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〃Tell me about it。〃
〃Pardon？ I just did。〃
〃Let's not start this all over again；〃 Tori said。 She spread her hands on the table palms up。 〃How do you wish to proceed； Captain？〃
〃I would like to make my proposal。。。 but not here。〃
〃Where？〃 Russell said。
〃A villa。 In the Lenin Hills。〃
Tori smiled。 〃Captain； please try to see this situation from our point of view。 We have had no assurances from you…〃
〃I am speaking English；〃 Nikolev said immediately。 〃KGB agents are not supposed to reveal such things。 We are to pretend ignorance of English so as to learn more。〃
Russell said； 〃To my way of thinking； that's damn little in the way of assurances。''
〃Be fair；〃 Tori said。 〃We haven't given him much； either。〃 She said to Nikolev。 〃We'll listen to your proposal； Captain； but that's all we'll agree to。〃
Captain Nikolev nodded。
Russell groaned。 〃Great。 Either way； I think we're about to get fucked。〃
At approximately the time that Tori and Russell were stuck at Immigration at Sheremetyevo； Mars Volkov was embracing Irina。 Then he pushed her from him； held her at arm's length so he could look into her eyes。 〃I was getting worried about you；〃 he said。 〃Your amateur sleuthing is all well and good…and believe me when I tell you I owe you an enormous debt of gratitude…but with Valeri and his KGB stooges on the loose； when I didn't hear from you； I feared the worst。 In fact； I was just about to call the police when you showed up。 How fortuitous！〃
〃Fortuitous； indeed。〃 KGB。 Keep calm。 Irina was careful to let none of the terror she felt leak into her voice。 He's not yet ready to reveal himself； she thought。 That means he wants something from me。 What？ 〃It seems that the KGB were watching Valeri's apartment。 They almost caught me。〃
〃It's a good thing I'm here； then；〃 Mars said。
The rain beat against the windshield of the car。 The world was contracting into a tiny gray ball the size of a prison cell。 Irina felt the irrational urge to look at the Toshiba portable to make sure it was still there。 Of course it was。 She stared steadfastly into the teeming mist。
〃You're without wipers；〃 Mars said。
〃They were stolen。 It's my fault。 I forgot to take them with me one day。〃
He shrugged。 〃There are more in the trunk。 I'll get a pair。〃
Irina watched him as he slid across the backseat； got out； went around to the rear of the car。 She put her hands on the steering wheel； then let one slip to the gear lever。 She saw Mars open the trunk； bend down。
All she had to do was release the hand brake； throw the car in gear； and crash out of the prison Mars was contemplating for her。 Simple。 Irina felt her muscles tighten in preparation for the move。 Or was it so simple？ Where was the Bonier Guards contingent that had had Valeri's apartment cordoned off？ Surely they hadn't gone and left Mars here on his own。
Her hands were shaking so badly that she did not believe that she could drive property。 Not in this downpour。 Not without windshield wipers。
She heard the trunk slam； and she gave a little cry as her heart skipped a beat。 Then Mars was ing around； attaching the blades。 He did this with one hand。 When； a moment later； he returned to the car； he slipped into the front passenger's seat。 He put Valeri's Toshiba between his legs。
Irina looked down； saw a pistol in Mars's right hand。 It was pointed toward the floorwell。
''I thought I saw one of Valeri's KGB men；'' Mars said when he saw where she was looking。 〃A kind of war has broken out between the two of us。'' He put the gun away。 ''I'm afraid you almost got killed ing between us。〃
〃I've done what you asked。〃 Irina wondered whether her voice sounded as brittle to Mars as it did to her。 She hoped not。 〃Didn't I discover the connection between Natasha and Valeri？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃You did。 And； as I said； I'm grateful。 Valeri and I had e to an odd kind of stalemate。 Surveillance on either side had bee virtually impossible。 We knew each other's people far too well。〃 He smiled。 〃Then you came to me like an angel from heaven。 For that I am also grateful。〃
The interior of the car had begun to steam up； and he rolled down his window a bit。 Rain pattered against the edge； sending a fine spray onto his shoulder。 He took no notice。 〃But I'm also puzzled； Irina。 What were you doing in Valeri's apartment？〃
〃Trying to find the answer to the mystery of White Star。〃 She turned to face him； thinking； Was it you who tortured poor Natasha until she gave up the dark secret of Valeri's daughter？ And did you kill her when she was no longer of use to you？ Bastard！ She said； 〃Isn't that what you asked me for？〃
〃And what have you found？〃
She was acutely aware of the gun in his pocket。 ''I searched his apartment and came up with nothing。〃
〃Except this；〃 Mars said。 〃What is it？〃
〃Valeri's puter；〃 she said。
〃An illegal puter；〃 Mars said。 〃That would be just like Valeri Denysovich。'' He stared at Irina。 ''Why did you take it？''
KGB。 Keep calm。 Irina fought the numbing terror； fought to make her mind work； to figure out what she must say to him； to appease him yet not to give away…
〃I 'll answer for you；〃 Mars said。 ''You thought the puter might contain White Star's secrets。〃
Her mind was like a sheet of ice。 〃Yes。〃 What else could she say？
Mars said nothing for a time。 Then he put his head back against the seat rest； closed his eyes。 A slow smile spread across his lips。 〃Why don't we give it a try？〃
Too late； Irina realized her mistake in not throwing the puter away when she had had the chance。 Better it be lost to Valeri than land in the hands of the KGB。 She wept inside for Valeri； for Natasha； for White Star； for herself； because this monster had won。 Now she knew what he wanted from her。
She set the wipers going； and the windshield cleared as much as it was going to with the car's primitive and inefficient defroster。 She held her breath； said； 〃Where shall we go？ Your apartment？〃
〃No；〃 Mars said。 〃Star Town。〃
Arbat was swimming in a circle。
〃What's the matter with her？〃 Lara said。
〃I don't know；〃 the Hero admitted。 He spoke to her in the peculiar clickings that Lara did not understand but had grown used to。 Immediately； Arbat ceased her nervous circling； lifted her nose； let out with a long string of speech。
〃Something's wrong；〃 the Hero said。
〃What？〃
〃I don't know。 Neither does Arbat。 But something very bad has happened。〃
〃Volkov？〃
〃Yes； probably；〃 the Hero said。 He swam over to where Arbat was； put his arms around her。 She nuzzled his face。 〃Don't worry；〃 he whispered； then repeated it in her language。
It was then that Lara understood the depth of his concern。 He had been trying to fort himself。
Lara came close to him。 ''Perhaps we need not fear rade Volkov as much as we have in the past。 I think we have succeeded in making him believe you are turning into something beyond his ken。〃
The Hero smiled。 〃That was a neat trick； you swimming underwater to scrape his leg while I went into my 'seizure。' 〃
〃You played your role to perfection；〃 Lara said。
''rade Volkov has seen to it that I've had enough time to work out the rough edges。〃
Lara was abruptly serious。 She touched his arm。 〃All this play