按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ke two years。 He stared blindly down at his hands and had to laugh at himself。 Needed to do that lest he slit his wrists in utter frustration。 What an idiot he was！ And yet he could no more stop loving her than he could cease to hate the Russians。 What elation filled him when he thought of the gift she had brought him…a simple enough pleasure； but one that he had been certain would never be his again。 How could he possibly give that up？
And how he longed to confide in Tanya。 He could whisper the secrets of the world into her ear without a qualm。。。 but not his。 No。 This he could not allow her to know。
Because it was a clear sign of weakness in him。 Then she would look into his eyes with that stern； Slavic gaze too serious to dismiss and tell him what he ought to do。 And Minck knew what he ought to do； knew that he should have done it months ago。 The woman he loved had to die； had to； for the sake of security。 Every day she remained alive； a potentially damaging leak was walking around。
How many times during these past few months had he picked up the phone and begun to dial the coded mobile number？ And how many times had the termination order died in his throat； leaving him with the acrid taste of ashes in his mouth。 He could not do it。 And yet he knew that he must。
〃…in here。〃
His head came up。 〃I'm sorry； I was…〃
〃Lost in thought；〃 Tanya said。 〃Yes； I could see。〃 Her eyes； Mikhail's eyes； held his steadily。 〃I think it's time for the pool。〃
He nodded； sighing。 She was fond of saying that giving the body a good workout did the same for the mind。
Tanya switched on ARRTS； the Active/Retrieval/Realtime/ System； an advanced network that the Family had had installed for Red Station at the behest of its director。 The system would now monitor all ining and outgoing munication。 In this mode it had been programmed by Minck to deal with the first three nominal levels of data on its own。 For levels four through seven； it would hold before contacting Minck； wherever he was； for instructions on how to proceed。
They took the lead…lined elevator up three floors to the rec level； passing through two distinct modes of electronic security checks。 Stripped down； Minck had a hard； lean body that looked at least ten years younger than it was。 It seemed a perfectly normal body until one came close； and then one began to see details forming； the hard rills and scars； the patches of dead white skin； hairless and glossy。 Lubyanka had been hard on him。
He hit the water in a quick flat…arced dive； the surface barely rippling at'his smooth entrance。 In a moment Tanya followed him into the Olympic…size pool。 Both wore brief nylon suits。 At these； and perhaps other times as well； Minck found himself admiring her lithe； muscular body。 He so constantly relied on her steel…trap mind； her unerring cunning at trapping the Russians at their own game； that these infrequent moments always struck him anew like revelations from out of the blue。 She had the wide shoulders and narrowish hips of the dedicated female athlete； but there was nothing masculine about her。 Just powerful。 And Minck never made the typical man's mistake of equating the two。
They kicked full out for ten continuous laps up and back the long pool； using each other's speed and stamina to spur themselves on。
Eventually Tanya won； as she always did； but by less of a margin than she had several months ago。
〃Close；〃 he said； between breaths。 He wiped the water off his face。 〃Very damn close。〃
Tanya smiled。 〃You've been training harder than I have。 I'll have to remember that in future。〃
Reaching upward； he pulled himself to a sitting position on the tile rim of the pool。 Water scrolled off him； and his dark hair was plastered down across his forehead； giving him the look of a Roman senator。 His clear gray eyes were unnaturally large in his face。 He had recently shaved off his thick handlebar mustache and as a result looked astonishingly boyish for his forty…seven years。
Tanya； still treading water； waited patiently for him to begin。 He had had a dour expression on his face ever since he had had the conversation with Dr。 Kidd in New York。 She had not been privy to the dialog and Minck had been particularly unforthing about it。 She just hoped that was the only thing weighing on his mind now。
He was a man to whom； in far different circumstances； she could find herself intensely attracted。 He had that quality she most admired in people： the expression of intellectualism through his physicality。
〃It's this goddamned Nicholas Linnear；〃 Minck was saying now with his characteristic abruptness。 〃I think we're going to have to deal with him sooner than later。〃
Now she knew how the conversation with Dr。 Kidd had gone； but she said nothing of that。
Minck's gray eyes leveled on her。 〃I don't for a moment think I'm going to like the bastard； he's too damn independent for his own good。 And of course he's monstrously dangerous。〃
〃I've read the file；〃 she said； pulling herself up beside him。 〃He'd never even contemplate aggression。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 Minck agreed。 〃Absolutely not。 And that's our key to him。 He's a naif on our territory。 We must therefore make quite certain he stays in our bailiwick so that we can reel him in when he's given us everything we want。〃
He ran his hands down his nearly hairless thighs。 〃Because should he be allowed to return to his own turf； then God help us。 We'll lose him； the Russians； and the whole ball of wax。〃
〃Hello？〃
〃Nick。 Nick； where have you been？ I've been trying to reach you all day！〃
Mumbled something into the receiver。 His eyes seemed glued shut。
〃Nick？〃
Images enwrapped him。 He had been dreaming of Yukio。 A marriage ceremony before the tomb of the Tokugawa； a black kite wheeling in the sky； gray plovers darting for cover。 Yukio in her white kimono with the crimson edging； the two of them facing a Buddhist priest。 Low chanting filling the boughs of the pines like snow。
〃Nick； are you there？〃
Taking her hand； the chanting growing； loudening； her head turning； the shock of a yellowed； drowned skull。 Recoiling； stumbling backward； then seeing that it was Akiko。。。 Akiko or Yukio。 Which one？ Which one？
〃Sorry； Justine。 Sato's marriage was yesterday。 The reception went on until…〃
〃Never mind that；〃 she said。 〃I've got fantastic news。〃 It was only now that he heard the note of excitement like a line of tension feathering her voice。
〃What is it？〃
〃I spoke to Rick Millar the day you left。 Remember he'd been romancing me for that dream job？ Well I took it！ I was so excited I started Friday！〃
Nicholas ran a hand through his hair。 It was barely light out； dawn was not far away。 Still he seemed enmeshed in the events of yesterday much as if a new day were not dawning； he seemed somehow trapped back at that heartstopping moment when Akiko had slowly lowered her fan。 That face！ He felt haunted； an outcast from time； doomed to relive that terrible moment over and over。。。 until he found the answer。
〃Nick； have you heard anything I've said？〃 There was an edge to her voice now； all the elation punctured out。
〃I thought you wanted to work for yourself； Justine；〃 he said； his mind still far away。 〃I ca