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〃Beria is not only an executioner； he is a facilitator。 If you want something delivered or spirited out of the country； he's the man who'll guarantee it gets done。〃
〃You don't think that he and Yardeni… with Telegin's help… planned and executed the theft themselves； do you？〃
〃Executed； yes。 Planned； no。 Beria's forte is not in strategy。 He is… how would you put it？… a hands…on operator。 His job would have been to shepherd Yardeni after he got out of Bioaparat。〃
〃Shepherd him where？〃
Kirov held up the Canadian passport。 〃The American…Canadian border is porous。 Yardeni wouldn't have had any problem smuggling the smallpox into your country。〃
The idea made Smith's flesh crawl。 〃You're saying that Yardeni was a thief and a courier？〃
〃A man like Yardeni does not have the wherewithal to provide himself with a new passport； much less pay for the services of Beria。 But someone did。 Someone wanted to get his hands on a smallpox sample and was willing to pay mightily for the privilege。〃
〃I'm sorry I have to ask： where does Telegin fit in？〃
Kirov looked away； feeling torn by her betrayal。
〃You don't strike me as a man who believes in coincidence； Jon。 Consider this： Yardeni has been in place for some time。 But his masters choose this particular moment to activate him。 Why should it have coincided with your arrival in Moscow？ Did they know you were ing？ If so； they would have deduced that they had one last chance to steal from Bioaparat。 And why was Yardeni told to proceed with the theft？ Because someone tipped him off that the Special Forces were on their way。〃
〃Telegin warned Yardeni？〃
〃Who else could it have been？〃
〃But she wasn't acting on her own。。。。〃
〃I think Lara was the eyes and ears of whoever planned this。 As soon as she knew you were in Moscow she contacted her principals； who told her to go ahead and have Yardeni execute the theft。 They could not afford to risk the access that Yardeni provided them。〃
He paused and glanced at the body of his lover。 〃Think about it； Jon。 Why would Lara have risked everything… her career； future。。。 love… if the rewards were not overwhelming？ She would never have found such bounty in Russia。〃
Kirov looked up as the station doors opened and the biohazard team； dressed in full antiplague suits； came through。 Within minutes； the container that Telegin and Yardeni had died for was being sealed in a stainless…steel box and wheeled to a vaultlike truck； ready to be removed to Moscow's premier research facility； the Serbsky Institute。
〃I'm going to initiate the search for Beria；〃 Kirov said as he and Smith walked out of the station。
Smith watched the virus hunters' truck pull away from the station； escorted by motorcycle outriders。
〃Something you said； General。 About Beria being a facilitator。 What if Yardeni wasn't his primary responsibility？〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Yardeni was important… pivotal… in that he was the inside man。 He was the one who actually had to go in and get the sample。 But how valuable was he to anyone after that？ A liability is more like it。 Yardeni didn't die from a gunshot wound。 Beria poisoned him。〃
〃What are you getting at？〃
〃That Beria's directive was to protect the smallpox； not Yardeni。〃
〃But Yardeni was carrying the samples。 You saw the container。〃
〃Did I； General？ All I saw was a container。 Don't you want to know what's inside？〃
The shuttle bus from the train station rolled through the thickening Moscow traffic。 Because of the hour； Ivan Beria was one of only six passengers on board。 Sitting by the rear exit doors； he watched a stream of militia cars wail down the boulevard to the station and listened as the other passengers speculated about what was happening。
If they only knew。。。
Beria was not concerned that the bus might be stopped。 Not even Major…General Kirov； the man who had placed a hundred…thousand…ruble reward on his head； could organize so thorough a search in so short a time。 Kirov's first act would be to check with the taxi dispatchers。 Police at the train station would be shown a photograph and asked if anyone answering that description had gotten into a private car。 Kirov might eventually think about the bus； but not soon enough to do him any good。
The bus clattered across streetcar tracks； then struggled up a ramp onto the circular highway that rings the city。 He checked to make sure that the container he'd taken from Yardem was secure in his pocket。 Confusion and misdirection were his allies： they would buy him the time he needed。 As soon as Kirov checked Yardeni's corpse； he would discover the container Beria had given the Bioaparat guard。 Kirov would believe that it held the smallpox samples stolen from Building 103。 His first thought would be to get them to a secure location； but he would have no reason to check them。 By the time that was done； the smallpox would be safely in the West。
Beria smiled and turned to the windows as the sprawling plex of Sheremetevo Airport came into view。
The outriders peeled away as the truck carrying Yardeni's container turned into the underground garage of the Serbsky Institute。 The sedan with Kirov and Smith pulled up close enough to the truck for the two men to observe the unloading of the stainless…steel biohazard safe。
〃It'll be taken to the Level Four labs two stories below；〃 Kirov told Smith。
〃How long before we know what we have？〃
〃Thirty minutes。〃 Kirov paused。 〃I wish it could be faster； but procedures must be followed。〃
Smith had no quarrel with that。
Acpanied by a squad of newly arrived Federal Security Service agents； they took an elevator to the second floor。 The institute's director； a thin； birdlike man； blinked rapidly when Kirov informed him that his office was now a central mand post。
〃Let me know the instant the test results are available；〃 Kirov told him。
The director snatched his lab smock off the coat rack and beat a hasty retreat。
Kirov turned to Smith。 〃Jon。 Under the circumstances it's time you told me exactly why you came here and who you're working for。〃
Smith considered the general's words。 Given the possibility that the Russians had not been able to contain the smallpox theft within their borders； he had no choice but to contact Klein immediately。
〃Can you set me up with munications？〃
Kirov gestured at the telephone console on the desk。 〃All the lines are secured satellite links。 I'll wait out…〃
〃No；〃 Smith interrupted。 〃You need to hear this。〃
He dialed the number that magically always connected him to Klein。 The voice on the other end was crisp and clear。
〃Klein here。〃
〃Sir； it's me。 I'm in the director's office at the Serbsky Institute。 Major…General Kirov is with me。 I need to bring you up to speed； sir。〃
〃Go ahead； Jon。〃
It took Smith ten minutes to give a plete account of events。 〃Sir； we expect to have test results in〃 …he checked his watch… 〃fifteen minutes。〃
〃Put me on the speaker； please； Jon。〃
A moment later； Klein's voice flooded the room。 〃General Kirov？〃
〃Yes？〃
〃My name is Nathaniel Klein。 I do the same work that Valeri Antonov does for your government。 In fact； I know Valeri quite well。〃
Smith watched the color drain from