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〃You were right on target with Bernard；〃 Tori said。 〃It tears me apart to think how he used both of us。 How I hate him now。〃
Russell was quiet for some time。 Then he said； 〃I wish you could learn to respond with your brain and not with your heart。 This is a time to consider objectively what has happened。〃 He sat forward。 〃Think； Tori。 Bernard put together this bizarre coalition of Michita； Yen； and Hitasura for a reason。 He saw what no one else did： an unprecedented opportunity to seize what appears to be the ultimate chance to free the minority peoples of the Soviet Union。''
Tori's face was pale。 〃I never suspected a thing。 My God； all along Bernard never retired from the Mall。 He had his own agenda hidden away from even you； the director he appointed in his place。〃
〃You're quite right；〃 Russell said。 〃Hidden agendas are Bernard's stock…in…trade。〃
Tori stared at him。 〃How long have you known？〃
Russell gave her a thin smile。 〃Not long enough。〃
〃I can't wait to bury the bastard！〃
〃Tori； it's no good hating Bernard。 He is what he is； a man totally obsessed with freeing enslaved peoples。〃
〃I wish there was some way I could help the nationalist movement inside Russia；〃 Tori said。 〃It's Bernard's methods I disagree with； not his goals。〃
〃So often said。〃 Russell kept her close。 〃But it just goes to prove that Bernard's as human as the next person。 He's made mistakes…grave ones； like allowing Hitasura to run his own supercoke smuggling operation under Mail auspices。〃
Tori turned away； looked out at the clouds streaming by below them。
〃Russ； how can you defend him after what he's done to us？ He took our trust and our love； and in return manipulated us。〃
〃I'll tell you something；〃 Russell said。 〃Bernard is a master of using all the resources available to him。 At first； that's what I thought he was doing here。 But now I'm not so sure。 You see； he made a point of telling me how angry he was not only that Ariel Solares was murdered； but that it was done with such a bang we heard it all the way back in Virginia。 He said they wanted to embarrass us； that there could only be one response to that。〃 Russell made sure she was listening。 〃But Bernard knew all along who had ordered Ariel's death： Hitasura。 'Go for the jugular；' Bernard said。 Jesus； he wasn't kidding。 He made sure that every step of the way it was my idea to bring you back； but I could see how he planted that idea； how he manipulated conversations so that I would take that extra step to ensure that； one way or another； you'd e back to the Mall。 I didn't know why then； but I do now： he knew that you were the only one who could take care of your old friend Hitasura for him。''
〃Go on。〃
〃But Bernard also must have known that for you to get close enough to Hitasura to terminate him； you'd have to have learned enough to implicate him…Bernard。 So you were a two…edged sword； Tori。 On the one hand； you were the only agent skilled enough to bring Hitasura down。 On the other； you would e away knowing enough to send Bernard away for a very long time。〃
〃That's why Bernard ordered you to terminate me！〃
Russell shook his head。 〃You're still not thinking clearly。 I said Bernard told me to terminate you under certain circumstances。 He didn't order me to do it； and further； he knew that I couldn't possibly hurt you。 You see； Bernard…who knows everyone's weak spots…knew before I did that I was in love with you。〃
Tori said nothing for a time。 At last she put her head into her hands。 〃I can't think。 There's too much…〃
〃This is your time in the corrida； Tori。'' And when she lifted her head to look at him； Russell said； 〃The bull is so close upon you you can feel his hot breath。''
〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃Yes。〃
Russell took her hands in his。 〃This is the time when you must think for yourself。 Think not as Bernard wants you to do； but for yourself。〃
She knew he was right in everything he said。 And yet a stubborn； obtuse part of her was still mitted to hating Bernard Godwin for his betrayal of her trust。
She said； 〃Whether he asked you； told you； or ordered you to terminate me； makes no difference。 Bernard still wanted me dead in order to protect himself。''
〃No； Tori。〃 Russell caught her gaze with his own。 〃If Bernard wanted you terminated； he certainly wouldn't have asked me to do it。 I'm a desk jockey； remember？ And he knew I was personally involved with you。 I'd be just about the last person he'd contract with to make the hit。〃
〃That makes sense；〃 Tori said。 〃Then why did he tell you to terminate me？〃
〃Well； I've been thinking about that；〃 Russell said。 〃What he said was so wildly out of character that it was as if he was trying to tell me something。 It took me a while to figure out the puzzle Bernard had set put for me； but I think I have it now。 It was as if Bernard was saying to me； I've given you this picture； what's wrong with it？
〃He knew that Hitasura had turned bad on him…Hitasura's murder of Ariel Solares was a major break in discipline。 Bernard may not have known that Hitasura was behind the supercoke； but he sure as hell knew that he suddenly had a rogue agent on his hands…a rogue agent； I might add； who reported only to Bernard。 Bernard knew he had to terminate Hitasura as quickly and as efficiently as possible。
''He knew he couldn't tell you openly about Hitasura because you wouldn't believe him； and he wouldn't have told me for fear I would tell you。 That would have made you walk straight away from us。 Bernard knew you needed to discover the truth about Hitasura for yourself； but he was warning me that things were not as they seemed in the hope that I would stay one step ahead of you。 You see； Bernard was still concerned by your volatility。 He set me up to be your watchdog just as； years ago； he set you up to be Hitasura's watchdog。〃
Tori gave an ironic laugh。 〃And now Bernard has given me the means to exact my revenge on him for manipulating me for so many years。〃
Russell nodded。 〃Now you understand that Bernard knew he was doing just that when he manipulated me into bringing you back to the Mall。 It says something about the man that he trusts you…and me…with that power over him。〃
Tori thought about that for a long time； then she nodded。 〃I guess I still can't believe that I could have been so wrong about Hitasura。 He used Bernard as Bernard was using us and everyone else around him。 We have confirmation from Hitasura himself that Bernard never wanted Ariel murdered。 And it's true that Bernard had no conscious knowledge of the supercocaine Hitasura was selling。 It will just about kill him when he learns to what extent he's been involved in that。〃
Russell said nothing。
Tori exhaled slowly。 〃There is an Argentine saying： 'The devil can see at midnight； but revenge is blind even in the noonday sun。' 〃
Russell knew what she meant。 She was moving away from the emotionally volatile adolescent filled with weaknesses that Bernard Godwin recognized and exploited。 She was being more whole and； therefore； more powerful with each breath she took。 She had met her bull head on； and was riding it； facing herself at last； instead of turning away from herself to face death over and over。
〃Look； we're not trying t