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Tachi； peering at the array of monitors； said； 〃I don't think he's in the proper frame of mind。〃
〃He will be。〃 Nicholas bent forward； pulled the plastic of the oxygen tent away。 One part of him was aware of Tachi observing him； another part was already deeply in Tau…tau； concentrating on V。 I。 Pavlov。 Nicholas almost recoiled the moment he projected his psyche。 The Russian was in an almost unimaginable amount of pain； and Nicholas enfolded the man in the strength of his ki。 Then； with the methodical precision of a microsurgeon； he worked on the overloaded pain receptors； restoring their ability to transfer the correct messages to the brain。 In this way； it began to manufacture the endorphins and nucleopeptides that would naturally reduce the pain to bearable levels。 Then he hit a wall。
Without breaking his connection； he said to Tachi： 〃There's a heavy…duty narcotic in his system； morphine； I think。〃
Tachi nodded。 〃I expected as much。 As long as it's there； he won't be of much use to us。〃
〃I can do something about that。〃 Nicholas increased his connection to Pavlov。 The colors in the room sparked； then dimmed as if the light had been sucked out。 Shapes shifted and jumped as Nicholas； sunk deeply into Tau…tau； caused the transformation of thought into deed。 The darkness pulsed around him； and time； a beast with 10 million eyes； seemed tethered to a stake in the earth。 Nicholas； outside the dictates of time； began the manipulation of life on a cellular level。
So gradually he had to strain to be sure of it； the Russian's Wood chemistry began to alter as he drained the morphine from Pavlov's bloodstream。 This was a dangerous procedure。 He had to hypermetabolize the morphine … in other words； speed up its breakdown。 If he went too fast； he would overload Pavlov's lymph and renal systems and the patient would go into shock。
Pavlov groaned； his head moving from side to side on the damp pillow。
Tachi dragged his chair a few inches closer。 The scraping sound caused the Russian to open his eyes。 They were an opaque blue； bloodshot； the whites as sickly yellow as the room。
He said something unintelligible。 Nicholas gave him water。 He sucked it up； staring at Nicholas and Tachi。
〃Are you doctors？〃 he said in Vietnamese。
〃I'm the surgeon who worked on you；〃 Nicholas said。 〃And this is Dr。 Van Kiet； the hospital administrator。〃
〃He looks Japanese；〃 Pavlov said vaguely。
〃My misfortune；〃 Tachi replied。 〃Can you tell us what happened to you？〃
Pavlov closed his eyes； and for an instant； Nicholas thought they were going to lose him。 His pulse rate jumped； and his blood pressure rose。 Nicholas； enfolding him in forting warmth； said； 〃You'll feel better in a moment。〃
Pavlov's breathing slowed。 He opened his eyes and looked at them mutely。 Nicholas suspected what was going through his mind。
〃The police are naturally interested in your case。 There are officers outside this room； in fact。 They seem very anxious to speak with you。〃
There was sweat on Pavlov's fat； white cheeks； but neither man made a move to wipe it off。 〃You can't let them in here；〃 Pavlov said in a quavery voice。
〃Don't worry about that。〃 Nicholas patted the padded arm。 〃I won't let anything happen to you。 I worked too hard to save your life。〃
Above them both； Tachi was shaking his head。 〃I don't know。 I'm getting a great deal of pressure from the chief inspector of the Saigon police。 I don't know if I can …〃
〃But you must！〃 Nicholas said it sharply； his head turned toward Tachi。 Then he returned his gaze to the patient。 〃But you understand Dr。 Van Kiet's predicament。〃
〃What am I to do？〃 Pavlov whispered。 〃I can't talk to the police。 I can't。〃
Tachi leaned menacingly over the bed。 〃But I'm afraid you will have no choice …〃
〃Wait！〃 Nicholas raised his hand。 〃Doctor； there may be a way。 If Dr。 Pavlov tells us what happened； perhaps we can work out a way to bypass the police。 After all； his health is in the balance。〃
Tachi was shaking his head。 〃I don't know。 The irregularity …〃
〃But I would tell you；〃 Pavlov whispered hastily。 〃If you can help me with the police。〃
〃You can trust us。〃 Nicholas smiled。 〃We have only your best interests in mind。〃
〃All right； then。〃 Pavlov was sweating again； his heart rate fluctuating frighteningly。 Nicholas did not know how long they had。 He extended his psyche； wrapping the Russian more tightly in warmth。
Pavlov licked his blue lips。 〃I never would have e here except that my institute needs money。 I'm the head of the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy in Moscow。 That used to mean something。 I led a life of privilege。。。 a gleaming Chaika to take me to and from work； a beautiful dacha on the Baltic where my wife took the children in the summer； a large apartment in Moscow。〃 He paused to gather himself； even talking was an enormous effort for him。 〃All that changed when the Soviet Union died。 Now I am reduced to the level of a simple mendicant； traveling thousands of miles in order to obtain money for the institute。〃
〃You came to Saigon for funding？〃 Tachi asked。
Pavlov tried to smile； but it turned into a grimace of pain。 He paused for a moment； panting。 Nicholas gave him more water。
〃Saigon is where Abramanov is。 He was to be my benefactor。〃 The Russian made an odd sound； somewhere between a gurgle and a cough。 Perhaps it was meant to be a laugh。 〃He used to be my bête noire； Abramanov。 Perhaps he still is； who knows？ You see； he used to work for me at Kurchatov。 Some said he was brilliant in his field of study； but I knew he had a mutinous mind and a disruptive personality。 He's a Jew； after all； and we all know about them。〃
The Russian's eyes closed； and Nicholas and Tachi exchanged glances。 Nicholas said； 〃Just what was Abramanov's specialty； Dr。 Pavlov？〃
The Russian let out a long sigh。 〃High…flux neutron fields。〃
〃What does that mean？〃 Tachi asked。
〃You should know。 You're a doctor！〃 Some of what must have been Pavlov's old fiery personality came briefly to the fore； before he subsided in a coughing fit。 Nicholas was aware of a seepage of blood somewhere deep inside the Russian； and he knew what that meant。 Death was waiting in the shadows； and no surgeon on earth could hold him at bay。
〃Doctor； please；〃 he said； 〃you'll do yourself no good。 Calm down。〃
〃Yes； yes； I know。 But after what's happened to me。。。 where was I？ Oh； yes； high…flux neutron fields。 As simply as possible； Abramanov was hell…bent on creating a stable transuranic isotope。 His hope was to find an atomic substance that could be used as the ultimate fuel； cheap and virtually limitless。〃
〃Was he successful？〃 Nicholas asked。
〃Not at Kurchatov。 But after I exiled him to Arzamas…16； the atomic city； I lost track of him。 But now。。。 now I suspect that he has been successful。 Because； you see； I came here to sell him something he needs very badly。 He was supposed to pay me a great deal of money for it。 Twenty…five million dollars。〃 Tears began to leak from Pavlov's eyes。 〃Was I naive in believing I'd get it？ Now it's gone and I have nothing。〃
A discreet knock on the door interrupted the interrogation。 Van Kiet's sergeant beckoned Tachi outside。 Nicholas wanted to wait