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he would recognize him。 In his experience； the one aspect of his appearance an assassin could never disguise was the eyes。
Kirov understood there was a good chance that given the opportunity Beria would recognize him as well。 But Beria had no reason to think that Kirov was in the United States。 His primary concern would be to avoid the police； as sparse as the patrols were in the area。 He wouldn't expect a face from the past； so far from home。 By the same token； Kirov did not expect to see Beria strolling up to the nearest pastry shop to buy a snack。 He might know where the assassin was likely to venture out； but he had no idea where he was at that moment。
With hooded eyes； Kirov surveyed the changing scene around him。 He also scanned the entrances and exits to the quadrangle； where people appeared from and disappeared to。 He noted the signs posted in the shop windows indicating the business hours； and made a mental note to check the alleys and the delivery bays。
If Beria had to e out to perform his wet work； this was an area he would feel fortable in。 This might cause him to feel that he had the upper hand； and a confident man could sometimes be a blind one。
Three…quarters of a mile from where Kirov was contemplating the possible takedown zone； Ivan Beria opened the door to his two…bedroom apartment on the top floor of a building that specialized in short…term leases to the city's white…collar transients。
Facing him was the driver of the Lincoln； a big； silent man with a nose that had been broken at least several times and a deformed left ear that resembled a tiny cauliflower。 Beria had met such men before。 fortable with violence and unerringly discreet； they were the perfect messengers for the principals who hired him。
Motioning the driver inside； Beria locked the door and accepted the proffered envelope。 He tore it open and quickly read the contents； written in Serb。 Stepping away； he smiled to himself。 The principals always underestimated the number of people who had to be eliminated。 In this case； Beria had already been paid for the Russian guard and the American scientist。 Now he was being asked to remove one more。
Turning to the driver； he said； 〃Picture。〃
Silently； the driver took back the letter and handed over a picture of ion Smith； taken by a security camera。 The subject was facing the lens； his face free of shadows。 The resolution was very good。
Beria smiled thoughtfully。 〃When？〃
The driver held out his hand for the picture。 〃As soon as possible。 You must be ready to go the minute you're called。〃
The driver raised his eyebrows； silently asking if there was anything else。 Beria shook his head。
After the driver left； Beria went into the bedroom and removed a digitally encrypted satellite phone from his pack。 A moment later； he was speaking to a Herr Weizsel at the Offenbach Bank in Zurich。 The account in question had just been fattened by two hundred thousand American dollars。
Beria thanked the banker and hung up。 The Americans are in a hurry。
Naked； Dr。 Karl Bauer stepped out of the final decontamination room。 On the bench of the changing room were underclothes； socks； and a shirt。 A freshly pressed suit hung on the door hook。
A few minutes later； Bauer was dressed and on his way to the glass…enclosed mezzanine where his chief of staff； Maus Jaunich； waited。
Jaunich gave a slight bow and held out his hand。 〃Magnificent work； Herr Direktor。 I have never seen anything like it。〃
Bauer shook his hand and acknowledged the pliment。 〃Nor are we likely to witness something like that ever again。〃
After resting； Bauer had returned to the laboratory。 Even though he had worked through most of the night； he felt elated and full of energy。 He knew from experience that this was only the adrenaline flowing through his system and that fatigue would inevitably catch up to him。 Nonetheless； Jaunich was right： it had been magnificent work。 Using his laserlike concentration； he had applied a lifetime of knowledge and experience into taking the first steps that would transform an already deadly virus into an unstoppable； microscopic firestorm。 Now he felt almost cheated because he would be unable to take those last few steps toward pletion。
〃We knew from the beginning； didn't we； Klaus；〃 he said； voicing his thought。 〃That we would never be able to see this creation through to the end。 The physics of this earth deny me my ultimate triumph。 To plete it； I must give it away。〃 He paused。 〃Now it will be up to Reed to go where we cannot。〃
〃So much trust in one man；〃 Jaunich murmured。
〃He will do what he's told；〃 Bauer replied sharply。 〃And when he returns； we will have what； until now； we've only dreamed of。〃
He patted the big man on the shoulder。 〃It will be all right； Klaus。 You'll see。 Now； the transport？〃
〃The sample is ready for shipment； Herr Direktor。 The aircraft is standing by。〃
Bauer clapped his hands。 〃Good！ Then you and I must have a celebratory drink before I leave。〃
CHAPTER TWENTY
Beneath the blaze of lights； she looked like a sculpture heralding in the new millennium。 From her vantage point three miles away； Megan Olson stared in awe at the space shuttle； mated to the giant external tank and the two slightly smaller solid rocket boosters。
It was two o'clock in the morning on a windless； moonlit night at Cape Canaveral。 Megan's nose tingled from the briny air and her nerves trilled with anticipation。 Usually； the crew was up and about by three o'clock； but Megan had been unable to sleep much past midnight。 The thought that in fewer than eight hours she would be onboard the shuttle； boring into space； left her breathless。
Megan turned and walked the length of the path that ran by the ground floor of the building where the crew was quartered。 A hundred yards away； razor wire glittered atop the Cyclone fence surrounding the pound。 She heard the distant cough of a security Jeep as it ground its way around the perimeter。 The security at the Cape was both impressive and unobtrusive。 The uniformed air police were the most visible； always a magnet for the television cameras。 But beyond them were the plainclothes detachments that roved the entire facility twenty…four hours a day； making sure that no one and nothing interfered with the launch。
Megan was about to head back to her room when she heard footsteps nearby。 Turning； she saw a figure move from the shadows of the building into the light。
Dylan Reed？
It was a standing joke that not only did Reed not hear his alarm clock； but that he could sleep through liftoff if allowed to do so。 So what was he doing up and about an hour before roll call？
Raising her arm； Megan was about to call out to him when a bright headlight appeared around the corner。 Instinctively； she drew back as a sedan with the NASA logo on the door slipped close to where Reed was standing。 Staying in the shadows； Megan watched an older man get out of the car and approach Reed。
Someone he was expecting。 Who？ And why break the quarantine？
Quarantine was a vital part of the launch process； although this time its duration had been reduced； of necessity； from the usual seven days。 Allowing an outsider to e