell onto the gleaming track that arced away toward Fuji…yama； blued in the industrial haze； and the safety of a plane at Haneda。
Something hit hard against her chest and she pushed back； frantic now； seeing Nicholas gaining on her。
〃Stay right where you are； rade。〃
A rough New York accent。 Her head spun around； the Beretta ing up automatically； her finger tightening on the trigger。
〃Put it down；〃 Lewis Croaker said into her face。 〃There's nothing you can do with it now。 There's no place left for you to go。〃
She turned for one last look at her oning pursuer and felt the lurch of his open hand against her weapon。 Instinctively she got off a shot and was preparing for another when a single black eye rose like a tower not six inches in front of her face and erupted with the noise of the death of the world。
Croaker got