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ders forced him to sit。 Leather straps snaked around his wrists and ankles。 He heard the whine of an electric motor and realized that the wheelchair had been rolled onto a ramp that was being raised。 Then Kirov was pushing the chair into the van； locking the wheels。 Suddenly everything disappeared except for the Russian's cold； blue eyes。
〃You don't know how lucky you are； you murdering bastard！〃
After that； he heard nothing at all。
The back porch of Peter Howell's hideaway on the Chesapeake shore looked out on a still pond fed by a meandering stream。 It was early evening； almost eight hours since Beria had been taken。 The low sun warming his face； Smith sat back and watched a pair of hawks circling for prey。 Behind him； he heard Kirov's heels fall on the tongue…and…groove boards。
Smith had no idea who really owned this rustic retreat； but as Peter Howell had told him in Venice； it was both very private and well equipped。 Clean and fortable； the cabin had a larder stocked with dry goods。 Under the floorboards in the main room； in a small oubliette； was a cache of arms； medicines； and other essentials； indicating that the owner was undoubtedly in Howell's line of work。 Out back； in what looked like a large toolshed； was something else。
〃It's time； General。〃
〃He should be left a little while longer； Jon。 We don't want to do this again。〃
〃I read the same medical literature you do。 Most men break after six hours。〃
〃Beria isn't most men。〃
Smith walked across the porch and leaned on the railing。 From the moment he and Kirov had conceived the operation； they had known that； when taken； Beria would not talk。 Not without inducements。 It wouldn't be anything so primitive as electroshock or rubber truncheons。 There were sophisticated chemicals that； in certain binations； were very effective and reliable。 But they had drawbacks。 One could never be sure if the recipient might have an unexpected reaction； go into shock； or worse。 Such a risk could not be taken with Beria。 He had to be broken cleanly； pletely； and above all； safely。
Smith did not deceive himself。 Whether it was electricity； chemicals； or anything else； it all amounted to torture。 The idea that he had to sanction its use sickened him； both as a human being and as a physician。 He'd told himself over and over again that in this case； such tactics were justified。 What Beria was a party to could expose millions to a horrible death。 It was vital to get at the information in his head。
〃Let's go；〃 said Smith。
Ivan Beria was surrounded by white。 Even if he kept his eyes closed； which was most of the time； he saw white。
When he had regained consciousness； he discovered that he was standing in a deep； cylindrical tube； a kind of silo。 About fifteen feet high； its walls were perfectly smooth； coated with plaster that had been painted and then finished with something to make it shine。 High beyond his reach were two big flood lamps that burned continuously。 There was a total absence of darkness； not even a hint of shadows。
At first； Beria thought that it was some makeshift holding cell。 The thought had reassured him。 He'd had brief experiences with jail cells。 But then he discovered that the diameter of the silo was barely large enough to acmodate his shoulders。 He could lean a few inches in any direction； but he could not sit down。
After a while； he thought he heard a faint hum； like a distant radio signal。 As the hours passed； the signal seemed to get stronger and the walls whiter。 Then they started to close in on him。 That was the first time Beria had closed his eyes； briefly。 When he opened them； the whiteness was even starker； if such a thing were possible。 Now he dared not open his eyes at all。 The hum had crescendoed into a roar and beyond it； Beria heard something else； something that might have been a human voice。 He had no idea that he was screaming。
Without warning； he staggered back； falling through a concealed door that Kirov had opened。 Grabbing Beria's arm； he yanked the assassin out of the silo and immediately slipped a black hood over his head。
〃Everything's going to be all right；〃 Kirov whispered in Serb。 〃I'm going to take away the pain； all of it。 You'll have some water； then you can talk to me。〃
Suddenly； violently； Beria threw his arms around Kirov； holding him as a drowning man would a piece of driftwood。 All the while Kirov continued to talk to him and still him； until Beria took his first halting steps。
Smith was shocked by Beria's appearance… not because he was scared or hurt； just the opposite： he looked exactly as he had the last time Smith had seen him。
But there were differences。 Beria's eyes were glassy and washed out； like those of day…old fish on ice。 His voice was a monotone； with no timbre or texture to it。 When he spoke； it was as though he'd been hypnotized。
The three of them sat on the porch around a little table with a small running tape recorder。 Beria sipped water from a plastic cup。 Next to him； Kirov watched his every move。 In his lap； covered by a cloth； was a gun； the barrel pointed at Beria's shoulder。
〃Who hired you to kill the Russian guard？〃 Smith asked softly。
〃A man from Zurich。〃
〃You went to Zurich？〃
〃No。 We spoke on the telephone。 Only the telephone。〃
〃Did he tell you his name？〃
〃He called himself Gerd。〃
〃How did Gerd pay you？〃
〃Money was deposited into an account at the Offenbach Bank。 It was handled by Herr Weizsel。〃
Weizsel！ The name Peter Howell had gotten out of the corrupt Italian policeman； Dionetti。。。
〃Herr Weizsel。。。 Did you meet him？〃 Smith asked softly。
〃Yes。 Several times。〃
〃And Gerd？〃
〃Never。〃
Smith glanced at Kirov； who nodded； indicating that he believed Beria was telling the truth。 Smith agreed。 He had expected that Beria would have worked through cutouts。 Swiss bankers were some of the best frontmen in the business。
〃Do you know what it was you took from the Russian guard？〃 Smith continued。
〃Germs。〃
Smith closed his eyes。 Germs。。。
〃Do you know the name of the man you passed the germs to at the Moscow airport？〃
〃I think it was David。 It wasn't his real name。〃
〃Did you know that you would have to kill him？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Did Gerd tell you to do this？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Did Gerd ever mention any Americans？ Were you ever contacted directly by any Americans？〃
〃Only my driver。 But I don't know his name。〃
〃Did he ever talk to you about Gerd or anyone else？〃
〃No。〃
Smith paused； trying to keep his frustration in check。 Whoever was running this operation had constructed seemingly impenetrable firewalls between themselves and the assassin。
〃Ivan； I don't want you to listen to this。〃
〃All right。〃 Beria looked away； his expression vacant。
〃Jon； he's got nothing left to give up；〃 Kirov said。 〃We might be able to get a few more details； for what they're worth。〃 Kirov spread out his hands。 〃What about the Lincoln？〃
〃It's a NASA fleet vehicle。 Dozens of drivers use it。 Klein's still running down the particulars。〃 He paused。 〃We should have snatched the driver。 By now； he's reported that Beria's missing。 The controllers will assume the obvious。 They'll be much more careful from here on